Network Leaders Learning Cohort
Spring - Fall 2025
Application Now Closed
Today's pressing challenges—things like climate change, disinformation, and the erosion of democratic norms—are complex and unpredictable. Traditional, hierarchical approaches to problem-solving are proving insufficient.
Networks—both formal and informal—offer a more dynamic way forward. When designed and led with intention, networks bring together individuals and organizations as equal partners, unlocking new solutions through collaboration, trust, and shared purpose.
Yet, while networks hold immense potential, leading them effectively requires distinct skills and orientations:
Cultivating trust and deep relationships
Navigating competing priorities with agility
Embracing emergence and adaptability
Forming unlikely partnerships and coalitions
Moving beyond binary thinking to work within complexity
These leadership competencies are critical for the future of social impact, yet few professionals receive structured support in developing them.
To bridge this gap, Contina Impact and Third Plateau are launching a Network Leaders Learning Cohort for the social impact sector.
Contina Impact is partnering with Third Plateau to offer a free, grant-funded six-month Network Leaders Learning Cohort for 10-15 professionals in the social impact sector who lead, manage, convene, and facilitate networks — whether formally or informally. This Community of Practice is designed to help network-minded leaders develop the skills to drive meaningful change through networks through a series of interactive, small-group learning sessions.
Contina Impact’s Learning Cohorts are pilot programs designed to address critical gaps in the nonprofit sector by fostering professional growth, building organizational capacity, and providing tailored technical assistance. Each offering focuses on a distinct area of support: service-specific communities of practice, field-specific capacity-building cohorts, and skill-based technical assistance.
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We are seeking 10-15 professionals who lead, manage, convene, or facilitate networks—formally or informally—in the social impact sector. Space is limited, and selected participants will join a community of forward-thinking leaders dedicated to advancing network-driven impact.
Ideal candidates will:
Have at least one year of experience designing, leading, or supporting networks for social change
Be eager to learn, share, and connect with other network-minded leaders
Commit to attending all six sessions (scheduling will be based on participant availability)
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After this 6-month program, participants will have:
Greater fluency in core aspects of network theory
Confidence to work across organizational boundaries to achieve change
Skills and perspectives to better manage network dynamics
Relationships with other network leaders
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Participants will engage in six virtual, highly interactive small-group learning sessions (2 hours each, held monthly) designed to deepen their network leadership skills, help them process real-time challenges, and build lasting relationships. Sessions will follow a structured learning arc and incorporate:
Peer consultancies and real-time problem-solving
Guest speakers and expert insights
Case studies of effective network leadership
Partner-based learning and collaboration
Light readings between sessions to enrich discussions
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Contina Impact has partnered with Third Plateau, a social impact and philanthropy consulting firm that partners with nonprofits, philanthropists, and the public sector to create transformative, community-centered impact.
Meet the facilitators, Emily Thielmann and Maya Kageyama, below.
Meet the Facilitators
Emily Thielmann, Vice President at Third Plateau, has over 12 years of experience designing, facilitating, and leading networks in the social sector. She has worked on issues ranging from youth employment pathways to K-12 family engagement to democracy.
At Third Plateau, she supports an array of leaders, organizations, and funders focused on building a brighter future for American democracy. Emily facilitate learning, action, and network-building among donors across the country. A certified 21/64 Advisor, she also advises funders on their democracy-related giving.
Prior to Third Plateau, Emily spent 7 years at Maine’s Cutler Institute for Health and Social Policy working to improve long-term outcomes for youth and families by convening cross-cutting networks of young people, families, policymakers, state and local government, funders, and nonprofit leaders. Emily has a bachelor’s in philosophy from Vassar College and a master’s in Public Policy and Management from the Muskie School at the University of Southern Maine.
Maya Kageyama, Senior Director and Executive Coach at Third Plateau, specializes in strategic planning, facilitation, and coaching. With a background in health equity, she has nearly a decade of experience helping nonprofits and public programs strengthen relationships, deepen collaboration, and drive community impact.
Maya facilitates thoughtful and collaborative processes to support leaders, teams, and organizations to align their values, purpose, and strategies, to deepen their impact and bring their visions to life.
Prior to Third Plateau, Maya served as the Training & Development Manager at a national health advocacy organization, where she provided capacity building assistance for community-based organizations, health departments, and national coalitions around the country to deliver HIV prevention services and culturally-tailored community health programs. Maya holds a B.A. from Hampshire College, a master’s in Public Health from the University of San Francisco, and coaching certifications from the Neuroleadership Institute and Leadership That Works.
