ALF Fellows Program
EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE. TRANSFORMATIVE YEAR.
For over thirty years, ALF has carefully curated a diverse cross-sector cohort of up to twenty-eight senior leaders for an intense one-of-a-kind leadership development experience.
The Fellows Program offers a compelling and relevant platform from which the class creates an authentic and dynamic learning environment. Three core principles help to create the most value in the program: presence, confidentiality, and generative dialogue.
News & Updates from the ALF Fellows Program
Class XLV cohort begin their ALF journey
On April 10, the newest Fellows cohort gathered at Miramar Farms in Half Moon Bay for the official start of their...
Class XLIV joins the ALF Senior Fellow Network!
On March 28, the members of Class XLIV reached the end of their ALF Fellows Program journey, joining together for...
Creating New Rhythms: Fellows Class XLIV & XLV
ALF Silicon Valley's Class XLIV is just one week from completing their yearlong Fellows Program journey, having...
2025-2026 ALF Fellows Program Booklet
Learn more about ALF Silicon Valley’s Fellows Program, including requirements, schedule, and curriculum.
We cannot be in service to others if we do not feed ourselves.
After accepting an invitation to participate, selected Fellows begin their journey by trying on elements of mindfulness and meditation, self-reflection, and sharing their personal stories. Bonds are forged with classmates, allowing Fellows to practice true dialogue across a variety of perspectives. Throughout the year, Fellows add lessons from aikido, embodied presence with a Master Somatic Leadership Coach, and integrated medicine practices to their leadership toolkits.
The Wilderness Experience.
ALF believes that spending time in nature is like a salve for the soul. For over 20 years, Fellows have unplugged for six days in the wilderness, participating in a series of individual and group challenges, dialogues, and reflection.
Joining the Network.
The final third of the program allows for Fellows to apply a new lens to old problems. Design thinking immersion and dialogues with Senior Fellows set up the graduating class to become active members of the full ALF Network. Upon graduation, the new Senior Fellows are then empowered to serve as catalysts in their communities, bringing stakeholders from other sectors together to collaboratively address the most urgent public concerns.
“We need a language that brings us together about the deepest things we care about rather than pushing us apart.”
“I have developed some extremely deep and meaningful friendships, and close connections with many of my cohort that I will draw upon in coming years.”
Dr. Byron Burkhalter
Fellows Program Lead Facilitator
Dr. Byron Burkhalter earned his doctorate in sociology from UCLA and has been focused on issues of race, biracial identity, whiteness and multiracial political coalitions in US history for more than 30 years. He has taught at the university level, spoken at large public rallies and published numerous pieces on these issues. His writings have examined racial and sexual discrimination in the workplace, the relevance of race in interracial relationships and racial and ethnic identities in online communities. Most recently he has been helping groups of people do the hard work to recognize the privileges afforded them by the racism and white supremacy systemic in their everyday lives.
