Hosting a Summit in Your Community

The CDC Foundation, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Harvard School of Public Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is actively seeking leaders from business, government and nonprofit organizations in communities across the United States to serve as local hosts for Meta-Leadership Summits. Hosts for the Summits usually include the governor’s or mayor’s office, local corporations and nonprofit/philanthropic organizations, and other community entities with an interest in emergency preparedness and response. These hosts actively promote the summit and encourage other organizations and leaders to participate.

When you host a Meta-Leadership Summit, you will be among 10 to 15 key leaders who will advise the CDC Foundation and help promote the Meta-Leadership Summit in your community. The CDC Foundation manages overall coordination of the Summit – local hosts simply guide the Foundation staff to ensure a successful event. Host Committee members advocate for metaleadership among their colleagues and help continue the momentum and support across sectors following the Summit. Host Committee members also help ensure that appropriate local leaders are invited to participate, and that the Summit addresses the unique needs of their community. After the Summit, Host Committee members will work with a dedicated staff member from CDC's Learning Office for Preparedness and Response to plan and create a post-Summit activity that meets community needs. Usually held three to six months after the Summit, this activity reconvenes participants and other community leaders to advance meta-leadership practices for enhanced emergency preparedness, response and recovery efforts.