In 1986, Leadership Greater Washington was established by a group of regional leaders and three leading organizations—Meyer Foundation, Greater Washington Board of Trade, and the Junior League of Washington—to foster communication and cooperation among the area’s established leaders. Modeled after successful leadership programs in metropolitan cities like Atlanta and Philadelphia, the organization began with a focus on developing executive-level leaders through its core program, the Signature Program. After five years of operation, LGW expanded its programming to serve area high school students through its Youth Leadership Greater Washington program. Then in 2014, the Rising Leaders program was launched to provide career-building skills and training to mid-level professionals. Today, LGW continues to offer unique programming to leaders by way of its three core programs and a number of member events that connect leaders and inspire their collaborative efforts to improve the Greater Washington community. Across its 35-year history, LGW’s impact has fostered the success of more than 1,900 influential leaders, 300 young professionals, and over 1,000 high school students in DC, Virginia, and Maryland.