Crosley Honored with Lifetime Legacy Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [Monday, August 12, 2024]

Marianne Crosley Honored with Lifetime Legacy Award at 2024 ALP National Conference

Providence, RI – The Association of Leadership Programs (ALP) is thrilled to announce that Marianne Crosley, recently retired President and CEO of the Cleveland Leadership Center (CLC), was honored with the esteemed Lifetime Legacy Award on Tuesday, August 6, at the 2024 ALP National Conference held in Providence, Rhode Island. This award recognizes Crosley’s remarkable contributions to the field of community leadership development.

Marianne Crosley’s nearly 14-year tenure at the Cleveland Leadership Center has been marked by visionary leadership and a profound impact on both the organization and the broader community. Under her stewardship, CLC experienced significant growth, expanding its flagship programs and introducing several new initiatives that have enriched the community leadership landscape.

Crosley played a pivotal role in the expansion of programs such as Leadership Cleveland, Cleveland Bridge Builders, (i)Cleveland (now Campus Cleveland), and Look Up To Cleveland. She also launched new offerings including OnBoard Cleveland for young professionals, the Advanced Leadership Institute, and Legacy Leaders for retired leaders. Additionally, she introduced two key annual events: the Accelerate: Citizens Make Change civic pitch competition and the Spark: Grit to Great leadership conference.

The Lifetime Legacy Award, the highest honor presented by ALP, celebrates individuals who have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to advancing community leadership and civic engagement. Crosley’s innovative contributions and unwavering dedication have set a high standard for excellence in the field.

"I am grateful to ALP for this recognition and for what the organization does to bring together innovative professionals dedicated to building strong leaders across the country,” Crosley remarked. “I have been inspired by the ideas generated by my colleagues as we all work to challenge our community leaders and elevate the quality of life where we live."

The 2024 ALP National Conference hosted in partnership with Leadership Rhode Island and the National Leadership Network brought together community leadership program professionals and alumni from across the nation to share insights, build connections, and celebrate the achievements of remarkable individuals like Marianne Crosley.

About the Association of Leadership Programs:
The Association of Leadership Programs serves over 280 community leadership programs across the United States and beyond. The association strives to enhance the well-being of all communities through the work of community leadership programs. Founded in 2010, the mission of ALP is to strengthen the effectiveness of leadership programs and professionals. Authentic and organic community leadership development requires taking a critical look at situations, opportunities, and challenges our communities face through the lens of the entire community and pursuing a course that enhances the well-being of all. For more information about the Association of Leadership Programs, visit www.alpleaders.org.

About Leadership Rhode Island
Leadership Rhode Island's mission is to engage and connect people through shared experiences that positively transform individuals, organizations, and communities. We envision a Rhode Island that is flourishing - economically, civically, culturally - built on a foundation of ever-improving human capital whose strengths and potential we spend each day revealing and igniting. And, we see the lessons of this lively leadership experiment being shared and amplified around the country and the world to nurture the kind of fully-engaged societies that create lasting, positive change. Since 1981, LRI has served as a convener and leadership hub providing inspiration, facilitating dialogue, bridging divides and activating local citizenry in transformational ways that advance thriving workplaces and communities.  For more information about Leadership Rhode Island’s mission, programs, and initiatives, visit www.leadershipri.org.   

About the National Leadership Network
The National Leadership Network (NLN) is a collaboration between the one million community leadership program (CLP) alumni nationally from 1,000+ CLPs. Through open, honest conversations and a willingness to listen to and learn from differing opinions, NLN participants are committed to finding common ground, addressing the most pressing needs of their communities, and fostering local economic opportunity and long-term change. For more information about the National Leadership Network, visit www.nationalleadershipnetwork.org.

[End of Press Release]