The Education for Leadership in Public Service Seminar was established in 1999 with the premise that investing in the development of leaders is vital to the long-term health of our nation. Accordingly, this year, this first-of-its-kind program, included student body leaders elected by twenty-three different campuses within the California State University system, a student leader representative from the California State Student Association (CSSA) and a student trustee from the California State University Chancellor’s Office.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2021 Leadership Seminar in its twenty-second year, was held via live online webinar. Twenty-five enrolled elected student body leaders engaged with nationally renowned speakers who shared their insights on leadership from a variety of different perspectives in different fields. The program, held from Monday, June 14 through Friday, June 18, provided a unique opportunity for students to interact with this diverse group of prominent leaders, learn from their experiences, and engage in dialogue about current policy issues and leadership challenges in the 21st century.

• Historical Insights into Leadership:  Why the New Deal Still Matters Today, Richard Kezirian, Ph.D., Professor the Panetta Institute for Public Policy

• Community Leadership:  Becoming effective change makers, Fernando Torres-Gil, Ph.D., Former U.S. Assistant Secretary on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

• Leadership and the Budget; Striving for responsible leadership, Maya MacGuineas, President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget

• Leadership in Competitive Sports:  Developing character and conviction, Chris Dalman and Ron Johnson, Former NFL Players

• Leadership in the Military:  From commitment to command, Thomas Bostick, LTG (USA, Ret.), Chief of Engineers and Commanding General, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

• The Responsibility of Leadership:  Diversity, Equality and Inclusion, Blanca Estela Zarazúa, Esq., Honorary Consul of Mexico

• Developing Leadership:  Beginning with Grass Roots, Mel Mason, Executive Director of the Village Project and Regina Mason, NAACP President Monterey Bay Chapter

• Leadership in Education: Developing and delivering life-long learning skills, Janet Napolitano, Former U.C. System President

• Leadership in the Media: Journalism as civic leadership, Carla Marinucci, Senior Writer Politico California Playbook

• Leadership in the Judicial Branch: Delivering equal justice under the law, The Hon. Ming W. Chin, Former California Supreme Court Justice

• Leadership in Business:  The “bottom line” in achieving success in the real world, Theodore Balestreri II, Vice President of Hospitality Cannery Row Company and Kent Hibino, Owner and General Manager, Henry Hibino Farms, LLC

• Leadership in National Security, Jeremy Bash, Esq., Former Chief of Staff for the Central Intelligence Agency and Department of Defense

• Leadership in Congress:  Forging consensus and building coalitions, The Hon. Joshua Gottheimer, U.S. Representative (D-NJ) and The Hon. Jimmy Panetta, U.S. Representative (D-CA)

• Effective Leadership:  Developing Leadership that Contributes to Social Justice, Chris Womack, President, Georgia Power

• The Links Between Cybersecurity and National Security, John Arquilla, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor and Chair, Defense Analysis Department, Naval Post Graduate School

• The Recall in California, Mark Baldassare, Ph.D., President and CEO, the Public Policy Institute of California

• Leadership in Sacramento, Simón Salinas, Former Member, California State Assembly

• Speak like a Leader! The Art of Communication and Consensus Building, Sonia Banks, Esq., Professor, The Panetta Institute for Public Policy