Leaders Experience 2026
From October 9 through 10, the Columbia Alumni Association (CAA) welcomed alumni leaders from across the globe and current Columbia students for Columbia Alumni Leaders Experience 2026.
Nearly 600 attendees from 19 Columbia schools and 15 countries spent the weekend enjoying keynote speakers and panel discussions on leadership. The weekend culminated in a special opportunity to hear from Columbia President Jennifer Mnookin.
The conference chairs, Maryam Hassan ’20CC and Anita Ma ’99BUS, led a dedicated committee of alumni who worked diligently to select speakers and develop sessions designed to enhance leadership skills, encourage networking, and nurture intellectual curiosity among attendees. Topics covered included creativity, conflict resolution, and navigating the cultural gap across generations.
The event got off to an excellent start on Friday, October 9, with a panel discussion, The Conviction to Create, featuring speakers Dede Gardner ’90CC; Shelly Xu ’13CC; and Tom Kitt ’96CC, P: ’28CC, who were introduced by moderator Duy Linh Tu ’99JRN. The panel was followed by a reception where all guests networked, reconnected, and enjoyed a visit from ROAR-EE.
On Saturday morning, attendees gathered for breakfast and enjoyed a panel discussion on nurturing genuine intellectual debate in a more polarized world. Jelani Cobb, Dean of Columbia Journalism School; Eric Garcetti ’92CC, ’95SIPA, Ambassador for Global Climate Diplomacy for C40 Cities and former mayor of Los Angeles; and Tamar Mitts ’13GSAS, ’15GSAS, ’17GSAS, associate professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, discussed the topic, offering insights on working through disagreement together.
Breakout sessions included discussions on artificial intelligence, navigating multi-generational workplaces, community building, and developing cultural intelligence, among others.
Between sessions, attendees continued to network and connect, and some stopped to have professional headshots taken.
The closing luncheon featured a conversation between the co-chair of Columbia’s Board of Trustees, Abigail Black Elbaum ’92CC ’94BUS, P: ’29CC, and President Jennifer Mnookin, who discussed the recently arrived President’s excitement for her new job and thoughts on the current state of higher education at Columbia and beyond.
The conference allowed alumni to learn new leadership skills they could use in their volunteer work for Columbia and also apply in their professional and personal lives, but the opportunities to connect across schools, geographies, and disciplines are a key element of the conference’s success, actively fostering community and growing friendships.
As conference chair Maryam Hassan noted, "Leaders Experience 2026 was incredibly special. Watching hundreds of alumni come from near and far to engage in the conversation and engage with each other across generations, class years, and geographies emphasized exactly what we set out to achieve this year.”
Co-chair Anita Ma seconded the importance of the connection and engagement between alumni during the conference, noting that, for herself, “it is the hugs and heartfelt conversations that stay with me most. There was something deeply reassuring about reconnecting with familiar faces and finding that same warmth in fellow Columbians I was meeting for the first time.
For international alumni like me, far from our New York City campus, these moments of connection are especially meaningful—they remind us that the Columbia Community is there for us, wherever we call home.”
The chairs were both thrilled with the end result and the way the community came together to ensure its success. Maryam notes, “I am deeply grateful to everyone who gave their time and care to make this weekend possible, and humbled by how many alumni choose to share this time with us. Seeing this community show up for each other, and lean into the conversations with so much warmth, is exactly why I love being part of it. The weekend proved it again: the cure is community. I can't wait to see everyone at LE'27!"
Columbia Alumni Leaders Experience 2027 is scheduled for September 24-25, 2027. Save the Date!
Learn more about the conference and see additional photos from this year’s event.
Photos: Eileen Barroso, Diane Bondareff, and David Dini,