A Year-Long Board Advancement Experience
The Aspiring Directors Academy (ADA) is our premier board readiness experience for senior executives preparing for public and private company board service within the next 1–3 years.
Prepare for Your First Board Seat
September 24-25, 2026 | Yale Club | New York, NY
ADA combines board readiness education, executive visibility, peer mentorship, governance expertise, and year-long engagement opportunities designed to accelerate your board journey.
More than a two-day program, ADA is designed to support executives before, during, and after the academy through ongoing leadership development, board positioning opportunities, executive networking, and exposure to the broader Ascend executive community.
Deadline: August 31, 2026
Why ADA?
Elite cohort of Fortune 1000 and enterprise leaders
Direct access to board directors and governance experts
Exposure to executive recruiters and board opportunities
Peer mentorship and executive networking
1-year complimentary Ascend Executive Network (AEN) membership
Continued engagement within Ascend’s board ecosystem
Who Should Apply?
Senior executives within three levels of the CEO
Fortune 1000 and enterprise leaders
Executives preparing for board service within the next 1–3 years
Leaders seeking greater visibility in the board ecosystem
What's Included?
ADA Academy participation
1-year AEN membership
1 ticket to next year’s Ascend Engage conference
Access to executive networking dinners
AEN Leadership Summit
Regional executive events
Ongoing programming and peer engagement
ADA Graduation Gala
Continued visibility within Ascend’s executive and board community
Investment
$4,900
The ADA 1-Year Journey
