Samanta López ’17
Lead for Delaware

“The reality and strength of Leadership Delaware is it’s a place where diversity, integrity, respect, and tact meet to grow. It is not just about the epistemology of leadership, but the role that a sense of understanding and community play in creating change. LDI shows you that limitations are only a state of mind, and it exposes the realities and possibilities that exist around you, transforming traditional platforms of thinking and leadership with innovative ones. This program is a refreshing paradigm shift where one can witness diverse, talented, and prominent people from all sectors, political parties, and backgrounds engage in nonpartisan approaches to learning, collaborating, challenging, and leading.

This has been an experience like no other, and I stand as a confident leader today because I have gathered from my LDI experience that leadership is an empowering trajectory of knowledge, partnerships, and grit! LDI has opened windows of vision, and doors of possibilities that have profoundly transformed my life, and will continue to do so in the future, near and far. I am a proud fellow!”

Mike Pfeifer ’18
1440 Film Co.

“Leadership Delaware was nothing short of a life changing experience and these are not words I don’t throw around lightly. LDI gives you the rare opportunity to step outside your comfort zone and reflect on the type of leader you are or would like to be. The speakers are some of the most influential leaders across the state who give their unfiltered thoughts on leadership and the issues they face in their organizations. So yes, The speakers are impressive but the secret to LDI’s success in my opinion is its ability to create connections between its fellows and alumni. While we all come from very diverse backgrounds, we are all united by a common desire to leave wherever we are a little better than we found it. This applies to our organizations, our relationships, and our communities. I am eternally grateful to this organization and this brief testimonial could never capture just how much my time at Leadership Delaware meant.”

I had always had an entrepreneurial spirit but  never the confidence to make the jump full time. Leadership Delaware gave me the confidence, connections, and knowledge needed to strike out on my own. During those first few months of striking out, the first people to reach out and give me an opportunity were just about all LDI Alumni. Whenever I needed a group of people to give feedback on a logo, design, or businesses question my cohort was just a group chat away.  Entrepreneurship can be lonely, but it doesn’t have to be. I’m so thankful for every word of encouragement, every opportunity to prove my business, and every LDI connection I’ve had the good fortune of interacting with over the years.”