Rising Leaders Explore Policy and Innovation at Clinton Global Initiative

At the end of September, the first cohort of Up to Us Rising Leaders met in New York City for the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) 2026. 

Their experience began with a welcome dinner, laying the foundation for connections that grew throughout the week. The next day, the Rising Leaders attended CGI mainstage and breakout sessions, hearing from leaders and changemakers tackling some of today’s most pressing challenges, from partnering with Gen Z to funding innovative research on women’s health. The Rising Leaders also met with Michael Peterson and the Peter G. Peterson Foundation team to deepen their understanding of the Up to Us network and explore opportunities for engagement and leadership around fiscal issues and the national debt. 

Their visit culminated in an exclusive panel featuring Terry McAuliffe, former Governor of Virginia, Zayn Siddique, CEO of Clinton Policy Institute, and Bulbul Gupta, President and CEO of Pacific Community Ventures, each of whom shared insights from their professional journeys and spoke candidly with the Rising Leaders about public service leadership.

Learn more about the Up to Us Leadership Network’s Professional Pathways program here.