The National Pacific American Leadership Institute educates and trains emerging Pacific American leaders to build upon traditional cultural values in understanding, harmonizing and applying leadership theories and skills necessary for achieving personal and professional growth, greater responsibilities, and a higher level of service to our communities and country.

This course is based upon the belief that indigenous Pacific Americans have an established historical basis for their core values and norms, and that they will act in accordance with them as long as these values and norms are relevant in today's society.

The course consists of a one day multi-site session prior to a 78-hour seminar conducted over a consecutive eight-day period in a setting conducive to learning, thinking and sharing.

The curriculum focuses on empowering participants by helping them understand key cultural individual and collective Pacific American values; how these values shape attitudes and perceptions; how they were expressed in leadership skills and practices; how they fit into the dominant society; analyze universal leadership attributes, skills and actions which increase potential for success; and build bridges between cultural values and leadership skills for Pacific Americans and the dominant Western culture.