Two people from Hall County are among 40 selected for the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) 2024-2025 Class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute (ALI), described by the ARC as “a leadership training opportunity that equips Appalachian community leaders to use economic development as a tool to drive positive change.” The sixth ALI class includes public, private, and nonprofit leaders from all 13 Appalachian states.
Those from Hall County are Adrienne Cloud, CEO, SMARTech Construction, Flowery Branch, and Andrew Davenport, Founder, A New Veteran, Gainesville. They are the sole representatives from Georgia.
The nine-month curriculum, which kicked off with an orientation session in Knoxville, Tenn., is anchored by six multi-day seminars across the Appalachian Region. Each seminar focuses on one of ARC’s strategic investment priorities and includes skill-building workshops, best practice analysis, networking, and site visits to see ARC investments in action.
“The Appalachian Leadership Institute supports the enduring work of Appalachia’s changemakers, while helping them advance their skillsets and build upon valuable regional connections with likeminded leaders,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “I send my sincerest congratulations to our newest round of ALI fellows knowing their passion and purpose will ensure an even more vibrant future for Appalachia’s communities.”
The 2024-2025 Class of ALI fellows were selected via a competitive application process to “reflect the Appalachian region’s wide range of economic development challenges, opportunities, and strategies.”
To learn more about the program, visit: arc.gov/leadership. To meet the 2024-2025 class of fellows and learn more about their work to strengthen Appalachian communities, visit: https://www.arc.gov/academies-and-institutes/leadership/class-of-2024-2025/.