What if Houston could show the country how to lead together?
Bridge Houston is a new initiative from the American Leadership Forum (ALF) designed to bring Houstonians together—across sectors, experiences, and viewpoints—to strengthen our civic fabric and build a better future.
THE ALF WAY
Building Regional Leadership Capacity
ALF’s programmatic strategy is rooted in what we call the “ALF Ecosystem” in which we seek to connect, develop, and activate leaders to address Houston’s most pressing challenges collaboratively. We aim to leverage and amplify this reinforcing feedback loop to build local capacity for community-driven solutions.
A 3-Step Journey for Community-Driven Leadership
FALL 2025
CONNECT
Gather. Share. Build.
Community Convenings bring people together to explore Houston's challenges and opportunities. Hear new perspectives, share your insights, and build meaningful connections.
SPRING 2026
DEVELOP
Learn. Reflect. Grow.
Learning Labs are communities of practice for leaders ready to move from dialogue to action. Join peers to build trust, deepen learning, and explore local solutions.
FALL 2026 - SPRING 2027
ACTIVATE
Explore. Design. Transform.
Upon completing one of the previous steps we invite fellows to develop and launch community-driven solutions.
You will receive guidance, peer support, and seed funding to bring ideas to life.
Watch how Steve Maislin (Class 53) and Amanda McMillian (Class 58) responded to Hurricane Harvey by partnering to launch the Greater Houston Disaster Alliance.