Leadership Forum
March 23-25, 2026 | Washington, D.C.
Where Inclusive Leaders Shape the Future
In today’s rapidly changing business landscape, leaders need the clarity, confidence and practical strategies to build workplaces where people and organizations thrive. For more than 15 years, Out & Equal’s Leadership Forum has equipped executives, ERG leaders, HR and legal professionals, and changemakers from global organizations with the strategic learning and peer exchange necessary to achieve this goal.
Through immersive tracks, candid conversations, and high-impact keynotes, more than 400 seasoned and emerging leaders gain tools that connect inclusion to measurable business outcomes, including stronger retention, improved collaboration, greater innovation, and more resilient teams. Unlike other conferences, this experience emphasizes applied learning that translates into measurable impact for both you and your organization.
Keynotes from leading voices in policy, leadership and workplace culture
Deep-dive breakout sessions on global strategy, allyship, ERG growth and more
Peer exchanges that spark new thinking and long-term collaboration
Real-time insight about how belonging builds retention, resilience and reputation
This experience was amazing! Thank you all so much for your efforts in continuing such vital programming—and community—in these uncertain times.
2025 Leadership Forum Attendee
A great networking opportunity to find peers on this journey. Met many new people…who will be great contacts and partners for our ERG journey.
2025 Leadership Forum Attendee
Amazing mix of content for Business Resource Groups (BRGs) of all levels and experience. These were also the most powerful keynote speakers I have seen at an event to date. Thank you for a wonderful experience.
2025 Leadership Forum Attendee
This event has energized me to want to (1) push to be a BRG leader at my company and (2) bring my whole self to work every day.
2025 Leadership Forum Attendee
Leadership Forum Registration Includes:
✔️ Two full days of programming
✔️ Welcome Reception on Monday evening
✔️ Breakfast and lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday
✔️ Dedicated networking opportunities with senior leaders & subject-matter experts
✔️ Momentum Reception on the final night
Non-Partner Price: $2,499
Register before Monday, February 23 to secure discounted hotel room rates.
Out & Equal Partner Primary Contacts, please access your allocations and additional registrations at the Partner rate of $2,299 through the Event Portal.
Please get in touch with your Partner Success Manager for login instructions.
Featured Keynote
Kenji Yoshino
Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law at NYU School of Law and Director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging
We are proud to welcome Kenji Yoshino as a keynote speaker at this year’s Leadership Forum. A leading constitutional law scholar and longtime partner to Out & Equal, Kenji brings a critical legal lens to today’s workplace inclusion challenges.
Building on his 2025 Workplace Summit session, he will apply the framework from How Equality Wins to the current environment, helping leaders exploring cutting-edge changes and challenges while centering the legal and reputational risks of withdrawing from inclusion efforts.
Learning & Community with Lasting Results
At the Leadership Forum, attendees embark on a shared learning journey, building relationships, tackling real-world challenges, and leaving with tools they can apply immediately to enhance belonging and performance within their organizations. You will gain:
Clear Frameworks
for Embedding Inclusion Into Business Strategy
Actionable insights and decision-making frameworks you can apply immediately to strengthen inclusion, enhance team culture and drive results within your organization.
Strategies That Improve Retention & Talent Development
Evidence-based tools for building cultures where people stay, grow, and contribute at their highest levels — reducing turnover costs and supporting long-term talent pipelines.
Insights That Strengthen Organizational Agility and Resilience
Practical guidance for navigating public policy and legal landscapes. You will learn how inclusive practices help organizations respond to complexity with clarity and stability.
Collective Learning That Unlocks Innovation
A shared understanding of how diverse viewpoints strengthen innovation, problem-solving, and creative thinking, leading to stronger business outcomes.
2026 Learning Cohort Tracks
Supercharging ERG Impact: The New Playbook
For decades, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) have shaped critical shifts in workplaces, driving inclusive policies, building communities of belonging, educating employees, and informing business decisions. Today, however, the broader landscape of inclusion work is shifting, leaving many ERG leaders seeking stability, renewed direction, and strategies that keep their groups responsive and relevant.
This track guides attendees through a focused learning journey that begins with identifying their most urgent challenges. From there, you will build the skills to design responsive programming, strengthen leadership continuity, and elevate collaboration with Executive Champions. The experience culminates in a hands-on Program Design Derby, where you will apply your learning, test new ideas, and develop templates you can take back to your organizations to accelerate and sustain ERG impact.
Evolving the Practice & Power of Allyship
Allyship has deep roots in LGBTQ+ history, shaped by people both within and outside the community who used their influence to drive progress and bring others into the work of belonging. Yet in today’s climate, allyship is being tested. Its potential remains powerful, but recent backlash in the U.S. and globally shows where traditional approaches have fallen short.
In this track, attendees will take an honest look at the current state of allyship to understand where it succeeds and where new opportunities exist. You’ll build the skills needed to evolve your allyship practice, including staying grounded in moments of conflict, shaping and using your origin story as a tool for cultural influence, and cultivating meaningful ally networks across teams and communities. You’ll leave with a clear, actionable roadmap for strengthening allyship within your organization and advancing the work of belonging in a more connected, sustainable way.
Soft Skills, Huge Impact: Meeting the Moment with Responsiveness & Resilience
The idea of self-care has been around for a long time, but its importance came sharply into focus during the COVID pandemic as many searched for ways to stay grounded in a time of fear and uncertainty. Even with its widespread use, the true meaning of self-care — especially in the workplace — often remains unclear.
In this track, attendees will have the space to define what self-care looks like for you as a leader and to explore practical strategies that strengthen your resilience. You’ll begin by clarifying your intentions for personal and professional growth, then participate in learning experiences that build the skills needed to thrive in challenging moments. This track equips you with tools to support both your own well-being and the environments you create for others.
Building Strategy at the Intersection of Public Policy and the Workplace
This past year threatened seismic shifts in government approach to inclusion initiatives in the workplace. Headlines blared that longstanding business practices were now illegal, but reality reveals a much more complex picture. Executive orders signed in 2025 will continue to unfold across 2026 as agencies ramp up the implementation process and yet continued litigation may halt enforcement. Advocates face new challenges that demand nimbleness.
In this track, learners will examine and analyze this moment for workplace advocacy and focus on developing clarity around new developments, building specific skills that will prepare leaders for the fluctuating work ahead, and provide insights and perspectives to create a path forward that protects the progress that has been made and effectively responds to the challenges being issued.
How to Select a Track
Each Leadership Forum track offers a distinct learning experience, so we encourage you to select the one that best aligns with your current role, goals, and the challenges you’re working to solve inside your organization. If you have attended Leadership Forum before, consider choosing a different track this year to broaden your skill set and engage with new content.
If you’re attending with colleagues, we recommend splitting your team across multiple tracks to maximize learning and bring a wider range of insights back to your organization. Each track offers tools and perspectives that complement one another, ensuring your team returns with a well-rounded, actionable roadmap for advancing inclusion and business impact.
New in 2026
Creation Lab: Building the Next Model of ERG Impact
New for 2026, the Creation Lab is a hands-on, co-creative experience designed for leaders shaping the future of ERGs. As expectations evolve and workplace realities shift, ERGs are being asked to deliver deeper impact with greater clarity and alignment.
Open to all Leadership Forum attendees, this session brings together ERG leaders, executive champions, and HR and workplace inclusion leaders to surface what’s happening on the ground and co-design practical, sustainable strategies for stronger ERG ecosystems.
Led by Out & Equal senior leadership and informed by real-time insight from our global Partner network, the Creation Lab moves beyond discussion to deliver actionable ideas, shared learning, and momentum leaders can take back to their organizations immediately.
2026 Schedule at a Glance
Monday, March 23
23
Mar
5:00 – 7:00 PM
Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Opening Reception
Tuesday, March 24
24
MAR
8:00 – 9:00 AM
Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Networking Breakfast
24
MAR
9:00 – 4:30 PM
Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Programming
24
MAR
4:30 – 5:00 PM
Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Networking
Wednesday, March 25
25
MAR
8:00 – 9:00 AM
Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Networking Breakfast
25
MAR
9:00 – 5:00 PM
Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Programming
25
MAR
6:30 – 9:00 PM
Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Momentum Reception
Venue
MGM National Harbor | Washington, D.C.
The Leadership Forum will take place entirely at MGM National Harbor, a premier destination located just outside Washington, D.C., offering an elevated and seamless experience for all attendees. By hosting the whole event under one roof — from keynotes and learning track sessions to networking spaces and evening programming — attendees can fully immerse themselves in the Forum experience without the need for travel between venues. Whether you are gathering with your cohort, meeting colleagues for conversation, or unwinding after a full day of learning, MGM National Harbor offers the comfort, convenience, and energy that make Leadership Forum both productive and memorable.
Register by February 23 to secure discounted hotel room rates.
Are You Ready to Lead What’s Next?
Secure your spot at Leadership Forum and join inclusion leaders
advancing workplace belonging and inclusion.
Non-Partner Price: $2,499
Register before Monday, February 23 to secure discounted hotel room rates.
Out & Equal Partner Primary Contacts, please access your allocations and additional registrations at the
Partner rate of $2,299 through the Event Portal.
Please get in touch with your Partner Success Manager for login instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make the case to my manager to attend Leadership Forum?
Out & Equal’s Leadership Forum is designed to deliver immediate, practical value for leaders and organizations, including tools and approaches that strengthen retention, reduce organizational risk, improve team performance, and support measurable inclusion and belonging outcomes.
To help you request approval, download our Leadership Forum Business Case Memo, which includes key highlights, organizational benefits, program details, and what’s included with registration.
What is the registration deadline?
Registration will remain open through March 16; however, we encourage you to register by February 23 to secure discounted room rates.
How can I confirm my registration?
Once you’ve registered for Leadership Forum, you will receive a confirmation email with your unique registration number. Save this email as you may need it to make changes to your registration.
If you need to make modifications to your registration, click the “Modify Registration” link in your confirmation email or contact us at [email protected].
What are the registration fees for Out & Equal Partners?
Out & Equal Partners receive Leadership Forum registrations as part of the Partnership Benefits Package. These allocations can be secured and additional registrations can be purchased at the Partner Rate of $2,299 through the Event Partner Portal by the Partnership Primary Contact.
To inquire about how to take advantage of our Partner rate, please contact us at [email protected].
Can I transfer or cancel my registration?
Registration transfers, exchanges, and cancellations can be handled up to 30 days prior to the start date of the event by contacting [email protected]. The same Learning Track is not guaranteed for transfers as groups are filled on a rolling basis until they reach capacity.
Have more questions?
Our Event Policies can be found here.
Have additional questions? Please reach out to our team at [email protected].
For more information about the lasting impact of Leadership Forum, download the 2025 Leadership Forum Impact Report.