Ascension Leadership Summit 2027
Ascension StartsWith You.
Begin the year by investing in the leader you are becoming. Ascension brings together practical learning, candid conversation, and meaningful relationships to help you move forward—and strengthen the work, teams, and communities you influence.
From the founder
Ascension is where leaders come for growth, recharge, perspective, and community. We are not just offering a conference. We are grounding you in a development experience built for next-level leaders.
The Ascension Idea
You Are the Project
Ascension is built on a simple belief: meaningful leadership development starts with the person doing the leading. You are not coming merely to collect notes or sit through presentations. You are coming to strengthen your judgment, expand your perspective, build practical capacity, and make more intentional decisions about what comes next.
That growth does not stop with you. It shows up in how you lead teams, navigate change, build relationships, advance ideas, and contribute to your organization and community.
The Ascension Principle
The investment starts with the leader. The benefit extends to the organization and community.
What you carry back
A Leadership Investment That Travels With You
For you
- Practical strategies you can use immediately.
- Greater clarity about your professional and leadership priorities.
- New perspectives, tools, and approaches for the challenges ahead.
- Meaningful relationships across sectors.
- Space to begin the year with focus and renewed capacity.
For your organization
- Affordable, high-quality external professional development.
- Leadership learning that carries back into teams and workplaces.
- Cross-sector exposure beyond the employee's immediate organization.
- Practical application rather than inspiration alone.
- An investment in leadership capacity, judgment, mobility, and retention.
Substantive professional development — not a networking reception
Who it's for
Who Ascension Is For
Ascension is designed for professionals who are ready to invest in their development and expand their leadership impact, including:
- Advancing and career-mobile professionals
- Executives, senior leaders, managers, people leaders, and emerging leaders
- Entrepreneurs and business owners
- Nonprofit and human-services professionals
- Civic and community leaders
- Talent, workforce, HR, and ERG leaders
- AALA Fellows and alumni
Good to know
You do not need to be an AALA Fellow or alumnus to attend. Ascension is open to professionals who are ready to invest in their development and expand their leadership impact.
You will also share space with professionals across sectors, including members of the AALA community, civic leaders and our leadership ecosystem. Those relationships are a valuable part of the experience—but Ascension's primary promise is substantive professional development.
The experience
An Experience Designed for the Whole Leader
Ascension combines practical workshops, signature conversations, reflection, relationship building, and celebration. The experience is designed to help you strengthen how you lead while making room to think more intentionally about your career, well-being, influence, wealth, business, and community impact.
- Practical workshops and interactive sessions
- Signature speakers and candid leadership conversations
- Life By Design Luncheon
- 2027 Catalyst Awards Dinner (Presented by Crane Group)
- Leadership, career, wealth, wellness, branding, and entrepreneurship content
- Cross-sector relationship building
- Sunday brunch and closing experience
Peer learning and candid conversation
Partner with Ascension
Put Your Organization Behind the Next Generation of Leaders
Ascension convenes advancing professionals, executives, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders from across Central Ohio for two days of applied leadership development. Sponsorship places your organization in front of that room — and directly funds access for the leaders who benefit most.
- Presenting sponsorship Signature association with the Summit or one of its marquee experiences, including the Catalyst Awards Dinner.
- Learning track sponsorship Align your organization with one of the six learning tracks and the expertise it represents.
- Experience and hospitality sponsorship Support the luncheon, the Sunday brunch, wellness programming, or the reception.
- Access and scholarship support Underwrite registrations so cost is not what keeps a promising leader out of the room.
Sponsorship packages, benefits, and recognition are built to fit the organization. Tell us what you are trying to accomplish and we will put together options.
Request Sponsorship Information
Or email summit@leadersthatascend.org directly.
Start here
Start the Year With an Investment in You
Two days of high-quality professional development, signature experiences, and included meals—available for under $200.
See the current registration options, deadlines, and ticket details on the official registration page.
January 2–3, 2027 · Newark, Ohio