Step beyond workforce gaps to explore how networks, trust, and local systems expand access to opportunity.

Workforce development isn’t just about placement—it’s about belonging, access, and navigating a shifting economy. In this session, we’ll explore how opportunity emerges when systems are designed to reflect the realities of the people they serve. Rather than focus on short-term fixes, we’ll hear from regional leaders who are weaving together education, business, and community to build more adaptive and connected opportunity ecosystems. Participants will consider how relationships, not just programs, create durable pathways to economic mobility.

Parking Information

The session will be held at 1801 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002. Parking is available in the attached garage, with the entrance located on Fannin Street. Parking will be complimentary for all exits after 6:00 pm. We recommend arriving 5-10 minutes early to allow time for parking and check-in.

An intro workshop for those facing transition, considering a pivot, or curious about what life could be.

What if your next chapter could be your most aligned, resilient, and whole?

Design Your Life is a reflective and interactive mini-workshop for senior fellows who are anticipating or navigating change—professionally or personally—and are ready to begin aligning their time, energy, and purpose.

Especially for those who are:

• Entering or navigating retirement

• Experiencing a life transition

• Hungry for more meaning and fulfillment

Participants will leave with:

• The basics of a roadmap for the season ahead.

• Renewed confidence in the face of change.

• A renewed sense of story, resilience, and possibility.

Note: Those interested in continuing the journey will be invited to participate in an ongoing community of practice scheduled for early 2026.

Space is limited — register soon to confirm your spot.

Discover funding approaches that strengthen trust, deepen community connections, and create momentum for Houston’s future.

This opening session of the Bridge Houston series brings nonprofit, philanthropic and board leaders together to reimagine how we resource our region’s’s future. We’ll examine fresh approaches to funding that go beyond filling shortfalls, focusing instead on cultivating trust, fostering openness, and strengthening connections across sectors. Participants will engage in dialogue with peers from diverse fields to explore how Houston can align its financial strategies with its community’s assets and aspirations. By the end of the session, you’ll leave with new perspectives, actionable ideas, and relationships that can help transform how funding flows to the places and people that need it most.

Our conversation will balance practical insight with cross-sector discussion, offering a space to think creatively while staying grounded in Houston’s realities. Whether you’re a funder, nonprofit leader, civic partner, or business executive, this is an opportunity to contribute to a vision of a stronger, more connected funding ecosystem for our city.

Grants offered through HAA provide essential funding that fuels Houston’s creative economy. These resources ensure equitable access to the arts and help preserve and uplift diverse cultural traditions. They also contribute to stronger community connections, economic development, and public access to meaningful cultural experiences.

Houston's diverse and dynamic landscape presents both opportunities and challenges. Impact Hub Houston addresses these by fostering a collaborative environment where social entrepreneurs can thrive. By providing resources, mentorship, and a global network, they enable changemakers to develop solutions that are not only innovative but also equitable and sustainable.

Fuckup Nights is a global movement born in Mexico that now spans over 300 cities worldwide — including Houston. At each gathering, local leaders, entrepreneurs, activists, and artists take the stage to candidly share their biggest professional failure.

Instead of avoiding the topic, these sessions normalize learning from mistakes, spark honest conversations, and foster a culture of vulnerability, innovation, and community support.

ALF Houston, the Houston/Gulf Coast chapter of the American Leadership Forum, brings together diverse leaders across sectors to build deeper trust, engage in courageous conversations, and lead collaborative change in the region. Their mission is to join and strengthen diverse leaders to serve the common good—transforming individual leadership journeys into a network of collective impact.