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01/30/2026
11:00am - 1:30pm
Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport
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Every year, the Chamber’s distinguished Boston’s Future Leadership Program (BFL) culminates in a dynamic capstone experience: the Leadership Challenge. Through this project, participants gain exclusive, “behind-the-scenes” access to one of Boston’s most interesting and influential businesses, exploring a pressing topic directly affecting both the organization and the broader Greater Boston community. The partnering business or organization changes every year as does the topic of the challenge.
Over the course of several months, participants work in cross-sector project teams applying what they are learning in the program and combining their shared expertise to develop solutions to the challenge. This aspect of the curriculum provides real-world, real-time practical experience for the participants outside of their own companies and provides what they often describe as one of the most exciting parts of the program.
The 2025 Leadership Challenge partnered with the MBTA and invited the BFL class of 2025 to solve several challenges that fall within the broader challenge of “Help the T help You” – what the MBTA can do to make the regional business environment stronger, especially after a history of underinvestment, poor management, and a years-long pandemic that resulted in a loss of public trust.
The four subtopics included:
Guided by an expert panel featuring senior leadership from the MBTA including Phil Eng, General Manager, Danny Levy, Chief Customer & Employee Experience Officer, and David Perry, Director of Ferry Operations, participants reviewed literature and resources on public transportation and the T’s policies and initiatives, engaged in interviews and Q&A discussions, and developed actionable frameworks for the four subtopic areas. Teams were tasked with delivering three recommendations grounded in research, professional experience, and collaborative insights, reflecting the T’s dedication to its riders and its employees.
This year’s winning team excelled with their innovative approach to addressing subtopic #1, creating two unique marketing campaigns, impressing the judges so much that their selection was unanimous. We connected with these exceptional leaders to hear how their journey through the BFL program and Leadership Challenge (LC) shaped their professional growth.
How did the LC experience help you grow as a leader? “The Leadership Challenge allowed me to use and build some soft skills that I don’t normally use in my day-to-day in the world of finance. An example is trying my creative chops at developing a marketing campaign. Although I personally do not have any inclination with marketing, working in other professionals on developing marketing strategies has given me confidence to take on challenges and tasks that are outside of my normal purview.”
How did the LC experience help you grow as a leader? “Stepping into the creative space to develop a marketing plan for the MBTA was a leap outside my engineering and project management comfort zone — exciting, nerve-wracking, and incredibly rewarding. It challenged me to lead with agility and creativity, strengthening my ability to adapt and inspire across diverse teams. Winning the challenge made the experience even more meaningful.”
Why would you recommend BFL to other top performing professionals in the region? “The BFL program provided an incredible opportunity to connect with a wide variety of local professionals who all contribute to the vibrant ecosystem that is Greater Boston. Collaborating with colleagues ranging from lawyers and marketing professionals to utility companies—and everyone in between—was eye-opening. It offered valuable insight into the diverse organizations that help make Boston such a special place.”
Why would you recommend BFL to other top performing professionals in the region? “Participating in the Boston Future Leaders Program was a transformative experience. I connected with an exceptional network of diverse, highly motivated young professionals from across the Greater Boston region. The program’s sessions, delivered both in the classroom and online, served as a catalyst that challenged my existing perspectives and fundamentally reshaped my definition of effective leadership.”
Why would you recommend BFL to other top performing professionals in the region? “I came out of my first session with Boston’s Future Leaders fired up and ready to bring change to our agency, and that pace hasn’t slowed down. The sessions at Harvard Business School are particularly useful — helping me to think with a new framework and bring tangible action items back to my team. ”
How did the LC experience help you grow as a leader? “Working with my group on a project for the MBTA taught me how to lead through collaboration and adapt to different perspectives. I learned the value of active listening, creative problem-solving, and bringing structure to open-ended challenges. It helped me grow more confident in guiding a team toward practical, real-world impact.”
Why would you recommend BFL to other top performing professionals in the region? “I would highly recommend the BFL program to any aspiring future leader because the program provides a unique opportunity to not only learn from and be exposed to a wide variety of peers, but also to leaders in the region who have a real interest in our collective growth and development.”
This year’s challenge focused on a business and a system that affects everyone who lives in, works in, or visits Boston – our public transportation. We are grateful for the unprecedented access to General Manager Phil Eng throughout this process, and we feel confident each team’s recommendations will aid in the MBTA’s efforts in the coming years.
From the Chamber, we extend sincere congratulations to Team #1 for their impactful contributions. They exemplify true leadership by driving innovation—a vital factor in keeping Greater Boston competitive.
Want to take your leadership to the next level? Learn more about the Boston Future Leaders program and join a network of changemakers shaping the future of Greater Boston.
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