Member Experience
The membership experience powers our mission.
Our theory of change is simple: The Alder membership experience is an imaginative and varied exploration of the ideas, individuals, and innovations that influence society. Our members have a better impact because of greater understanding and perspective and leveraging models of making a difference that they can learn from… all amplified by the power of our community and broader network.
Through global, national, and local programming, intimate access to world-class opinion leaders, and the chance to develop relationships with like-minded individuals, the Alder member experience turns curiosity into passion and passion into action.
Our member experience is always evolving. We add experiences as we scale, we find some things work better than others, and we seek to improve how we deliver value for our members.
Today, our members engage in the following offerings:
Delegations
Alder delegations are immersive and formative experiences. We acquaint members with historical locations that have lessons echoing today, as well as geopolitical and domestic hot spots. We learn from experts and gain perspective and wisdom that one cannot gain from a distance, deepen relationships within our community through shared experience and lively discussions, and meet people we would never have met otherwise. Alder has organized more than 30 delegations, including going to Russia for the 100th Anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution to visiting an orphanage in Northern Mexico. In 2023, a delegation of 15 visited Ukraine.
Ukraine Delegation Highlights Included:
- Participation with General David Petraeus in a 2-day conference by Cipher Brief on “Winning the War and Winning the Peace”
- Meeting with the Mayor of Bucha and seeing the aftermath of the war crimes committed
- Dialogue with veterans and recent POWs
- Learning how Ukrainians will rebuild on the other side of the war
Retreats & Summits
The Alder retreat is the cornerstone of the member’s annual journey. It convenes our network from all over the world in a comprehensive and fun experience designed to expose Members to the ideas and people shaping the world, launch collaborations, drive personal learning and growth, and strengthen bonds with new and existing friends in our unique community.
In December 2023, our retreat explored how community drives impact.
December 2023 Retreat Highlights Included:
- NYT Times Best Selling Author David Brooks on dignity and connection as the building blocks for a free society and a meaningful life
- Famous novelist Steven Pressfield on incorporating timeless wisdom into your daily life
- World-renowned expert on free speech and expression Nadine Strassen on how to seek and steward truth
- Legendary drummer and founding member of the Doors on how art and expression drive social progress
- Special operations panel with a Green Beret, SEAL Delivery Team Commander, British Special Boat Service on mental health and civilian reentry
Briefings
Exclusive, provocative, and insightful briefings with important thought leaders. These are designed to guide members to a richer understanding of big ideas and current events to cut through the noise of the mainstream media and social media.
Recent highlights include:
- Pre-war briefings on Ukraine that revealed that war was inevitable while elites and the media were in denial
- Off the record conversation with a four-star general about the war in Israel
- Policy briefings directly from governors, senators, congressmen, and other government officials
- COVID insights fundamentally shifted the way members understood how to navigate their businesses and lives through one of the most disruptive times in history
In-Person Events
Community-building and discourse-rich events, co-created by our members, heighten the member experience and deepen the connection with peers.
Recent highlights include:
- Counter extremism and Hamas with member and expert Farah Pandith
- Battle of the Bulge with WWII veteran Jack Moran
- Hollywood, Culture, and Soft Power with longtime talent agent Fred Spektor
- The Future of Warfare with Palmer Luckey
- Education Battlegrounds with National Ed Reform Leader Penny Schwinn
- Presidential Campaign Analysis with two top Presidential Campaign Consultants
The Alder Podcast
The Alder Podcast is your destination for big ideas and interesting people. Members get early and exclusive access to exciting, entertaining conversations about what’s moving the culture today – and what will move it tomorrow. The Podcast is your home for insight and opinion, grounded in research, experience, and expertise.
Recent highlights include:
- Understanding the war in Ukraine through the lens of the Alder delegation, co-hosted by Navy SEAL, entrepreneur, and Alder member Brian Ferguson
- Entertainment, culture, and the opioid crisis with Hollywood Producer and Alder member Lawrence Grey
Strategic Relationship Building
The social capital of the Alder community is unlimited. We proactively connect members with shared interests and opportunities so they can discuss and potentially make a difference together. Connections, organized by Alder, have launched campaigns, solved murders, supported veterans, launched businesses, and changed the direction of families and businesses. They have changed lives.
Members Only Portal
Your all-access destination for making connections and communicating with Members, RSVPing for events, catching up on events and content you might have missed, and exploring our sense-making insights from our growing knowledge library, which includes:
- Links to prior podcasts
- Replays of discussions you might have missed such as “Entrepreneurship and Creative Disruption” with Economist Carl Schramm, “Resilience and Innovation” with Mark Cuban, or “Ukraine’s War and the Future of Democracy” with the CEO of the Kyiv School of Economics
- Jeffersonian Dinner style prompts on topics from America’s Founding, Values, Philosophy, Education, and Making a Difference
- Links to articles and white papers from members, friends of Alder, our wider network of experts, and curated resources on timeless wisdom and impact across time.