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Mission

To develop character-driven leaders by applying lessons from history and leadership theory to make a positive impact on the future.

The intent of the LENS250 Leadership Program is to deliver on the promise of developing character-driven leaders. This is accomplished by bringing together current and emerging leaders, with accomplished practitioners, through education and immersive training experiences rooted in principles that produce a new generation of leaders.

The roots of this applied leadership experience began in the 1800's as classic "staff rides*" to instill leadership lessons that could be applied to meet objectives.

For over ten years, our practitioners have been conducting immersive leadership training experiences with corporate leaders and policy makers in locations such as:

Monument Walk in Washington D.C.

Arlington National Cemetery

Gettysburg National Military Park

Beaches of Normandy

*Staff Rides rides began in the 19th century and is an immersive learning tool where service members study a historical battle or campaign. It blends deep classroom study with an on-the-ground site visit. Leaders analyze how terrain, stress, and communication shaped past choices to improve modern tactics and decision-making. LENS250 blends this training with corporate leadership, strategy and communications needs to strengthen an organization.

What We Do

LENS250, housed under Shadwell Global Partners, was born out of a need to advance character driven leadership and cross-cultural collaboration in today's geopolitical climate. LENS250 achieves this goal through values-based, experiential, immersive leadership training and programs, for students, executives, and policymakers. The LENS250 program advances and advocates for character-driven leadership through:

EDUCATION

The LENS250 curriculum is based on the tenets of character-driven leadership, which include the examination of values, ethics and leadership that has been required throughout our country's 250-year history, whereas leaders from diverse backgrounds, countries and cultures came together to accomplish the greatest mission, grow a nation and industry leadership.

TRAINING

The LENS250 Program creates a common shared experience that bonds people and teams together with training that is tailored to the leadership priorities of the Program participants. LENS250 incorporates lessons from first person accounts that illuminate how men and women of diverse backgrounds perceived and responded to their leadership challenges and how they apply to issues companies face today.

EXPERIENCE

Through insightful analysis of the key issues that participants identify in advance, the onsite leadership experience synthesizes theory, education and training, transforming it into applied expertise. The LENS250 Program training locations include the choice of Washington D.C., Gettysburg and the Beaches of Normandy. Participants develop personal leadership action plans to execute post program.

FEEDBACK

The LENS250 Program integrates and activates the onsite component of the training. Participants review their individual and/or organizational leadership goals and objectives, incorporating key lessons from all phases of the Program’s applied leadership experience. LENS250 practitioners are available to provide continuous feedback and coaching. Each cohort becomes part of the LENS250 Program alumni network, connected to all alumni via forums that allow for peer mentorship and ongoing LENS250 feedback.

How It Works

The LENS250 Program addresses these key objectives:

INTEGRITY

The essence of leadership is trust. That trust is earned through leaders who demonstrate an adherence to values and ethical behavior.

COLLABORATION

To strengthen cultural understandings and create bonds, whether through business, policy or education.

UNITY

Today's leaders work with the challenges of a generational divide, a socio-economic opportunity gap, and geopolitical divisions of culture.

COMPETENCY

Today's leaders understand how to bridge these gaps through leadership, domain expertise, emotional intelligence and cultural competencies.

INCLUSION

Leadership is driven by values and ethics forged in action. Complex solutions are created through shared experiences, applied opportunities and in building diverse teams.

OUTCOME

Program outcome is that the developed character driven leaders understand how to develop the very trust that is the essence of leadership.

Timeline of Program

Each program, whether corporate, public or youth, is tailored to the organization’s individual needs. The two-to-four-day program consists of:

  • Orientation, discussion, and networking
  • Site visits, discussions and integration sessions
  • Closing dinner session and departure

Dependent upon organization/individual needs, further sessions can be added which may include:

  • Corporate planning sessions
  • LENS250 add-on elements
  • Individual self-study – LENS250 can provide further recommendations for learning

Follow Up & Additional Offerings

Coaching

Providing feedback to participants based on their performance and organizational needs. This is a long-term undetermined timeframe that is development driven not performance driven. Performance vs. development. Performance is coaching focused for right now. Some of the coaching elements of a structured short-term platform that is performance driven and can be focused on:

  • Strategic Leadership
  • Talent Development
  • Strategic Multinational Communications


Why Do This?

LENS250 offers an innovative and memorable alternative to traditional executive off-sites — moving beyond lectures and fleeting lessons to transformative, immersive experiences.

TAILORED TO YOUR LEADERS

Individually designed to meet senior leaders' intent, business objectives, and desired focus — impacting all levels of management.

TRANSFORMATIVE OUTCOMES

A common shared experience that delivers personal and organizational outcomes through immersive, applied leadership.

THEORY TO PRACTICE

A once-in-a-lifetime experience that takes leaders beyond conventional training — from leadership theory into real-world application.

Our Practitioners

The LENS250 Program brings together a global team of proven leadership instructors from both the public and private sectors. Our global team has an extensive track record of not only leading but have been very successful in developing leaders around the world, including corporate executives, students, military personnel, and policymakers.


Lieutenant General (LTG) Benjamin C. Freakley (U.S. Army, Retired)
Serves as the Professor of Practice of Leadership for Arizona State University and as a Special Advisor to ASU President Michael Crow for Leadership Initiatives. Most recently, General Freakley co-founded the ASU Lab for Leadership, Diplomacy and National Security. He retired from the U.S. Army after more than 36 years of active military service. Today, Ben leads the NLP immersive training program.

Ambassador Michael Polt Ambassador Polt
Currently the ASU Ambassador-in-Residence in The College's Leadership, Diplomacy and National Security Lab. Prior to that, he served as Senior Director at the University's McCain Institute for International Leadership after his 35-year diplomatic career.
As a career diplomat, Ambassador Polt served as U.S. Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, Germany and Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge' d'Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Bern, Switzerland.

Monique Tapie
Monique Tapie is the Founder of Shadwell Global Partners, a leading communications and public affairs firm, and she is the co-founder of Ambassadors to History and its Normandy Leadership Program. As a communications and public affairs expert, her past work with the U.S. Army led Monique to develop advocacy programs that have focused on transitioning military workforce and veteran care issues. Having grown up in both the U.S. and France, Monique is fully bilingual and bicultural working with leadership in the U.S. and Europe.

Colonel Derek Keller, PMP
Retired U.S. Army Special Forces Colonel, with 30+ years of defense experience including joint military operations & leadership, counterterrorism and WMD strategic planning and preparedness, and incident management and response. Sasha Tapie Advisor founder VideoAi.Media


Luba Tolkachyov is the Founding Partner of Greenpoint Ventures
Greenpoint Ventures is an early-stage fund investing in advertising, media, and consumer technology. Prior to founding Greenpoint, Luba built and scaled a media agency that became the leading cultural agency in the U.S., culminating in its acquisition by Dentsu. Following the acquisition, she joined the executive leadership team, focusing on global business growth and strategic partnerships. Luba regularly advises Fortune 500 companies on technology and innovation. She also serves on the Advisory Boards of DWEN (Dell Women’s Entrepreneurship Network) and Baruch College, and is an early member of Chief.


Mr. Gary Koops, Co-Founder Shadwell GP
When Fortune 500 companies require global insights, communications expertise, and a deep understanding of how to connect with media and consumers, they have turned to Gary to gain the right footing and direction. He has served as a strategic advisor to C-Suite executives at some of the world’s most complex and influential organizations, including IBM, Ford Motor Company, Shell Oil, Target, Virginia Tech, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Altria, AIG, and Accenture. His experience in politics is vast: Gary served as deputy director of communications for the Dole for President Campaign, where he managed the daily coordination of the campaign’s national communication plan and development of central campaign messages and organizing daily press briefings. He also has worked as press secretary and spokesman the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

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Shadwell Global Partners, LENS250 Program

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