Leading by learning

Rachael Rollins
Executive Director, The Fort
Roxbury Community College

Rachael participated in the pilot of The New Commonwealth Fund’s capacity building program that we supported in 2025. The model is designed to center the strengths and wisdom of leaders, giving them space to share and build knowledge – rather than a top-down approach that assumes leaders need to be taught.

Rachael showed up in the space with exactly this mindset. She readily asked questions and wasn’t shy about saying what she didn’t yet know, while also freely sharing her expertise through past experiences. She embodied the idea that leadership can model both knowledge and growth, offering and asking, strength and shared support.

She helped us see that this program could work, if leaders like her keep showing up to bolster the ecosystem, each other, and themselves.