New Story Leadership Inc

In 2025 New Story Leadership NSL continued to adapt its programming in response to ongoing regional instability maintaining its focus on supporting alumni leadership advancing policy-relevant dialogue and strengthening organizational infrastructure for long-term impact. Building on the alumni-led initiative launched in 2024 NSL continued to support a core group of Israeli and Palestinian alumni working collaboratively on a shared framework for post-conflict recovery and peacebuilding. This initiative formerly referred to as the Phoenix Framework and further developed in 2025 outlines practical experience-informed approaches to key challenges including governance reconstruction trauma-informed healing and preparing societies for a sustainable peace. Throughout 2025 NSL facilitated opportunities for alumni to engage policymakers practitioners and civil society leaders in the United States and internationally. Alumni participated in briefings and meetings with congressional offices policy institutions and international stakeholders contributing perspectives grounded in lived experience and cross-conflict collaboration. These engagements aimed to inform policy conversations and elevate locally driven approaches to peacebuilding. In addition to external engagement NSL prioritized internal organizational development. The organization undertook efforts to strengthen its operational systems including building more robust donor and stakeholder tracking processes and refining program strategy for future implementation of its flagship Washington Leadership Program. NSL also explored strategic partnerships and program models to support future cohorts when conditions allow. NSL further advanced targeted program development in 2025 including planning for a womens leadership delegation to Ireland and Northern Ireland. This initiative is designed to draw lessons from the Northern Ireland peace process with a particular focus on the role of women in conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction and to integrate these insights into NSLs broader leadership and peacebuilding framework. While challenges related to travel security and regional conditions continued to impact program delivery NSL remained committed to its mission of developing a new generation of Israeli and Palestinian leaders equipped with the skills relationships and vision necessary to advance a more peaceful and shared future.