The seventh cohort of the Ridgeway Transformative Leadership Experience will be underway from fall 2024 through summer 2025. The current cohort is full with a waiting list. Check out the information below to learn more about the program and application process.
Who is Ridgeway for?
The common thread between Ridgeway participants is that they all share a commitment to Kentucky or Appalachia and each person is playing an important role in the transition to a brighter future in the places they live and work. The program is designed for people who have leadership experience within their organization, business, agency or community across any sector including arts & culture, community & economic development, education, government, health, media, non-profit, philanthropy, service, tourism or any other sector active in the region.
Participants are chosen with the intent that each cohort reflects Kentucky and Central Appalachia along multiple dimensions of diversity and experience inherent in the region. The cohort as a whole will ideally span a range of political, cultural, social and economic perspectives in order to build understanding and a sense of unity across differences that often divide us. Applicants should be willing to do deep personal and interpersonal work together with other participants that will tie into exploring regional challenges and differences that extend beyond individuals and communities.
While most participants thus far have lived and worked within East Kentucky where the program is based, equal consideration is also given to participants who live elsewhere in Kentucky and Central Appalachia or in proximity to the region who make the case for being included based on their work and commitment to the area.
What are the Dates?
In 2024-25, the Ridgeway cohort experience will consist of six two- or three-day overnight retreats between October, 2024 and May, 2025. Each multi-day retreat begins with dinner the evening prior to the first day at a locally-owned restaurant near our retreat site or prepared on site by a caterer. All of the retreats are complete by late Friday afternoon.
Dates for the 2024-25 Ridgeway experience are:
October 22-25, 2024 (Tues eve to Friday afternoon)
November 20 - 22, 2024 (Weds eve to Friday afternoon)
January 15-17, 2025 (Weds eve to Friday afternoon)
February 26-28, 2025 (Weds eve to Friday afternoon)
April 9-11, 2025 (Weds eve to Friday afternoon)
May 27-30, 2025 (Tues eve to Friday afternoon)
In addition to group retreats, participants have the opportunity to schedule one-hour individual coaching calls by phone on a rolling basis between each cohort retreat and do a final closing assessment conversation after the program is complete.
Where does it happen?
Cohort sessions rotate between the meeting centers of eastern Kentucky state parks. Past cohort retreat locations have included:
Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park
Carter Caves State Resort Park
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
Jenny Wiley State Resort Park
Lake Cumberland State Resort Park
Natural Bridge State Resort Park
Pine Mountain State Resort Park
Each of our retreat sites offer beautiful natural settings as well as meeting and overnight accommodation facilities. Varying the site also provides an opportunity to experience different parts of the region over the course of the program and shifts the travel distances for participants so travel time is somewhat balanced among the group over the course of the program.
What does it cost?
The fee for the program is $3,000. When considering this fee, you might think of the program as getting an advanced degree in your own personal, organizational and network development — similar to going for a one-year master’s degree at a university and applying that learning and experience into all areas of life for your own benefit as well as the benefit of your work, your community and the broader region. In that context, the participant fee for this program is small relative to the significant amount of tailored and personal support participants will receive. The fee also includes overnight stays in shared accommodation and all meals throughout the program.
Are there scholarships or subsidies?
This program is valued at $15,000 or more per participant based on comparative programs nationally and inclusive of all accommodation and meals throughout the program. At the $3,000 rate, it is being subsidized by at least $12,000 per participant by philanthropic fundraising, sponsorships and donations. Even with this significant subsidy for every participant, the $3,000 fee may be an obstacle to some people’s participation. A fee reduction is available and has been offered to numerous participants in past cohorts — no one has ever been turned away due to funding. Funding subsidies are also specifically set aside to support the participation of Black, indigenous and people of color as well as younger participants early in their careers. Requests for a fee reduction are made through the online application and questions are welcome via the contact form.