The Year Ahead at Aspen
Exciting convenings, new collaborations, & much more
Ideas. Seminars. Fellowships. Conversations. New connections.
As we look ahead to 2026, the work we’re doing at Aspen Institute reflects our shared commitment to strengthening communities, building a thriving interconnected network of leaders, and expanding opportunities in a changing world.
To get a sense of what’s ahead, we asked Aspen Institute staff and program leaders to share what they’re most excited about in 2026. Their reflections offer a glimpse into what’s guiding our work this year—and the possibilities they see for building a better future together.
Here’s what they said.
“In 2025, I was honored to be asked to testify before Congress on the state of play for youth and offer policy recommendations that could get and keep more of them playing. For the year ahead, I’m inspired by the possibility that Congress could move on a topic that resonates across red and blue America, and an opportunity emerges that can help lay the groundwork to address an array of larger challenges, from the mental health crisis to military readiness to building a more civil society.”
Tom Farrey, Executive Director, Sports & Society Program
“This will be Aspen Ideas: Climate’s fifth year! A formal announcement is coming soon. Also. ZEMBA’s new e-fuel tender winners were just announced, and we’re excited to continue to help grow the momentum in 2026.”
Kitty Pollack, Assistant Director, Aspen Ideas: Climate & Senior Advisor to the Executive Director, Energy and Environment Program
“We’re excited to publish Fellows on Fellows, a new five-episode dialogue series from the Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN) where two Fellows come together for candid, heartfelt conversations about life, leadership, and impact—sharing the real moments that shape us, from breakthroughs to hard-earned lessons.”
Ashley Cabrera, Communications and Media Coordinator, Aspen Global Leadership Network
“In 2026, I’m excited (and a bit daunted) to witness the rapid development, innovation and impact of AI on media, art and culture, workplace, security, leadership and more. Can’t wait to explore many of these themes and developments at Aspen Digital’s second Shared Futures forum in June.”
Vivian Schiller, Vice President and Executive Director, Aspen Digital
“I’m counting down the days until Aspen Ideas: Health (160 to be exact!). The 2026 event will unite visionary leaders to ask: how can we dream bigger and act bolder to advance better health for all? From scientific breakthroughs to creative expressions of well-being, their insights will illuminate what’s possible when hope meets action.”
Ruth Katz, Director, Aspen Ideas: Health; Executive Director, Health, Medicine and Society Program; Vice President, Aspen Institute
“2026 marks the 30th anniversary of the Aspen Institute Socrates program! Over the past three decades, we welcomed 11,000 people around the table across more than 350 seminars in 21 countries. We are excited to bring Socrates into new communities and in new ways in 2026. Join us this year and take part in the conversations that shape our world.”
Danny Harris, Executive Director, Socrates Program
“The staff at the Bayer Center is excited about our next exhibition, which opens June 9, 2026. Curated by Adam M. Thomas, Ph.D., “Double Take: Recurrent Dialogues in the Art of Herbert Bayer” (June 9, 2026–April 3, 2027) rigorously explores key motifs in Bayer’s vast output across several decades and mediums, including paintings, drawings, and photographs.”
Sarah Shaw, Communications Manager, Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies
“I’m excited for the next chapter of the Workplace Innovation Now (WIN) Challenge, a partnership with Pivotal, a group of organizations founded by Melinda French Gates. This year, we will award $60 million for up to 24 transformative solutions that will help reimagine workplaces for women — and strengthen them for everyone.”
Clare Bresnahan English, Senior Director, Workplace Innovation Now Challenge
“We are excited to welcome our new cohort of Healthy Communities Fellows, to recognize one leader with the Aspen Doris Duke Lola Adedokun Award, to host the Aspen Global Prosperity, Security, and Development High-Level Strategy Group inaugural convening, which will discuss current and future challenges of global development and foreign assistance, at the Rockefeller Bellagio Center in Bellagio, Italy, in February.”
Peggy Clark, Founder and Interim Executive Director, Aspen Global Innovators Group
“I’m excited to watch the weaving ethic spread! This year, we’re expanding the Weaver Awards to 25 new communities through our inaugural Community Host cohort. This is a part of our scaling efforts to reach 75 new communities while amplifying more weavers, teaching more skills, and growing a movement of trust brokers.”
Frederick j. Riley, Executive Director, Weave: The Social Fabric Project, Aspen Institute
“At Aspen FSP, we’re looking forward to this year’s Aspen Ideas: Economy! Building off the momentum from 2025’s inaugural gathering, we’re ready to get to work with our fellow economic programs to shape a thought-provoking agenda.”
Ida Rademacher, Vice President, Aspen Institute & Co-Executive Director, Financial Security Program
“One of the things I’m most excited about in 2026 is announcing the finalists for the 2027 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence this spring. These colleges stand out because they’re helping students not just enroll, but succeed—by improving completion, transfer, and workforce outcomes. This year’s selection process draws on even more comprehensive data than past years, providing us with a fuller picture of what student success looks like for all students at a college. Beyond celebrating these institutions, the Prize helps shine a light on the practices that are working—so colleges across the country can learn from them and improve students’ lives.”
Tatiana Johnson, Senior Communications Associate, College Excellence Program
“After four years of intensive work with 11 CDFIs across the nation, the Economic Opportunities Program will be rolling out a series of reports, issue briefs, events, and tools that share the findings from the Shared Success demonstration and provide key insights for how we can make more jobs good jobs. Spoiler alert: 92% of surveyed small businesses participating in Shared Success made job quality improvements, 84% observed a change in business outcomes from job quality improvements, and 85% plan to keep improving job quality in the future. We’re looking forward to sharing more about how job quality improvements are both achievable and effective for small businesses.”
Maureen Conway, Executive Director, Economic opportunities program
“The Economic Opportunities Program is proud to partner with the Rutgers Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing, to host the fourth annual Employee Ownership Ideas Forum on June 2–3 in Washington, DC, convening policymakers, investors, business leaders, researchers, and practitioners at a pivotal moment to advance employee ownership as a cornerstone of America’s economic future. Employee ownership gives workers a real stake and voice while building stronger, more resilient businesses, at a moment when strong bipartisan support and policy momentum make real progress possible. offering a powerful path toward shared prosperity.”
Matt Helmer, Director, Job Quality and Worker Well-Being, Economic Opportunities Program
“2026 marks 10 years of leadership programming at the College Excellence Program, including the Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship—concluding its tenth cohort in April at Aspen Meadows. Over the past decade, these fellowships have immersed college leaders in a year-long program to develop aligned strategies that transform their institutions and change the lives of many thousands of students. Of the 1,000 community college presidents in the country, 200 have graduated from one of Aspen’s intensive presidential fellowships. This milestone is a chance to celebrate the alumni who are now community college presidents—and to reflect on how their leadership work with Aspen is now improving student outcomes at scale.”
Millicent Bender, Director, Leadership & Field Engagement, cOLLEGE EXCELLENCE PROGRAM
“This year, I’m energized by CRG’s focus on scaling what works and building what’s missing when it comes to youth leadership. That means expanding programs to reach new young people and new places, including globally; launching new leadership development and mentorship efforts that tap the power of teamwork and collaboration; and continuing to advance narrative change through storytelling and research that shows what’s possible when young people lead.”
Kaya Henderson, Executive Vice President, Aspen Institute & Executive Director, Center for Rising Generations
“The 2026 Aspen Ideas Festival! This summer, we’ll be marking a defining moment in American history: 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Guest Curator Fareed Zakaria will be back, helping guide conversations that examine how our founding principles endure — and evolve — in a rapidly changing world.”
Tricia Johnson, Director, Aspen Ideas Festival
“The national conversation about higher education has shifted to one that asks not just who gets access, can pay for, and graduate from college, but whether the degrees that students earn have value after they graduate. Our latest research publication provides concrete guidance on the eight strategies community colleges can use to strengthen program value based on the work of 10 colleges in our pilot program. In 2026, we will begin three years of deep work with over 50 new network colleges to implement proven strategies based on our research to change the post-graduation trajectories of over 100,000 students. Follow our Unlocking Opportunity work and subscribe to our newsletter for new findings and case studies highlighting exemplary colleges.”
Josh Wyner, Executive Director, College Excellence Program
“While technical skills, especially AI-specific capacities, continue to dominate headlines, UpSkill America’s recent work shows that what consistently drives results is the quality of relationships between employers, educators, and workers to drive skills development of all kinds. In 2026, we will build on our employer-friendly practices, durable skills, and small business research by convening subject matter experts and producing validated resources that spotlight best practices and offer clear models to learn from.”
Chelsea Miller, Associate Director of UpSkill America
“I’m thrilled to bring Aspen Ideas: Economy to Tulsa, Oklahoma, from October 13–15, 2026. With its deep tribal and Black Wall Street legacies alongside its energy, aerospace, and burgeoning tech sectors, Tulsa is the perfect setting to spark new economic opportunities.”
Sarah Zetterli, Director, Economic Opportunity Impact Area
“I look forward to launching a series of exciting new programs to help more ordinary citizens learn to advocate for change in their communities. Now is the moment for everyone to understand how to contribute to key decisions that affect the direction of our society—and to strengthen trust in public institutions as a result.”
Betsy Cooper, Director, Aspen Policy Academy
“I’m excited for impactful programs, exciting convenings, strong progress implementing our strategic plan, and memorable moments with colleagues, partners, and supporters.”
Dan Porterfield, President & CEO, Aspen Institute
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