Association of Leadership Educators

The 2027 Association of Leadership Educators conference will bring leadership educators together to examine how we prepare the next generation of leaders for a complex and changing world. Grounded in purpose, connection, and resilience, this year’s theme invites us to explore how we cultivate leaders who act with intention, build meaningful relationships, and persevere through uncertainty. We invite you to share research, practice, and ideas that advance leadership education and help shape the leaders of tomorrow.

This year’s conference theme, Advancing Tomorrow’s Leaders (ATL): Purpose. Connection. Resilience. plays on Atlanta’s most recognizable acronym, ATL, with three words uniquely connected to Atlanta's past, present, and future.

Purpose: Atlanta is the center of the Civil Rights Movement and the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The city’s identity is anchored in moral leadership, human rights, and purpose-driven advocacy.

Connection: Atlanta is home to the Atlanta University Center (AUC)—the world’s largest and oldest consortium of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, pioneering inter-institutional collaboration and connections to develop generations of leaders.
Resilience: Atlanta’s motto is Resurgens (“rising again”) and its seal features a Phoenix rising from the ashes, nods to Atlanta’s repeated rebuilding and reinvention. Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park serves as a symbol of resilience in the midst of adversity.