International Leadership Association

What International Leadership Association does

The International Leadership Association (ILA) is a U.S.-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) professional membership organization founded in 1999 and headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area. It describes itself as the largest international and interdisciplinary membership organization devoted solely to the study and development of leadership, with members in 107 countries and 18+ specialized member communities spanning AI & Emerging Technologies, Healthcare Leadership, Sustainability, Indigenous and First Peoples Leadership, Women and Leadership, and other verticals. The organization serves academics, scholars, practitioners, consultants, executives, students, and faith/community leaders, with named institutional members and board affiliations including Harvard Kennedy School, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, Center for Creative Leadership, Waseda University, and the University of Richmond's Jepson School of Leadership Studies.

ILA's core products include multi-tier memberships (organizational teams at $665 for four seats with $160 add-ons, individual members on an income-based sliding scale of $140-$370 annually, and discounted student cohorts), the annual Global Conference (1,200+ attendees and 400+ sessions, with Toronto 2026, San Diego 2027, and Montreal 2028 confirmed), the AI & Leadership Virtual Summit, the Journal of Leadership Studies, the Building Leadership Bridges book series with Emerald Publishing, a webinar and podcast library, and consulting services anchored to the General Principles for Leadership Programs framework (2nd edition published March 2026). Underlying technology consists of the ILA Intersections member portal (hosted on MemberClicks), webinar and event management platforms, and the proprietary General Principles and Guiding Questions frameworks that inform consulting and accreditation-adjacent partnerships with the Carnegie Foundation and the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education.

The business model is a community-led subscription and event-driven nonprofit. ILA generates recurring revenue through annual membership dues on individual anniversary billing with auto-renewal, organizational seat-based subscriptions, and transactional revenue from conferences, summits, and webinars. Additional income streams include the Leadership Education Program Directory (with starred placement for organizational members), publishing partnerships, advertising/sponsorship, donations, and consulting engagements. The organization operates with a small core staff of 1-10 employees plus outsourced technology and financial services, and it is governed by an independent volunteer Board of Directors with no disclosed institutional or investor ownership.

Name

International Leadership Association

Legal name

International Leadership Association

Website

https://ilaglobalnetwork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

International Leadership Association is a U.S. nonprofit membership organization founded in 1999, serving academics, practitioners, consultants, and students across 107 countries through conferences, journals, member communities, and consulting on leadership education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Leadership Association

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Talent Management & Leadership Advisory (Succession, Performance, Culture) (BPACAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Executive Leadership Summits (C-Suite, Board, Strategy Offsites) (THAHAMAA), Human Resources, Organizational Behavior & Leadership Institutes (EDAHAHAG)

Keywords

• Leadership association
• Professional membership organization
• Leadership development
• Leadership conferences
• Leadership education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Silver Spring

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Membership Dues: Annual membership fees on a sliding scale based on annual income, ranging from $140 (under $40,000) to $370 ($175,000+). All memberships run on an annual anniversary date.
2. Organizational Membership Dues: Organizational memberships at $665 for 4 members, with additional members at $160 each. Special student cohort pricing at $135 per student for groups of 15+. Groups of 50+ receive special pricing.
3. Conference and Event Registration: Revenue from the annual Global Conference (1,200+ attendees, 400+ workshops), virtual summits (AI & Leadership Summit at $50-70), and topical conferences with member and non-member pricing.
4. Summit and Webinar Access: 2026 AI & Leadership Virtual Summit offered at $50 for members and $70 for non-members, providing on-demand access through May 2027.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

International Leadership Association (ILA) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) professional membership association that sells individual, organizational, and student memberships providing access to a global network of leadership scholars, educators, and practitioners across 107 countries. Core offerings include tiered annual memberships, the annual Global Conference, topical virtual summits, webinars, peer-reviewed publications (Journal of Leadership Studies), book series (Building Leadership Bridges), specialized member communities, and consulting services using the General Principles for Leadership Programs framework.

Product overview

The International Leadership Association is a global professional membership organization that offers a comprehensive ecosystem of leadership development products and services. The core offerings include various membership tiers (Organizational, Individual, and Student) providing access to the association's global network of leadership scholars, educators, and practitioners. The flagship event is the annual Global Conference (28th scheduled for 2026 in Toronto), complemented by topical virtual summits like the AI & Leadership Virtual Summit. ILA publishes the Journal of Leadership Studies and the Building Leadership Bridges book series with Emerald Publishing. The organization operates specialized member communities spanning AI, healthcare, peace leadership, and other focus areas, and provides professional development through webinars, podcasts, and awards programs. The Committee for the Advancement of Leadership Programs develops standards and frameworks (General Principles for Leadership Programs) and offers consulting services for institutions seeking to enhance their leadership education offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ILA Membership Membership offering with three tiers (individual, organizational, and student) providing access to the global leadership network, member portal, resources, conference discounts, and communities. Individual membership priced on sliding income scale from $140 to $370 annually; organizational membership $665 for 4 members plus $160 per additional member; student cohorts $135 per student for groups of 15+.
• ILA Global Conference Annual international flagship conference bringing together 1,200+ leadership scholars, practitioners, educators, and students with 400+ workshops, panels, presentations, roundtables, and posters. The 28th Global Conference is scheduled for October 2026 in Toronto.
• AI & Leadership Virtual Summit Annual virtual summit exploring the intersection of leadership and artificial intelligence, featuring keynotes, presentations, and discussions on AI integration in leadership contexts. Offered at $50 for members and $70 for non-members with on-demand access through May 2027.
• Leadership Perspectives Webinars On-demand and live webinar series (including the Book Buzz author series) covering contemporary leadership topics from various perspectives, with free access for ILA members and on-demand recordings available.
• Journal of Leadership Studies Peer-reviewed journal providing a forum for leadership scholarship and research, with free online access for ILA members.
• Building Leadership Bridges Book Series Annual book series published with Emerald Publishing offering contemporary thinking about leadership from global scholars and practitioners, with complimentary copies and discounts for ILA members.
• Leadership Education Program Directory Searchable online directory of leadership education programs at institutions worldwide, with organizational members starred in the listing for greater visibility.
• ILA Intersections Member Portal Exclusive online member portal providing access to the member directory, community discussions, and members-only resources for ILA members.
• Member Communities 18+ specialized member communities covering AI and Emerging Technologies, Arts and Leadership, Business Leadership, Ethics & Leadership, Followership, Healthcare Leadership, Indigenous and First Peoples Leadership, Leadership Development, Leadership Education, Leadership for Peace, Leadership Scholarship, Military/Uniformed Services Leadership, Philosophy Religion and Worldviews, Public Leadership, Sustainability Leadership, Trust & Leadership, and Women and Leadership.
• Leadership Program Consulting Services Expert consulting services leveraging the ILA General Principles framework to help organizations create, enhance, or assess leadership programs.
• ILA Fellows Program Distinguished fellowship program recognizing experts in leadership who serve as ILA ambassadors and work on special leadership projects aligned with the association's mission.
• Global Leadership Project Initiative examining the phenomenon of global leadership, convening scholars, practitioners, and influencers to create resources for enhanced global leadership development.

Quantifiable outcome

• 107 countries represented in membership
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Center for Creative LeadershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerILA partners with the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) to co-sponsor the annual Kenneth E. Clark Student Research Award, recognizing outstanding unpublished papers by undergraduate and graduate students. CCL's David Altman serves on the ILA Board as Chief Research and Innovation Officer. This partnership advances leadership scholarship and student research recognition.
• University of Richmond - Jepson School of Leadership StudiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerILA partners with the Jepson School of Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond on the Fredric M. Jablin Doctoral Dissertation Award, given annually to a scholar whose doctoral dissertation research demonstrates substantial insights and implications for the study of leadership.
• Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of TeachingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerILA coordinates efforts with the Carnegie Foundation's Elective Classification for Public Purpose, working to ensure General Principles for Leadership Programs remain relevant across sector, culture, and time alongside like-minded assessment frameworks.
• Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerILA's Committee for the Advancement of Leadership Programs coordinates with CAS standards for leadership education programs. The CAS review of Student Leadership Programs Standards was released in 2020.
• Wiley Publishing - New Directions for Student LeadershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerILA collaborates with Wiley Publishing on the New Directions for Student Leadership journal series, including a special issue (Issue 187, Fall 2025) focused on General Principles for Advancing Leadership Programs edited by CALP members.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Center for Creative Leadership: A leading global leadership development research and practice organization with deep overlap to ILA's mission. Explicit ILA partner — co-sponsors the Kenneth E. Clark Student Research Award, and CCL's Chief Research and Innovation Officer sits on the ILA Board.
• Association for Talent Development: A large US-based professional membership association for the talent development and learning profession. Highly comparable membership-association model serving overlapping practitioner audiences (consultants, coaches, corporate trainers).
• National Leadership Institute: A leadership development and research organization focused on leadership capacity-building across sectors. Comparable to ILA in mission and target audience of leadership practitioners and scholars.
• Global Leadership Foundation: A non-profit dedicated to developing global leaders through leadership forums and programs. Closely parallels ILA's global, interdisciplinary leadership-community mission.

Regional players

• European Leadership Platform: A European-focused leadership development community for practitioners and scholars. Comparable mission and membership structure to ILA, with primarily EMEA geographic concentration.

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: A global organizational consulting firm with a large leadership development practice. Targets the same leadership practitioner and corporate buyer segment as ILA but as a commercial enterprise offering, not a membership association.
• DDI (Development Dimensions International): A major leadership and talent assessment/development firm serving enterprise clients. Overlaps with ILA's leadership development domain with significantly larger commercial scale.
• Harvard Kennedy School Center for Public Leadership: Harvard-affiliated leadership research and education center. Comparable academic leadership research mission; Ron Heifetz (a founding figure in leadership studies) is affiliated via the Global Leadership Project.
• Linkage (Accenture): A leadership development and talent management organization now part of Accenture. Comparable leadership development content and conference offerings for practitioners, with substantially larger commercial scale.

Emerging players

• Jepson School of Leadership Studies (University of Richmond): The first school of leadership studies in the US and an ILA partner on the Fredric M. Jablin Doctoral Dissertation Award. Comparable academic focus on leadership scholarship and practitioner education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/the_ila
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ILAOfficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/InternationalLeadershipAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-leadership-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/leadershipnexus
• Pinterestpinterest.com/the_ila

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Leadership Association