Pathbuilders graduates inaugural LEAD cohort in Atlanta

Pathbuilders marked the graduation of the first Pathbuilders LEAD cohort on July 21, 2026, at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta. The program is designed for directors and vice presidents who are stepping into enterprise-level leadership and need stronger execution, executive presence, and mentoring support.

Why it matters: - Pathbuilders LEAD is aimed at a leadership gap that often slows succession planning and weakens bench strength. - The program targets directors and vice presidents who need to shift from managing functions to leading across the enterprise. - The graduation highlights how cross-company mentoring can accelerate development for mid-level leaders taking on broader responsibility.

What happened: - Pathbuilders celebrated the graduation of the inaugural Pathbuilders LEAD cohort on July 21, 2026, in Atlanta at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. - The event recognized mentoring relationships and featured a keynote from Shan Cooper, founder and CEO of Journey Forward Strategies. - Cooper also served as former vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and chief transformation officer of WestRock.

The details: - Pathbuilders LEAD is a development experience for directors and VPs ready to lead as leaders of leaders. - The curriculum focuses on strategic execution, executive presence, navigating culture and politics, and driving enterprise-wide impact. - The program uses Pathbuilders’ SEE Framework™, which centers on the idea that what a leader can see determines what an organization can do. - LEAD includes small-group mentoring, peer learning, and a proprietary interview-and-match process for mentoring pairings. - The program runs over six months and is built around real-world application. - Pathbuilders said the program extends its leadership-development model beyond earlier-career and manager-level offerings. - Since 1995, more than 6,000 leaders from hundreds of organizations have completed Pathbuilders programs. - Pathbuilders’ four program levels are PERFORM, MANAGE, LEAD, and INSPIRE. - Graduates in this LEAD cohort came from AT&T/Cricket Wireless, Atrium Hospitality, Big Green Egg, Comcast, Cox Media Group, Emory Healthcare, Equifax, Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, First Citizens Bank, Genuine Parts Company, Global Payments Inc., Graphic Packaging International, Holder Construction, Lenbrook, Mansfield Energy Corp, RaceTrac, Selig Enterprises Inc., Slalom, Smurfit Westrock, Southern Company, WABE, Woodruff Arts Center, Zaxby's, and Zep Inc. - Pathbuilders recognized Elizabeth Noe, chair of the board of trustees at Agnes Scott College, as Outstanding Mentor for the cohort. - Noe’s mentee, Phil Lu of Southern Company, credited her accessibility, generosity of time, and practical guidance from her legal background. - Pathbuilders also named Liz Johnson of Emory Healthcare as Outstanding Mentee. - Johnson’s mentor, Tina Frausto of The Frausto Connection, praised Johnson for staying committed to development while relocating from Chicago to Atlanta and stepping into a new executive role.

Between the lines: - The inaugural graduation suggests Pathbuilders is positioning LEAD as a bridge between mid-career management and enterprise leadership. - The cross-company format appears designed to broaden perspective beyond a single employer and expose participants to different leadership styles. - The recognition of both mentors and mentees reinforces Pathbuilders’ emphasis on relationship-based development, not just classroom learning. - Cooper’s keynote framed the program around resilience and leading through change, which matches the pressure many directors and VPs face during organizational transformation.

What's next: - Pathbuilders is continuing to offer LEAD as part of its broader leadership pipeline. - The company said the program is designed to prepare future cohorts to lead critical initiatives and operate at enterprise scale. - More information is available on Pathbuilders’ website and on its LinkedIn page.