Building Connection, Confidence, and Community: Inside the Emerging Leadership Council’s Speed Networking Event

Last week, the American Cancer Society’s Emerging Leadership Council (ELC) brought together one of the most energizing gatherings of the year — a leadership speed networking event designed to spark meaningful connection between CEOs, senior executives, and emerging leaders across our region.

What unfolded was more than a networking program. It was a powerful snapshot of what the future of leadership looks like when purpose-driven professionals choose collaboration over competition.

Where Today’s Leaders Meet Tomorrow’s Change-Makers

The ELC created this event to bridge generations of leadership — putting rising professionals face-to-face with some of the region’s most respected CEOs and C-suite executives. Through rapid-fire rotations, participants engaged in focused, high-impact conversations about leadership, career development, personal purpose, and community impact.

Each exchange lasted only a few minutes, but the energy, insight, and authenticity shared in those moments resonated far beyond the clock. Emerging leaders walked away feeling inspired, motivated, and seen. Executives left impressed by the talent, curiosity, and commitment present in the next generation.

It was proof that meaningful leadership development doesn’t always require a conference, a course, or a classroom — sometimes it simply requires space, structure, and the right people in the room.

Connection as a Leadership Strategy

In a world that moves fast, authentic connection often gets pushed aside. But this event reminded us that connection is not a luxury — it’s a leadership strategy.

Participants shared stories about career pivots, moments of resilience, and the mentors who helped shape their paths. Executives offered candid advice on navigating uncertainty, leading with integrity, and building influence through service, not title.

Most importantly, everyone in the room left with new relationships that can fuel future collaborations, partnerships, and impact across the St. Louis business community.

Powered by Purpose

What makes the ELC special — and what made this event meaningful — is the unifying belief that leadership is most powerful when aligned with purpose.

As part of the American Cancer Society family, this next generation of leaders isn’t just building careers; they’re helping us create a world where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer.

Events like this strengthen our leadership pipeline, expand our mission footprint, and remind us why connection matters more than ever.

A Night of Momentum

The evening wrapped with a collective sense of momentum — a feeling that this wasn’t just a one-off event, but the beginning of something bigger. The Emerging Leadership Council will continue creating opportunities for rising talent to engage with the region’s top executives, grow their leadership capacity, and amplify their impact in our community.

Together, we’re building a stronger, more connected network of leaders — united by purpose, driven by service, and committed to changing the future of cancer.

Here’s to the leaders who showed up, leaned in, and sparked new possibilities. And here’s to the connections that will carry us forward.