Corporate leaders and associates of the Fels Institute of Local and State Government at the University of Pennsylvania began discussions in 1951 to expand participation in community leadership. Meetings involved Alfred H. Williams, Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and Dean of the Wharton School; Earl G. Harrison, Dean of the University of Pennsylvania Law School; lawyers Lewis Stephens, Canby Balderston, and Cyril G. Fox; John W. Bodine, Director of Penjerdel; William H. Wilcox, Executive Director of the Greater Philadelphia Movement; and Stephen B. Sweeney, Director Emeritus of the Fels Institute.

The Community Leadership Seminar Program (CLSP, also known as LEADERSHIP Inc. and now known as LEADERSHIP Philadelphia), designed with support from the Fels Fund to provide information on public issues, held its first sessions in 1959-60 for selected prominent persons and a number of younger Philadelphians interested in community affairs. Over 400 communities across the country have modeled similar efforts on Philadelphia's programs.

Staff at the Fels Institute first administered the CLSP. For several years it operated from the office of the President of the University of Pennsylvania. It has been an independent non-profit organization since 1978. It was run by Steven Sweeney until 1978, when Anne Hearn took the lead. Anne ran the organization until 1993, when current President Liz Dow took over.

Photo © Katrina Mojzesz, Top Kat Photography