The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) this week named three impressive Alabama leaders as fellows of the 2021 Delta Leadership Institute (DLI) Executive Academy.
The DRA is a federal-state partnership created by Congress in 2000 to promote and encourage the economic development of the lower Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt. The authority invests in projects supporting transportation infrastructure, basic public infrastructure, workforce training and business development to advance its mission of creating jobs, building communities and improving the lives of those who reside in the 252 counties and parishes of the eight-state region.
According to a release, DLI is an extensive, nine-month executive leadership program that brings together public, private and nonprofit sector leaders from that region. The program is conducted in partnership with Arkansas State University, the University of Louisiana at Monroe and the University of Arkansas.
The three 2021 DLI fellows representing the Yellowhammer State are as follows:
- Chris Beeker, Tuscaloosa | State Director/Alabama, USDA Rural Development
- Kaia Greene, Birmingham | Project Manager, The University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Sarah Mills, Prattville | Regional Workforce Council Liaison, Alabama Department of Commerce – AIDT
“I am proud of these three Alabamians for taking part in a program that will enable them to gain valuable skills, insight and resources that will benefit the state as whole and the Black Belt region in particular,” Governor Kay Ivey (R-AL) said in a statement.
“These leaders are prime examples of stepping up to better our state, and I look forward to the impact that their experience as part of the Delta Leadership Institute will have on their communities, the Black Belt and Alabama,” she added.
The leadership program reportedly empowers fellows with tools, experiences and networks beneficial in addressing local and regional challenges. Sessions led by local, regional and national experts cover policy areas such as infrastructure and transportation, small business and entrepreneurship, workforce development, public health, and other fields necessary to facilitate economic growth in the Delta.
“To enact change, you need strong leaders with bold yet thoughtful ideas to move the needle in the right direction,” commented DRA federal co-chairman Chris Caldwell. “The three fellows selected for the 2021 Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy are already leaders within their communities. With the knowledge and skill sets gained through DLI, they will evolve to become the change agents needed to address the most pressing issues facing the Black Belt.”
After graduation, DLI fellows become members of the Delta Leadership Network, which provides peer-to-peer engagement opportunities for continued leadership development, information sharing and collaboration with other leaders dedicated to the future of the Delta region.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
