In the past, critics have accused the company of recruiting students by claiming that attendance is selective when the company actually markets its programs to tens of thousands of youth. In 2009, when Envision was still under the direction of Richard Rossi, the company's co-founder and the current President and Executive Director of the National Leadership Academies, the company attracted over 15,000 youth to events related to President Barack Obama's inauguration but was unable to fulfill the promises it made in its promotional materials. It settled a lawsuit, promising to pay out up to $17 million in vouchers to event attendees.