San Francisco Reflections: A Transformative Retreat

When I reflect on Cohort 3 of our Young Leaders program, I am most inspired by how this group showed up for one another with a genuine spirit of generosity, encouragement, and care throughout their journey with us.

May 21, 2026

From the beginning, we knew we wanted this program to be grounded in the real work of building lasting climate solutions. The Young Leaders program focuses on climate leadership, and we spent a lot of time on topics that can sometimes feel less glamorous: business development, pitching, finance, fundraising, and organizational growth.

These core concepts are the foundation that allows bold ideas to become real and sustainable. Having a clear vision is important, but so is knowing how to communicate your work, secure funding, build partnerships, and create something that endures over time. Cohort 3 embraced all of it with openness, curiosity, and determination.

One of our hopes for this cohort was that participants would be genuinely engaged with the curriculum and each other. Watching that happen in real time was one of the most rewarding parts of this experience. The inside jokes and nicknames were so fun to hear.

This group built trust quickly. They celebrated each other’s wins, offered honest feedback, generously shared resources, and brought a level of energy and care that made every gathering feel meaningful. There was a real sense that people wanted to grow and support each other.

To commemorate the growth and evolution of Cohort 3, we decided to host a showcase in San Francisco, one of the strongest ecosystems for early-stage companies in the world. The Bay Area attracts scientists, engineers, policy experts, operators, designers, storytellers, and entrepreneurs from all over. Climate work increasingly requires interdisciplinary collaboration, and SF creates opportunities for cross-sector connections. We were also lucky to have partners like Good Machine, who graciously offered to host us. Being at Good Machine, a venture studio dedicated to solving real problems, created a strong sense of community through its entrepreneurial spirit and belief that anything is possible.

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One of my favorite memories I will carry with me is the evening before the showcase, when we gathered on a rooftop in San Francisco to celebrate. There was joy, relief, pride, and excitement in the air after months of preparation and growth. Looking around at the conversations, laughter, and support people were showing one another, I remember feeling deeply hopeful about the future of climate leadership.

The next day, while sitting in the audience at the Good Machine facility, hearing each young leader stand up to share their story, vision, and the problem they feel called to solve, I couldn’t help but feel so much gratitude for this particular group. You could hear the conviction in their voices and the hope and determination behind their work. It was incredibly moving. There was real development from when they first shared their projects to now, having worked on them with executive coaches and consultants for the past six months.

Each Young Leader has their unique vision for climate solutions, yet they are all connected by a shared belief that a better future is still possible and worth fighting for.

My wish for Cohort 3: that every person in this cohort fulfill their purpose and continue building solutions that matter. I hope they stay connected to one another. I hope they keep choosing courage even when the work becomes difficult. And I hope they never lose sight of the impact they can have on the world around them, especially when making decisions through the lens of conscious leadership.

The climate movement needs more conscious leaders who are thoughtful, resilient, and collaborative. Cohort 3 showed all of those qualities and more.

It has been such a privilege to witness this journey and to grow alongside all of you.

Thank you, Cohort 3. I cannot wait to see what you do next.

‍

-Raychel Espiritu, Young Leaders Program Manager

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