History and Future

Communities thrive when they have both a talented workforce and vital organizations. Several years ago, Dr. Leon Jackson embarked on a journey to build coalitions with organizations, higher education institutions, and communities to address these needs. DIL works to develop highly skilled and dynamic individuals in order to create ideal locations for companies to establish themselves, relocate, or expand.

 

DIL was launched in 2021 in Leon's home town of Indianapolis, a city the The Brookings Institute's Metropolitan Policy Program ranked 47th out of the nation’s 50 largest cities in the country for economic mobility. That reality contributed to an expansion of the city's “brain drain," creating substantial skills, knowledge, and talent gaps.

 

DIL proved its ability to advance region's success by building a pipeline of highly-qualified talent for senior-executive roles in public, private, non-profit, and service sectors. The program's demonstrated capacity to develop passionate, talented, and highly motivated individuals into leaders is now being expanded across the the United States.