The Leaders Asia-Pacific program is a non-residential leadership development and community engagement program that seeks to inspire, empower, and connect emerging leaders in the region. Together, Leaders accelerate positive and lasting change in their communities, in the Asia-Pacific region, and across the world.
The Leaders Asia-Pacific program focuses on building a tightly-knit cohort, while simultaneously supporting individuals, uniting leaders from across Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, and Oceania to engage in values-based leadership discussions, skillbuilding for social change, and hands-on workshops. To date, the program has built a network of 200 leaders, hailing from over 34 nations and territories, working across various sectors and issue areas.,
Leveraging the full power of the Obama network, Leaders participate in virtual skill-building workshops, network building opportunities, and a variety of moderated conversations with issue-area experts, while focusing on individual growth as a leader rooted in values. Upon completion of the program, Obama Leaders become part of the Obama Foundation’s global alumni community, a new generation of civically active, positive role models who are prepared to create tangible solutions to the challenges of our time.
The Obama Foundation Leaders Asia-Pacific Program is more than just a leadership program—it’s a community of support, enduring friendship, and lifelong connections.
Get to know the Leaders below! For more information about the in-person convening we hosted last December, you can check out the program guide here. Opens in a new tab
Social Innovator Kyungsun Chung Speaks with Leaders
Kyungsun Chung, a pioneer in the social enterprise space in Korea and Founder of the impact investment firm HG Initiative, joined Leaders for our monthly speaker series. Kyungsun shared his story of being part of one of Asia’s largest family-run conglomerates, Hyundai, and how he decided to step away from his family business to start his own values-driven social innovation projects. Leaders Natalie Au and Prodita Sabarini moderated the chat.
Expressions of Oceania: A Selection of Art from Hawaiʻi, Sāmoa, and Aotearoa
On October 14th, the Leaders Asia-Pacific cohort and members of the broader Pasifika community came together for a virtual celebration of Pacific arts and culture. The event showcased artists and community leaders like singer Paula Fuga, Maori slam poet Te Kahu Rolleston, and the powerful contemporary dance group Black Grace.
Ahead of the International Day of Peace, Leaders hear from Thant Myint-U
Just days before the International Day of Peace, notable scholar, author, and former public servant Thant Myint-U joined our Obama Leaders for a timely discussion on the prospects for peace and development in Burma. Timothy Low from Singapore and Rozella Mahjhrin from Malaysia moderated the discussion.
Koko Kondo Speaks to Leaders on the 75th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombings
On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Ms. Koko Kondo, an international peace activist and survivor of the atomic bomb, joined our Leaders to share her life’s story, her journey to forgiveness, and her hopes for the future.
Simon Moss, Co-Founder of Global Citizen, Connects with Leaders
Simon Moss, the Co-Founder of Global Citizen Opens in a new tab , joined Leaders for a conversation facilitated by Leaders Angga D. Martha (Indonesia) and Jaclyn McLendon (Australia). Drawing from his decades of experience as a campaigning and community education expert, Simon discussed the powerful potential of uniting like-minded people for a common purpose, recapping Global Citizen’s virtual concert, One World: Together at Home — a campaign that attracted nearly 21 million viewers.
Designing the Asia-Pacific Leaders Program
January 2, 2019
“What’s best in me, and what’s best in my message, is consistent with the tradition of Hawaiʻi.” —President Obama, 2004 As President Obama met with… More
Gabrielle Dolan Leads Workshop Series on Presenting With Impact
Throughout October, best-selling author and expert storyteller Gabrielle Dolan—affectionately known as Ral— led a series of workshops for Leaders on how to maximize the impact of presentations in the workplace. Adjusting to today’s reality, Ral shared best practices for conveying powerful messages over Zoom and how to adapt storytelling to the virtual setting.
Malaysian Obama Leaders Join Forces for National Kindness Week
In February, Obama Leader Ian Yee commissioned the help of fellow Leader Gwen Yi Wong and her organization, Tribeless, to design an interactive and engaging program for students and teachers to learn basic empathy skills during National Kindness Week, a nation-wide anti-bullying campaign in Malaysia. With National Kindness Week moving entirely online due to COVID-19, Gwen and her team kicked into full gear to adapt the program for a virtual audience, ensuring it was suitable for children with disabilities and conducting a virtual training for dozens of facilitators. Gwen and Ian are thrilled to be collaborating in bringing this empathy-building activity to over 750 schools across Malaysia.
Hawaiian Community Gathering: The Value of Navigational Leadership
The Leaders Asia-Pacific team hosted a virtual gathering alongside our community in Hawaiʻi, entitled “The Value of Navigational Leadership: Wayfinding Through Rough Waters.” Together, an intergenerational panel of seasoned navigators and native Hawaiians explored how lessons learned from the Polynesian sea voyaging tradition can inform other aspects of life and society. The conversation, led by Maya Soetoro, left audience members feeling grounded, inspired, and interconnected. Speakers included Nainoa Thompson, Pomai Bertelmann, Haunani Kane, and Keānuenue DeSoto.
Filmmakers Join Leaders for a Conversation about "In My Blood It Runs" Documentary
Filmmaker Maya Newell and Aboriginal leader William Tilmouth joined Leaders for a timely conversation about their award-winning documentary, In My Blood It Runs Opens in a new tab (2019). Moderated by Obama Leader Hayley McQuire (Australia), Co-Founder of the National Indigenous Youth Education Coalition and impact advisor for the film, the discussion covered a range of topics, including indigenous livelihoods, systemic oppression, and the power of resilience. The film, which was created in careful collaboration with those depicted onscreen, follows Dujuan Hoosan, a 10-year-old Aboriginal boy from Alice Springs, Australia, as he navigates the challenges of a society that was designed to exclude him.
Don't Miss A Moment!
Sign up now to receive email updates about the Leaders Asia-Pacific program.
At the beginning of the year, we invited a group of 21 emerging leaders from 16 countries and territories across the Asia Pacific for a hands-on workshop in Hawaiʻi. Together, we explored how to design the future Leaders program in the region. Incorporating their input, passion, and drive, the context-specific and engaging leadership program has come to life!