In 2012, the Alliance’s biennial Leadership Retreat was held on the Queen Mary ship in Long Beach, California. Two and a half days of workshop breakout sessions and networking inspired the great work of over 100 advocates from around the country.

This year, the biennial Alliance Leadership Retreat will be on September 5 - 8, 2014. Register here.

If you’ve been to an Alliance Leadership Retreat before, you might recognize sentiments like these (heck -- these might even be your words):

“It's the most useful, most insightful, most fun conference I attend.”
– David Watson, MassBike

“The Leadership Retreat and the Alliance are open doors to organizations across the country, best practices, and new ideas that have empowered us to strengthen our local movement in Boston.”
– Jackie Douglas, LivableStreets Alliance

“As a new executive director, I found the Leadership Retreat an amazing opportunity to meet and learn from my peers around the country. It's so important to build this movement working together across state boundaries to strengthen a national agenda while still working within our unique circumstances. This retreat lets us learn and work at all levels.”
– Barb Chamberlain, Washington Bikes

“The Alliance Leadership Retreat was the most energizing, fruitful three days I've spend all year.”
– Erin O’Melinn, HUB Vancouver

“The retreat was a great opportunity to learn from and debate directly with others in a similar situation as me. It has really shaped my thinking about some key strategic questions facing my organization.”
– Ethan Fawley, Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition

The 2014 Leadership Retreat will be even better. The Retreat Planning Committee has reviewed advocates’ feedback and suggestions from 2012, and we’re making sure that this year’s agenda incorporates these fresh ideas and enthusiasm.

Here’s how the Retreat will be different this year:

• The Retreat will feature tracks for advocates to work with peers in similar organizations and staff roles.
• There will be fewer and longer sessions to get more in-depth in key topic areas.
• Discussions and sessions will integrate equity, inclusion, and diversity throughout.
• We’ll have updated encores of some of the best sessions and speakers.

Perhaps most importantly, we as advocates will use the Leadership Retreat to look forward. Where do we envision the pedestrian and bicycle movement in the future? How are we going to get there? What tools will strengthen our organizations and our future leadership, and how can the Alliance for Biking & Walking shepherd this process?

The Leadership Retreat is about successful campaigns; it is about effective organizations and strong leaders; it is about you. So, we need you to be there!

If you were there in 2012, come back to regroup, recharge, and set our future agenda. If you’re an advocate and have never attended an Alliance Leadership Retreat, this is your year.

Register for the 2014 Alliance Leadership Retreat – September 5 - 8 outside Pittsburgh, PA – today.