In the 1980s, the Cooper Foundation sponsored the initiation of the Waco Leadership Forum, a gathering of leaders from a broad cross-section of the community for the purpose of identifying issues of relevance to the community, exploring and promoting an increased understanding of those issues, and providing an opportunity for leaders to seek responsible, collaborative solutions for community issues.
The Forum meets throughout the year and seeks to bring together those who are elected to hold positions of leadership in the community’s most strategic organizations, as well as those who are acknowledged leaders in diverse segments of the Waco community.
Waco Leadership Forum Members:
- Baylor University – President
- Cen-Tex African American Chamber of Commerce – Executive Director
- Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce – Executive Director
- City of Waco – Mayor and City Manager
- Community Race Relations Coalition – Member
- Cooper Foundation – Executive Director and one Board Member
- Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce – Board Chair, Chair-Elect, and President
- Independent School Districts – Local Superintendent
- Junior League of Waco – President and President-Elect
- Leadership Plenty Institute – Recent graduate
- McLennan Community College – President
- McLennan County – County Judge
- Midway Independent School District – Superintendent
- Rapoport Foundation – Executive Director
- State Representatives
- State Senator
- Texas State Technical College Waco – President
- United Way – Executive Director and Board Chair
- Waco Business League – President and President-Elect
- Waco Foundation – Executive Director and Board Chair
- Waco Industrial Foundation – President
- Waco Independent School District – Board President and Superintendent
- Waco Arts Community – Individual in a leadership role
- Waco Medical Community – Individual in a leadership role
- Three At-Large Members