Leadership Society of Arizona

What Leadership Society of Arizona does

Leadership Society of Arizona (LSA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2012 and headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, that delivers youth leadership education programs primarily to teenagers across the Phoenix Valley. Its core offering consists of summer camps, overnight retreats, after-school programming (Logic and Leadership Academy), 1:1 success coaching, and the Valley Guardians multi-year coaching program for underserved students, all built on the proprietary No-Influence Mentoring methodology developed from 28 years of research at Arizona State University's Performance Based Studies Research Group (PBSRG) and grounded in the Information Measurement Theory (IMT) framework.

LSA's product portfolio expanded in August 2023 with the launch of LeadAZ Private School, a blended homeschooling and in-person model for grades 5-12 operating at a 4:1 student-to-instructor ratio. The organization also monetizes its intellectual property through five published books (including No-Influence Mentoring, In Search of Truth, and The Fall of Lobos) distributed via Amazon. Distribution is regional across Arizona through direct partnerships with school districts (PUHSD, PVSchools), named high schools (Coronado, Mountain Pointe, North), ASU's Barrett Summer Scholars, and community non-profits.

The business model is donation- and grant-funded as a federal non-profit, supplemented by nominal book sales and, post-2023, tuition from LeadAZ Private School. The organization is led by founder/Chairman Dr. Jacob Kashiwagi alongside co-founders Dr. Alfredo Rivera, Jake Gunnoe, and David Krassa, operating with a small team of 1-10 employees augmented by student interns, mentors, and volunteers. To date, LSA reports having served 4,700+ students with cited outcomes including 86% stress reduction and 94% program satisfaction.

Name

Leadership Society of Arizona

Legal name

Leadership Society of Arizona

Website

https://leadaz.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Leadership Society of Arizona is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2012 in Tempe, Arizona, that delivers youth leadership education — summer camps, after-school programs, success coaching, and a private school — to Arizona teenagers using its No-Influence Mentoring methodology derived from ASU research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Leadership Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Leadership, Character Education & Values Development (EDAMAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs (EDAJALAL), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Executive Function & Learning Coaching (Organization/ADHD Coaching) (EDAJALAI)

Keywords

• Youth leadership education
• Teen mentoring programs
• After-school programs
• Leadership coaching
• Private school education

Headquarters

HQ city

Tempe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a federal 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, LSA operates primarily through donations and grants. Won ASU's 2016 Changemaker Challenge award of $5,000. Valley Guardians program was created by successful business people who formed a non-profit to fund developmental programs for underserved kids.
2. Book Sales: LSA publishes books on leadership and mentorship including 'No-Influence Mentoring', 'In Search of Truth', 'The Fall of Lobos', and 'How to Know Everything Without Knowing Anything'. Books are sold through Amazon and other platforms.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Leadership Society of Arizona is a non-profit youth leadership education organization that delivers programs for teenagers—summer camps, overnight retreats, after-school programs, success coaching, and the Valley Guardians multi-year scholarship program—all built on the No-Influence Mentoring methodology based on 28 years of research at Arizona State University's Performance Based Studies Research Group. The organization expanded into formal K-12 education with LeadAZ Private School (a blended homeschooling and in-person model for grades 5-12) launched in August 2023, and also publishes leadership and mentoring books.

Product overview

Leadership Society of Arizona operates a unified portfolio of youth leadership education programs. The core offering consists of Youth Programs (Summer Camps, Overnight Retreats, Summer School, and Free Leadership Courses) and Success Coaching services, all built on the No-Influence Mentoring methodology. The organization expanded into formal education through LeadAZ Private School, a blended homeschooling and in-person model for grades 5-12. The Valley Guardians Executive Leadership Program provides multiyear coaching for underserved students. The Logic and Leadership Academy offers after-school enrichment. Published books including 'The Fall of Lobos,' 'No-Influence Mentoring,' 'In Search of Truth,' 'How to Know Everything Without Knowing Anything,' and 'The Information Measurement Theory Story' serve as educational resources supporting the programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Valley Guardians: Multi-year coaching program for underserved students providing professional coaches, workshops, leadership education, and college/career readiness support.

Products and services

• Youth Programs (Summer Camps, Overnight Retreats, Summer School, Free Leadership Course) Leadership development programs for teenagers including summer camps, overnight excursions, summer school, and a free leadership course built around the No-Influence Mentoring approach to help students find their passions, interests, and skills.
• Success Coaching One-on-one coaching program pairing students with professionally certified success coaches to help them discover strengths, set goals, and develop leadership skills using the No-Influence Mentoring methodology.
• Valley Guardians Executive Leadership Program Multi-year coaching scholarship program for underserved students providing professional coaches, coaching calls, getaways, leadership education, workshops, and college/career readiness support; grew from 1 school with 6 students to 13 schools across 7 districts with 49 active students.
• LeadAZ Private School Innovative private school offering a blended approach to homeschooling and in-person education for grades 5-12, where students set the pace of their education with one-on-one access to instructors, maintaining a 4:1 student-to-instructor ratio.
• Logic and Leadership Academy (After School Program) After-school program teaching students how to simplify their lives through understanding natural laws and logic, with parent education components and family conferences; originally piloted across three Phoenix Valley schools (North High, Mountain Pointe, and Coronado High).
• Published Books (The Fall of Lobos, No-Influence Mentoring, In Search of Truth, How to Know Everything Without Knowing Anything, The Information Measurement Theory Story) A line of published books on leadership, mentoring, and personal development for teens, adults, and mentors, sold via Amazon and other retail platforms in paperback and eBook formats.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86% of students report stress reduction after programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arizona State University (ASU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSA's methodology is based on 28 years of research at ASU's Performance Based Studies Research Group (PBSRG). Programs are delivered through ASU's Barrett Summer Scholars and Barrett Honors College. ASU recognized as US News' Most Innovative University.
• Performance Based Studies Research Group (PBSRG)coreTechnology or IntegrationResearch partner responsible for developing the No-Influence Mentoring methodology and Information Measurement Theory over 28 years of research. PBSRG has tested the approach on 1800+ projects totaling over $6.4 Billion with 98% success rate.
• Valley GuardianscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-year coaching program for underserved students. Created by successful business people who formed a non-profit to fund developmental programs for kids in underserved communities. LSA delivers leadership education, coaching calls, getaways, and workshops.
• Peoria Unified School District (PUHSD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local school district for delivering after-school leadership programs at district schools.
• PVSchools (Paradise Valley Unified School District)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Paradise Valley Unified School District for student programs.
• Coronado High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScottsdale high school partner where LSA delivered an 8-week leadership curriculum pilot program for football players. Successfully improved student behavior and academic performance.
• Saint Louis School (Hawaii)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHawaii high school that partnered with PBSRG to run a semester-long test of the non-traditional leadership curriculum. SLHS submitted the course for NCAA accreditation.
• Boys Hope Girls Hope Arizona (BHGH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization supporting youth. Listed as a partner organization serving students in need.
• Turn a New LeafminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit partner organization. Community organization focused on helping individuals and families.
• Adventure EncountersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAdventure/outdoor experience provider. Partner organization offering experiential learning opportunities.
• Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented (AAGT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional organization for gifted education in Arizona. Partner in serving high-ability students.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Student Leadership Network: Nonprofit operating leadership-themed public schools and programs serving college-bound students. Comparable in combining formal school delivery with leadership curriculum for teens.
• 4-H: National youth development organization delivering leadership, life-skills, and mentoring programs through schools and community clubs. Directly comparable in mission around teen leadership, mentoring, and positive youth development.
• Junior Achievement USA: Nonprofit delivering leadership, work-readiness, and entrepreneurship programs in K–12 classrooms nationwide. Similar in-school delivery through district partnerships and youth-leadership curriculum focus.
• Leader in Me (FranklinCovey): School-wide leadership and SEL program licensed to K–12 institutions worldwide based on Stephen Covey's framework. Comparable in targeting student leadership development through structured school-based curriculum.
• National Honor Society (NASSP): NASSP-administered student recognition and leadership organization embedded in U.S. high schools. Comparable target audience (high school students) and leadership-development mission, though delivered as recognition rather than mentoring.
• Character.org: Nonprofit advancing character and leadership education in K–12 schools through the Schools of Character framework. Closely aligned to LSA's character and values-development focus area.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National 501(c)(3) operating 1:1 youth mentoring programs across U.S. communities. Closely comparable to LSA's mentor-pairing model and nonprofit delivery through partner schools and community organizations.

Broad incumbents

• DoSomething.org: Large youth civic-engagement nonprofit running national campaigns and leadership programs for teens. Comparable teen-leadership mission and nonprofit operating model at materially larger scale.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National network of after-school and summer youth-development clubs. Comparable as a broader youth-development nonprofit serving teens, though focused on facility-based club memberships rather than school-embedded leadership curricula.

Emerging players

• Polygence: Online platform pairing high school students with PhD-level mentors for research projects. Comparable in 1:1 teen mentoring and goal-setting, though delivered digitally and more narrowly focused on research mentorship.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/leadershipsocietyofarizona
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3741466
• Xx.com/leadasu
• Facebookfacebook.com/ksmleadership

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Leadership Society of Arizona