The Obama Foundation Introduces 2026-2027 Class of 155 Global Leaders
As the first class welcomed since the Obama Presidential Center opened its doors, Leaders are drawn from 64 countries and territories
September 9, 2026 at 9:00 AM CDT
CHICAGO – The Obama Foundation today welcomed 155 changemakers from around the world into its Leaders program, the first class named since the Obama Presidential Center opened on the South Side of Chicago. Drawn from 64 countries and territories in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the United States, these Leaders will participate in four regional-based cohorts, expanding the Foundation's leadership growing network across the globe.
This year's class brings together 35 Leaders in Africa, 35 in Asia-Pacific, 35 in Europe, and 50 in the United States. Their work spans government, business, and civil society sectors, with a shared commitment of creating positive, sustainable change in their communities, regions and around the world.
Among them are members of parliament in Germany, Greece, and Türkiye; city councillors in Niger, Australia, and North Carolina; a municipal court judge in the Philippines; a social inclusion leader advocating for children’s rights in Albania; and organizers registering first-time voters in the United States. Others are strengthening rural health systems in Malawi, restoring marine habitat in Hawaiʻi, teaching CHamoru studies on Guam, and moving capital toward entrepreneurs the banking system has passed over.
“Every year, this program reminds me that the people closest to a problem usually have the clearest sense of how to solve it,” said President Obama. “These Leaders are already doing amazing work in their own communities. What we can offer is a place to sharpen their skills, an opportunity to meet people fighting the same fight, and the encouragement to keep going when it gets hard.”
“I feel energized and hopeful about the work ahead thanks to the overwhelming support for the Obama Presidential Center and seeing our new cohort of Obama Leaders who are creating meaningful change at home and abroad,” said Valerie Jarrett, CEO of The Obama Foundation. “We are proud to help the next generation of changemakers multiply their impact to improve their local and global communities, creating a better world for future generations to come.”
Rooted in the leadership values of President and Mrs. Obama, The Obama Foundation Leaders program equips changemakers with the tools to turn “hope into action.” Through the Foundation’s signature curriculum, Leaders learn to embrace diverse perspectives, harness collective power, and drive lasting, meaningful progress toward a more just and sustainable world.
Launched in Africa in 2018 and expanded to Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the United States by 2023, the Leaders program now runs across all four regions at once, creating new opportunities for cross-regional learning. Upon completion of the program, Obama Leaders will join the Obama Leadership Network, a growing global alumni community of more than 1,800 active changemakers across over 160 countries, where they will take their experiences forward through continued collaboration.
To learn more about the program and see a list of the 2026-2027 class of Obama Leaders, please visit obama.org/programs/leaders .
About The Obama Foundation
The Obama Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world. That mission begins on the South Side of Chicago, the home of the Obama Presidential Center. But that approach extends to all our work, whether it’s holding leadership training sessions in communities throughout the U.S., bringing local leaders together in countries around the world, working to support the global education of girls, or ensuring young men of color have pathways to opportunity. From every corner of the globe, our program participants are working together to address some of the biggest challenges of our time—from renewing our democratic institutions, protecting LGBTQ+ rights, fighting climate change, and so much more.
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Contact: Emily Bittner, press@obama.org