The Advanced Leadership Initiative Transitions from Initiative to Institute; The Advanced Leadership Institute Announces Program Expansion and Honors Founding Underwriters

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Jun 29, 2021, 09:30 ET

PITTSBURGH, June 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI) marks its official transition from Initiative to Institute and is now a 501 (c) 3 charitable, nonprofit organization. The transition was made official at the institute's launch event at The Duquesne Club on Tuesday, June 29^th. Since 2018, deeply committed volunteers and partners have supported TALI's vision to create more diverse, inclusive, and prosperous professional communities. This support, along with the proven results and quantitative impact of TALI's programs, now allow this organization to expand and broaden its impact in Pittsburgh and beyond.

With this bold move, The Advanced Leadership Institute is planting its feet with an increased capacity to serve Black professionals at different phases of their careers. Expansion of TALI was made possible by transformational grants from BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Highmark Foundation, and the Richard King Mellon Foundation. These Founding Underwriters, along with annual sponsors and contributors, have demonstrated ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

"Our investment in TALI is driven by BNY Mellon's commitment to diversity, one of BNY Mellon's core values. As TALI expands its efforts to cultivate Black leadership, we see this as an investment that will strengthen corporations and ultimately strengthen our communities," says Eric Boughner, Chairman of BNY Mellon Pennsylvania and Chair of the BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

"Highmark Health continues to be persistent in our objectives to increase inclusion and representation across our organization and within the communities we serve," added David Holmberg, President and CEO of Highmark Health. "Our continued support of TALI, and now the TALI Institute, is a natural next-step and will remain an important piece of our strategic DEI framework."

"We made the decision to invest in TALI because we understand the importance of creating greater corporate diversity at executive levels. With its recent expansion, TALI is uniquely positioned to be a catalyst for change in our region and have impact across the country," says Sam Reiman, Director, Richard King Mellon Foundation.

TALI's new structure includes several positive changes: an extended portfolio of regional programming to serve participants at additional career stages; ongoing development for TALI's alumni network to address needs beyond graduation; and partnerships with organizations to share best practices for advancing corporate DE&I initiatives. In addition to its regional focus, TALI will also have a new national footprint.

From the start, TALI's inaugural mission included preparing Black leaders for advancement through its signature program, the Executive Leadership Academy, delivered in partnership with Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business. Using its now-proven model, TALI is increasing its impact with its new Emerging Leaders Program, which will allow an additional focus on talented Black professionals who are currently in individual-contributor or early manager roles. Program modules for the 12-session program will delve into career-enhancing topics such as Navigating Organizational Culture, Resilience Training, and Defining Your Leadership Identity. Cohorts will run from October through April at Carnegie Mellon University, and online applications are being accepted now at taliinstitute.org.

"This expansion has been made possible by our outstanding Founding Underwriters – the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Highmark Foundation, and BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania. Their roles in establishing TALI as an institute will provide sustainability and make a strong impact on our program participants," says Evan Frazier, President and CEO of The Advanced Leadership Institute.

As TALI moves forward, leading the way is a highly skilled leadership team, including three recent additions: Gerard C. Adore, Vice President of Finance and Administration; Shelly D. Hammond, Vice President of Programs; and Jeanean White, Executive Assistant and Business Administrator. Frazier says, "Each of these talented individuals bring to the table a track record of success and a willingness to use their experiences to grow The Advanced Leadership Institute." In addition to staff leadership, the strategic direction of TALI will be guided by its Board of Directors, Corporate CEO Council, and Regional Advisory Board.

"We are witnessing a historic event as TALI transitions from an initiative to an institute. As our president and CEO has expanded the leadership team, we are also expanding the board of directors to ensure the right governance and perspectives that will help TALI grow into the future," says Marsha Jones, The Advanced Leadership Institute Board Chair and Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at PNC.

TALI provides a strong model of how to improve the presence of African Americans in executive leadership roles. This can be seen in the results of the 2019 and 2020 cohorts. From the initial cohort, which graduated in July of 2019, 74% benefited from promotions and higher responsibilities after participating in the Executive Leadership Academy; and from the second cohort, which graduated in November 2020, 50% benefited from promotions and higher responsibilities. Over 90% expressed enhanced confidence as a leader within their organization, and over 80% felt participating in TALI added new dimensions to their leadership skills. TALI's efforts are working, and it is beginning to be recognized throughout the region and across the country.

About The Advanced Leadership Institute
The mission of The Advanced Leadership Institute is to cultivate Black executive leadership to strengthen companies, institutions, and communities. Its primary focus is to educate, develop, connect, and position Black leaders for executive advancement. TALI's Executive Leadership Academy, in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, serves as a signature program and demonstration model to drive change in our region.

Expansion of The Advanced Leadership Institute was made possible by transformational grants from BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Highmark Health, and the Richard King Mellon Foundation. These Founding Underwriters, along with our annual sponsors and contributors, have demonstrated ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion across our region.

TALI's leadership development programs are supported by major corporations and foundations in the Pittsburgh region, including Lead Contributors: BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania, The Heinz Endowments, Hillman Family Foundations, and The Richard King Mellon Foundation. Current Presenting Sponsors: Highmark Health, PNC, and UPMC. Contributors: Buhl Foundation and The Pittsburgh Foundation. Gold Sponsors: Bank of America, BNY Mellon, Covestro, Dollar Bank, FHL Bank Pittsburgh, Gateway Health, Giant Eagle, Giant Eagle Foundation, Koppers, and PPG. Silver Sponsors: Ernst & Young (EY) and Wabtec. POISE Foundation has served as Fiscal Sponsor for TALI since its inception. Companies, organizations, and individuals can support the work of The Advanced Leadership Institute in multiple ways. For information about how you can be involved, visit www.taliinstitute.org.

SOURCE The Advanced Leadership Institute