GFOA Leadership Academy
Offered at the College of Charleston, November 12-17, 2023.
The GFOA Leadership Academy at the College of Charleston provides senior public and government finance professionals an opportunity to bolster their leadership and management skills to better serve their communities.
Through sessions and self-assessments, participants will:
- Optimize their technical knowledge and abilities to enhance leadership skills
- Gain new ideas to improve their organizations and communities
- Learn from and be inspired by industry-leading speakers and change agents
- Be more prepared to lead teams, steer organization vision, and manage multiple stakeholders
- Hone their abilities to handle difficult discussions, politically complex initiatives, and challenging executive roles
- Strengthen their networks through new connections with speakers and peer participants
The week-long Leadership Academy offers participants an opportunity to step away from day-to-day demands and technical training and instead focus on leadership development.

Leadership Academy Brochure
Download PDF printable version of the 2023 Leadership Academy brochure.
Leadership Academy Application
The 2023 Leadership Academy application process is currently open. The application process will close on August 31, 2023. Applicants selected to participate in the program will be notified no later than September 15, 2023 and those admitted will be required to submit tuition payment by October 13, 2023.
Leadership Academy Policies
View information related to application, registration, refunds, and CPE credits.
POWER-PACKED AGENDA
From the opening reception and dinner to the closing lunch, the week features a mix of sessions designed to spur individual learning, develop organizational insights, and nurture development of leadership skills. Sessions are intended to balance the role of the financial professional in state and local government with key trends in leadership for the public sector. Representative sessions include:
- Self-assessments and other behavioral insights designed to help participants understand how they work—and how they can best contribute to their organizations
- Leadership skills for the 21st century
- Characteristics of great organizations
- You and your organization
- Values of public service
- Case study preparation and presentations
- Leadership discussions and reflections
STANDOUT SPEAKERS
Leadership Academy speakers will share their perspectives on the roles and responsibilities of state and local government officials in a complex and rapidly changing world. They will share career insights gleaned from research and hands-on leadership experience. The faculty roster includes:
Robert O'Neill
Executive in Residence, Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Center for Livable Communities
Chris Morrill
GFOA Executive Director
Shayne Kavanagh
GFOA Senior Research Manager
Alicia D. Caudill
Executive Vice President for Student Affairs, College of Charleston
John Nalbandian
Professor Emeritus, University of Kansas School of Public Affairs & Administration
Kim Nelson
Professor of Public Administration and Government, University of North Carolina
Valerie Lemmie
Director of Exploratory Research, Kettering Foundation
Michael Bryant
Deputy County Manager, Mecklenburg County, NC
Scholarship Availability
If you are interested in applying for the next Leadership Academy, but are concerned about the costs for travel or lodging, you can also apply for a scholarship through the GFOA’s Leadership Development Scholarship program. GLDS is a brand new program focused on providing scholarship funding to working professionals for in-person training provided by GFOA and our partners.
Funds are limited, but we encourage you to apply for a GLDS scholarship if the travel costs for the Leadership Academy keep you from participating. Click here to view the application requirements.
Questions? Please contact GFOA's Randall Towns.