12TH ANNUAL
Leadership, Human Flourishing and Artificial Intelligence
LOCATION
Hilton Beachfront Resort, Santa Barbara, CA
DATE
June 4-5, 2026
Early Bird Special ($495) ends May 11
A Premier Leadership Conference in Santa Barbara
Develop the clarity, courage, and conviction to lead well, wherever you are. Join a distinguished gathering of leaders, thinkers, and practitioners for a focused, high-impact conference designed to shape how you lead in a complex world.
Who Should Attend
- Executives and organizational leaders
- Nonprofit and ministry leaders
- Educators and administrators
- Emerging leaders seeking formation and direction
What You'll Gain
- A deeper framework for principled leadership
- Practical tools for navigating complexity and decision-making
- Renewed clarity in your personal and professional calling
- Meaningful connections with peers across industries
Built for leaders navigating complex challenges in today’s world.
Principled Leadership, Practically Applied
Gain actionable insight you can immediately apply across business, nonprofit, and organizational leadership.
Distinguished Voices, Meaningful Perspective
Learn directly from bestselling authors and global thought leaders shaping today’s most important conversations.
Space to Think, People to Connect With
Step away from the noise to engage deeply, while building relationships with leaders across industries and sectors.
Meet the Voices Shaping Modern Leadership
Learn from bestselling authors, global executives, and influential thinkers across business, culture, and ethics.
Gayle Beebe
President of Westmont College
Author of The Crucibles That Shape Us
David Brooks
Former NYT Columnist, Presidential Fellow at Yale University
Bestselling author of The Road to Character and How to Know a Person
Susan Cain
Popular TED Talk Speaker
NYT Bestselling author of Quiet and Bittersweet
Zack Kass
Former OpenAI Leader
Author of The Next Renaissance
Robert Tucker
Innovation Strategist
Author of Build a Better Future
Tyler VanderWeele
Director of the Harvard Human Flourishing Program
Author of The Theology of Health
Faculty Panelists
Blake Kent
Associate Professor of Sociology at Westmont College
Smaranda Lawrie
Director of Westmont’s Center for Resilience and Human Flourishing
Carmel Saad
Director of Westmont's Carol Houston Center for Justice Reconciliation and Diversity
The Human Flourishing Program
Led by Tyler VanderWeele at Harvard Human Flourishing Program, the Global Flourishing Study marks a significant shift in how we understand well-being. Rather than relying solely on economic measures like GDP, this landmark research takes a more comprehensive view of what it means to live well.
In partnership with Baylor University and Gallup, the study follows 200,000 participants across 22 countries over five years, making it the largest effort of its kind. It examines six key dimensions of flourishing: happiness, health, purpose, character, relationships, and material stability.
By identifying how these factors interact, the study equips leaders with evidence-based insights to shape stronger organizations, communities, and cultures, helping people not only navigate modern life, but truly thrive within it.
Event Overview
Pricing
Registration Fee
$495 per person before May 6, then $595
Each Attendee Receives
Post conference access to password-protected digital recordings and more.
Schedule
Thursday, June 4
8:00 - 9:00 AM Registration Check-in and Coffee
9:00 AM Welcome with Reed Sheard and Gayle Beebe
9:15 AM Tyler VanderWeele: “Human Flourishing and the Global Flourishing Study," a high-level overview of the project with several implications noted including Academic Flourishing, religious communities and flourishing, and forgiveness and flourishing, followed by a discussion and audience Q&A with Tyler VanderWeele and Gayle Beebe
10:45 AM Break
11:00 AM David Brooks: “How Culture Change Happens,” followed by a discussion and audience Q&A with David Brooks, Tyler VanderWeele and Gayle Beebe
12:00 PM Lunch
1:00 PM Welcome Back and Overview with Reed Sheard
1:15 PM Rober Tucker: “Leading and Flourishing in an Age of Acceleration”
2:00 PM David Brooks: “How to Fall in Love” followed by a discussion and audience Q&A with David Brooks and Gayle Beebe
Break
3:45 PM Panel Discussion on Human Flourishing: Blake Kent, Carmel Saad, Smarandra Lawrie, Gayle Beebe and Tyler VanderWeele, followed by audience Q&A
4:45 PM Break and Networking
5:30 PM Buffet Dinner
7:00 PM David Brooks: “What Christian Humanism Offers the World and Why It Matters”
Friday, June 5
7:30 AM Breakfast
8:15 AM Welcome with Reed Sheard
8:30 AM Gayle Beebe
9:15 AM Susan Cain: “A Quiet Revolution: Changing How we Work, Lead and Innovate,” followed by a discussion and audience Q&A with Susan Cain and Gayle Beebe
10:30 AM Break
10:45 AM Steve Porter: “Why A Good Person Is So Hard to Find: Virtue, Human Flourishing and the Hidden Benefit of Faith.”
11:30 AM Lunch
12:15 PM Zack Kass: “The Next RenAIssance: AI and the Expansion of Human Potential,” followed by a discussion and audience Q&A with Jack Kass, Gayle Beebe and Reed Sheard
1:15 PM Tyler VanderWeele: “A Theology of Health: Wholeness and Human Flourishing”
2:15 PM Next Steps with Gayle Beebe
Sponsors and Partnerships
Partner in Advancing Thoughtful Leadership
The Lead Where You Stand Conference is made possible through the support of organizations committed to principled leadership and meaningful impact. Our sponsors play a vital role in bringing together a distinguished community of leaders, ideas, and conversations that shape the future.
Why Become a Sponsor
Align with Purpose-Driven Leadership
Connect your organization with a conference grounded in integrity, thoughtful engagement, and lasting influence.
Reach an Influential Audience
Engage directly with executives, educators, nonprofit leaders, and emerging professionals across industries.
Elevate Your Brand Presence
Gain visibility through curated exposure across event materials, on-site experiences, and digital platforms.
We offer a range of partnership opportunities designed to align with your organization’s goals, from brand visibility to deeper engagement with attendees.
What Attendees Say
“Very few places offer this depth of content and caliber of speakers.”
"If you didn’t receive an invitation to Davos, the annual World Economic Forum happening now in Davos, Switzerland, don’t feel deprived....[Lead Where You Stand has become] must-attend for business and NGO leaders seeking to create greater impact..."
“A rare opportunity to step back and rethink how we lead.”
Lead Where You Stand Starts Here
Leadership is not defined by position, but by presence, responsibility, and action. This conference invites you to lead with greater intention, right where you are.