This fellowship is currently not active. If you’re interested in information about this fellowship, contact us. Learn more about creating a fellowships for our network, foundation, or issue area here.

The Program

Now in its sixth year, this intensive leadership program is designed to teach powerful visioning, listening, speaking, presentation, coaching, team-building and feedback skills to leaders engaged with advocacy and organizing for lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer equality and liberation. The program includes two 5-day residential retreats, professional and peer coaching sessions, and additional leadership support.

Key Skills

  • Deal more effectively with organizational challenges
  • Manage relationships to increase personal and organizational effectiveness
  • Sharpen and sustain compelling visions for your work
  • Inspire and align others to work effectively towards common goals
  • Increase sustainability and engage with tools to prevent burnout
  • Build partnerships inside and outside your organization

Program Offerings

Art of Collaborative Leadership

October 28 – November 1, 2013 | Westerbeke Ranch, Sonoma, CA

The Art of Collaborative Leadership is an intensive retreat workshop in which participants will hone skills related to articulating vision, managing difficult conversations, and identifying personal leadership strengths and challenges. Each participant receives a 360-degree leadership evaluation from peers. The training includes time for participant-driven dialogue aimed at strengthening collaborative work in the LGBTQ Advocacy sector.

Advanced Art of Leadership: Leadership in Action

March 3-7, 2014 | Travaasa Conference Center, Austin, TX

The Advanced Art of Leadership: Leadership In Action challenges participants to delve deeper into their professional development and partnerships. This second Fellowship retreat builds off the tools and experience of the Art of Collaborative Leadership, with continued opportunity for field dialogue. It is designed for leaders who wish to enhance their skills in areas of both leadership and collaboration, including an examination of power (personal, positional and institutional), strategy and performance, personal and organizational sustainability.

Professional Coaching Sessions & Peer Coaching

Coaching is both an important leadership skill and resource for social change leaders. In the Fellowship, leaders each have access to 2 hours of professional coaching, and will be partnered with other Fellows to engage in a peer coaching relationship over the course of the seven months.

The Trainers

Our programs are led by nationally and internationally recognized thinkers, educators, and activists who are experienced in sharing the most in depth, leading insights on leadership development , collaboration and capacity building.

The Fellowship for LGBTQ Advocacy will be led by:

Michael Bell

Michael is a nationally recognized expert and keynote speaker on establishing and re-energizing effective diversity councils. A leader in the fields of organizational development and strategic planning, Michael is a core member of two national think tanks, Fetzer Institute’s “Healing the Heart of Diversity” and the “Bohmian Dialogue Research Group.”

Suzanne Hawkes

Suzanne focuses on strengthening the voices of civil society organizations in Canada and countries worldwide. As a facilitator, workshop leader, coach and campaign consultant, she has worked with hundreds of nonprofit organizations. She is driven by a passion for supporting the power, skills and wisdom in social change leaders and organizations.

Fellow Criteria

The ideal candidates for Rockwood’s 2013 Fellowship for LGBTQ Advocacy:

  • Are engaged in advocacy work focused on LGBTQ equality and liberation, with a heavy emphasis on leaders from states that lie outside of LGBTQ power centers
  • Reflect the racial and gender diversity of our communities, as well as a diversity of change strategies
  • Have been engaged in advocacy work for at least 3 years
  • Play a decision-making/leadership role within their organization
  • Demonstrate personal/professional readiness for new leadership skills
  • Have experience with cross-strategy collaboration and desire to strengthen such work
  • Can commit to attend both 5-day retreats (October 28 – November 1, 2013; March 3 – 7, 2014) and participate in follow-up peer coaching and assignments