TEAM GPS Foundation
Workforce Development
Third Annual Passport to Leadership Program
This summer, the TEAM GPS Foundation continued to grow its Passport to Leadership program, an immersive four-week leadership and career exploration experience for rising high school seniors from across the Coachella Valley.
Originally developed with a strong focus on Tourism & Hospitality, the program expanded in 2026 to introduce students to additional sectors that power our regional economy: Technology & Innovation, Agriculture, and Healthcare. This broader approach reflects the Foundation’s expanded mission to empower local youth and strengthen the workforce across the Coachella Valley.
Throughout the program, students combined leadership and professional development with hands-on career exploration and direct access to local employers and industry leaders. Sessions focused on communication, public speaking, teamwork, employability skills, and confidence building, complemented by behind-the-scenes experiences at locations including Palm Springs International Airport, Acrisure Arena, Aziz Farms, the PS NExT Summit, the City of Palm Springs, JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa, and businesses and community destinations throughout Greater Palm Springs. Students also completed practical exercises and a final capstone presentation, giving them opportunities to apply what they learned and strengthen skills that will serve them in college and their future careers.
ABOVE, FROM TOP: Passport to Leadership students toured Acrisure Arena and made a visit to the City of Palm Springs office.
The 2026 program culminated with a graduation celebration on July 10th at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa. We are grateful to the JW Marriott team for generously hosting this special milestone and helping us celebrate the accomplishments of our students. We were also honored to welcome representatives from the City Councils of Coachella and Indio, whose presence reinforced the importance of investing in young people and developing future leaders throughout the Coachella Valley.
ABOVE: The 2026 Passport to Leadership cohort with their graduation certificates.
A key goal of Passport to Leadership is to help young people see that meaningful career opportunities exist right here in the Coachella Valley. By connecting students directly with professionals, workplaces, mentors, and emerging career pathways, the Foundation is helping strengthen the bridge between education and industry while encouraging local talent to envision a future in our region. Early outcomes have been encouraging, with participants from previous cohorts choosing to pursue hospitality management in college after their Passport experience. With the program’s expansion into additional industries, we hope to see similar connections develop across all four pathways.
Upon completing the program, students receive a Certificate of Completion, a stipend, networking opportunities, and a curated collection of local experiences. New in 2026, the Foundation is also providing each participant with funding to cover the application fee for their first passport, reinforcing the spirit of the program while helping remove a tangible barrier to future educational, professional, and travel opportunities.
Passport to Leadership continues to demonstrate the interconnected approach at the heart of the TEAM GPS Foundation’s work: introducing young people to possibilities, connecting them with mentors and industry, providing opportunities to build real-world skills, and creating pathways for them to eventually become the professionals and mentors who support the next generation.
College Internship Program
This year, we were also pleased to have Edith Alcala, a Hospitality & Marketing student at CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, intern alongside the team in support of the Passport to Leadership program. Edith’s involvement illustrates the mentorship cycle we hope to create through our workforce development efforts: providing college students and emerging professionals with meaningful, hands-on experience while they, in turn, help support and inspire the next generation of students coming behind them. Creating these connections across high school, college, and career is an important part of building a stronger and more sustainable local talent pipeline.
ABOVE: Edith Alcala (center), a Hospitality & Marketing student at CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, interned alongside the VGPS team in support of the Passport to Leadership program
1st Cohort of Visionary Leaders
This summer also marked the launch of our first Visionary Leaders cohort, the second level of leadership development offered through the Leadership Institute, in partnership with College of the Desert’s Partnership and Community Education (PaCE) program. Designed for professionals at the director level and above, Visionary Leaders provides experienced leaders with an opportunity to strengthen their leadership skills, learn alongside peers, and bring new ideas and approaches back to their organizations.
Our inaugural cohort brought together leaders from across the hospitality sector and the broader Coachella Valley community, creating an important space for cross-industry learning, relationship building, and professional growth. The program builds upon the Foundation’s commitment to investing not only in the workforce of tomorrow but also in the people who are leading, mentoring, and developing our workforce today.
Importantly, the inaugural Visionary Leaders cohort was taking place at the same time as our Passport to Leadership program. While high school students were discovering career pathways, meeting local professionals, and beginning to develop their own leadership skills through the Passport program, established professionals were simultaneously investing in their growth through Visionary Leaders. Together, the two programs demonstrate the leadership continuum we are intentionally building through the TEAM GPS Foundation—from introducing young people to leadership and career possibilities to supporting the professionals who manage teams, shape workplace culture, and mentor the next generation.
ABOVE: A few of the inaugural Visionary Leaders cohort, which graduated this summer.
CSUSB & COD Student Scholars attend DI Annual Summit and US Travel’s ESTO
As part of our commitment to bridging the gap between classroom and career, the TEAM GPS Foundation continues to create opportunities for local college students to experience the industries they are preparing to enter firsthand. This year, the Foundation supported two CSUSB Palm Desert Campus students in attending Destinations International’s Annual Convention in Portland and two College of the Desert students in attending U.S. Travel Association’s ESTO conference in Philadelphia.
Prior to traveling, students participate in an orientation organized by our team to help them prepare for the conference, understand what to expect, and make the most of the networking and professional development opportunities available. Students also travel with and are accompanied by members of the Visit Greater Palm Springs team, providing additional mentorship and support throughout the experience.
Students learn alongside industry professionals, expand their networks, and gain exposure to career paths within tourism, hospitality, and destination management. Traveling to Portland and Philadelphia also gives them the opportunity to experience the culture, history, attractions, and sense of place of two very different U.S. destinations, broadening their perspectives both personally and professionally.
These experiences are another piece of the Foundation’s workforce development continuum—moving students beyond the classroom and giving them the access, exposure, connections, and confidence to envision themselves as future industry leaders.
ABOVE: Students (second and third from left) at Destinations International’s Annual Convention in Portland stop for a photo with VGPS staff.
Regional Engagement
Our team continues to actively participate in regional conversations and partnerships that strengthen the Coachella Valley’s workforce and connect education, industry, and community. Over the summer, our team hosted and facilitated a Workforce Readiness Committee Meeting (June 3) and participated in College of the Desert Hospitality Management Faculty Advisory Committee Meeting (June 23) to provide industry feedback and insights, attended the Inland Empire Community Foundation Policy & Philanthropy Summit at the Riverside Convention Center (August 6), and celebrated local students and employers at the OneFuture Coachella Valley/HCC Internship End-of-Year Celebration at the Palm Springs Art Museum (August 19).
On June 5th, our team also organized and facilitated the Hospitality Session for the Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce Emerging Leaders cohort, including a panel conversation with young professionals working in hospitality marketing. Together, these engagements allow us to strengthen partnerships, stay connected to evolving workforce needs, elevate industry perspectives, and identify new opportunities to connect local students and emerging professionals with education, leadership development, and meaningful career pathways.
GPS Ambassadors
GPS Ambassador Training
The GPS Ambassador program continued expanding opportunities for local hospitality professionals to learn more about Greater Palm Springs and become stronger advocates for the destination. In-person trainings were held June 11, July 14, and August 11, with additional opportunities for employers to host trainings at their workplaces.
GPS Ambassador Mixer | Coachella Valley History Museum
GPS Ambassadors gathered at the Coachella Valley History Museum on June 16 for an after-hours mixer featuring guided experiences throughout the museum, including the historic Smiley-Tyler Adobe House, restored 1909 Indio schoolroom, and Date Museum. The event provided an opportunity for Ambassadors to connect while learning more about the destination’s history.
ABOVE: GPS Ambassadors learn about the Coachella Valley History Museum.
GPS Ambassador Huddle | What’s New in Palm Desert
The July GPS Ambassador Huddle highlighted what’s new in Palm Desert, with updates from the City of Palm Desert and an inside look at DSRT Surf, along with other new and emerging experiences throughout the city.
First GPS Ambassador Annual Rally
The program hosted its first GPS Ambassador Annual Rally on August 13 at Big Rock Pub in Indio, creating a new annual gathering to bring the GPS Ambassador community together. The evening featured a high-energy Greater Palm Springs trivia competition hosted by Deven Green and Handsome Ned, along with prizes, food and beverages, and opportunities for Ambassadors to connect with colleagues from across the hospitality community.
The event was designed to celebrate GPS Ambassadors, strengthen connections within the network, and put their destination knowledge to the test in a fun and engaging way. The Rally will continue as an annual event and an opportunity to recognize and engage the growing GPS Ambassador community.
ABOVE: GPS Ambassadors enjoy trivia night at Big Rock Pub.
GPS Ambassador Benefits
A new online GPS Ambassador Benefits Page was launched, making it easier for Ambassadors to access exclusive discounts and special offers from participating attractions, restaurants, hotels, retailers, and other businesses throughout Greater Palm Springs.
GPS Ambassador Council
This fall, VGPS will launch the new GPS Ambassador Council, a leadership group of eight engaged Ambassadors who will help strengthen the program, welcome new Ambassadors, increase participation, provide feedback, promote Champions of Hospitality nominations, and help select the annual GPS Ambassador of the Year.
Council members will serve two-year appointments and help provide a stronger connection between the Ambassador community and VGPS. The Council is open to engaged Ambassadors regardless of management title, creating an additional leadership opportunity for frontline hospitality professionals.
