Omidyar Fellows Program Seeks Maui Emerging Leaders

Pierre Omidyar. Photo courtesy of Hawaii News Now.

By Sonia Isotov

The Omidyar Fellows program, a leadership development program sponsored by eBay founder turned philanthropist Pierre Omidyar, was launched yesterday under the newly created Hawai‘i Leadership Forum.

Omidyar Fellows offers selected participants a rigorous, comprehensive leadership development curriculum designed to equip and inspire emerging leaders with the skills needed to affect positive, lasting change in Hawai‘i.

The inaugural class will include up to 15 leaders with diverse backgrounds, selected from across the state. Interested candidates can apply for the Omidyar Fellows program through June 30, 2012, at www.OmidyarFellows.org. The 2012 class will be announced in September, and the program will begin in October.

“Hawai‘i has a lot to offer the world, but we are often isolated from what the world has to offer us. The Omidyar Fellows program brings proven leadership practices to Hawaii’s most promising individuals, with the goal of using that knowledge to benefit our community,” said Pierre Omidyar, founder and chairman, eBay, and founder, Omidyar Fellows, in a written statement.

“The problems we face here at home and around the world are great, and growing. In order to ensure a healthy, productive Hawai‘i tomorrow, we must prepare and support the next generation of leaders today.”

The curriculum, in development for over a year, is customized for emerging leaders in Hawai‘i and features a combination of actionable skills, networking with peers, self-reflection and personal growth opportunities.

The 15-month Omidyar Fellows program encompasses many areas of leadership development and uses the diverse perspectives of participants as part of the learning process.

The approach of Omidyar Fellows program relies heavily on learning through experience. The three-phased approach focuses on the personal evolution of the individual, developing sustainable relationships, and refining collaboration and leadership skills.

At the outset, Fellows will participate in a series of orientation activities and a multi-day kickoff event. Throughout the program, participants will be required to attend one full-day session each month in addition to conversations with leaders and executive coaching.

The Hawai‘i Leadership Forum receives funding from the Omidyar ‘Ohana Fund at the Hawai‘i Community Foundation. Best known as the founder and chairman of eBay, Pierre Omidyar, in 2009, made an historic $50 million commitment to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation to establish the Omidyar ‘Ohana Fund, which is being used to launch several community initiatives.