Horizon Mid-Career Leadership Award
This award recognizes mid-career professionals who have made significant contributions to leadership education, leadership studies, and/or the practice of leadership through scholarship, pedagogy/teaching & learning, contributions to professional associations / the International Leadership Association, and collaboration; and have the potential to continue advancing the field for years to come.
Defining a Mid-Career Professional
A mid-career professional is an individual with 10-20 years of professional experience in the field of leadership and has advanced beyond entry-level roles within or across institutions or organizations. They are recognized for expertise and contributions, innovation, and/or significant impact in their field or profession. Mid-career professionals typically hold significant leadership or management responsibilities, whether formal or informal. Importantly, mid-career professionals demonstrate an upward trajectory with the potential for executive leadership, thought leadership, or industry influence in the next stage of their career.
Eligibility
All nominees must:
- Be a current member of the International Leadership Association
- Currently serve in a role directly responsible for or has demonstrated alignment with: Teaching leadership, Facilitating leadership development opportunities, Publishing related to leadership education and/or leadership studies, and/or Advancing leadership practice
Criteria
The Award Committee will review and consider all applications, and will select by majority vote an individual who:
- Has made significant contributions to the field of leadership education and/or leadership studies through: Scholarship, pedagogy, leadership practice, advancing professional associations, and/or generative collaboration within the field
- Demonstrates future aspirations for continued contribution to the field
- Shows potential for significant involvement with and contributions to the ILA/Professional Associations
Recognition
Honorees will be recognized through the ILA and will receive:
- A plaque/award during the Global Conference Awards ceremony
- Recognition on the ILA website
Nominations
To nominate an individual, please complete the nomination form and include the following as attachments:
- Recommendation letter addressing why the candidate should be considered
- List of candidate’s contributions to the field of leadership education/leadership studies and known contributions to the ILA
- Candidate’s resume / CV
- Optional: Additional supporting materials (i.e., publications, letters, publicity, recognition, etc.) may be included.
Timeline
- Nominations Due: 15 June 2026, 11:59 PM EDT (UTC-4).
- Final Awardee Selected: 1 September 2026
Past Awardee
2025
Rian Satterwhite (1981 – 2025) made tremendous contributions to the fields of leadership education and leadership studies in the 20+ years he served in the profession. Rian first joined the ILA as an undergraduate member and remained involved in the association throughout his career. He served in leadership roles in ILA’s Leadership Education & Sustainability Leadership member communities, co-chaired ILA’s Leadership Education Academy, and most recently served on ILA’s Committee for the Advancement of Leadership Programs. Rian’s passing came at a time in his life and career when his star was on the rise, and he had decades of energy and thought leadership left to contribute to the fields he was so dedicated to.