CaliBaja North American Leadership Academy (San Diego)

Company Description:

The Institute of the Americas (IOA) is an independent, non-profit, inter-American organization that for the past 45 years has advanced cooperation between public and private sectors to improve economic, political, and social well-being across the Americas. Founded in 1981 and co-located on the UC San Diego campus, IOA's programs are focused in the areas of energy and sustainability, environment and economic competitiveness with an emphasis on North American economic integration.

IOA has recently established the CaliBaja North American Leadership Academy, a selective, cohort-based leadership experience for emerging leaders (ages 26-45 years of age) from San Diego and Imperial Counties and Baja California—built to strengthen practical leadership, regional knowledge, trusted relationships, and the capacity to act across borders, sectors, and systems.

From Leadership Formation to Regional Action

The curriculum moves deliberately from a common leadership foundation to the economic, social, environmental and governance systems shaping the binational CaliBaja region and its nexus with the broader North American economy. Each module asks Fellows to connect regional knowledge with the challenges of leading across borders.

The Value Proposition for Fellows and for CaliBaja:

Fellows leave with more than expanded knowledge. They gain a practical leadership framework; deeper understanding of North America and the border region; firsthand exposure to communities, institutions and industries; and a durable binational network. They also develop the judgment to recognize whose voices are missing, distinguish technical problems from adaptive challenges, and build coalitions across competing interests.

For donors and funders, the Academy is an investment in regional capacity. The cost per Fellow is $11,000, with 10 merit scholarships available through the Bersin-Nathanson Fellowship covering the full cost of tuition .

Application deadline: October 16, 2026—5:00 pm

Fellows Selection Notification: November 12, 2026

Program Duration: December 3, 2026, to October 31, 2027

Who Should Apply?:

· Emerging leaders ages 26-45.

· Professionals from the San Diego & Imperial Counties and Baja California with demonstrated initiative and influence in business, public service, civil society, policy, philanthropy, academia, arts, culture, or related fields.

· Candidates committed to advancing their careers in the CaliBaja region with a broader binational and North American lens.

· Applicants able to sustain the full program commitment and obtain employer support. Fellows will travel to in person meetings on average 1-2 days per month during the work week and have 10-20 hours of assigned reading and virtual class activities each month.

· Spanish fluency is desirable, but not required: most sessions will be conducted in English.

Qualifications:

• Experience in program coordination or project management, including organizing events, managing timelines, and tracking deliverables.
• Background in public policy, international relations, border studies, economic development, or related fields relevant to North American and CaliBaja regional issues.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare clear materials, reports, and participant communications in a professional tone.
• Proficiency with digital collaboration tools and platforms (such as video conferencing, learning management systems, and shared document tools) to support remote program delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in multicultural and multilingual environments; Spanish language proficiency is highly beneficial.
• Capacity to work independently in a remote setting while collaborating constructively with colleagues and external partners.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
• Experience with monitoring and evaluation, data collection, or impact assessment for educational or leadership programs is a plus.
• Commitment to gender-neutral, non-discriminatory, and inclusive leadership development and stakeholder engagement practices.

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