Supporting Delta Leadership
The Delta Leadership Institute organizes the Delta Leadership
Institute Executive Academy, a year-long leadership development program
for leaders that prepares them to collaborate and address the
most-pressing issues of the Delta region. Each of the eight governors and the
federal co-chairman nominate five people per year for the program,
resulting in an annual class of 45 Delta leaders. These are leaders who
stay in touch with each other, sharing best practices and solutions to
common problems.
The first class of the Delta Leadership Institute met in 2005. The
fifth class of the Delta Leadership Institute graduated in June 2011 and
joins more than 200 previous graduates of the program. In April 2006,
the DRA board chose the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa to
coordinate the Delta Leadership Institute.
The Executive Academy meets six times in the coming year to discuss
issues facing the region including healthcare, transportation,
information technology, clean technology, small business development,
and economic development.
View past projects
of Delta Leadership Institute graduates. As members of the Executive
Academy delve into a wide range of policy issues, they also explore the
Delta from St. Louis to Memphis to Little Rock for the annual conference
to New Orleans and Alabama with a new trip this year to Washington, DC
for policy development.
Are you a graduate of the DLI?
Join the Delta Leadership Network today and continue our work to invest in the Delta.
Many of the 252 counties and parishes that make up the Delta region
are characterized by high poverty, high unemployment levels, low
educational attainment, and a loss of skilled labor. A corps of
innovative leaders is needed to turn the tide in the Delta region and
help it to compete in the world compete.
According to Dr. John L. Blackburn of the University of Alabama, an expert on leadership development: "A
good community is comprised of more than one generation, embraces
transcending values that esteem each citizen and creates a sense of
oneness where individuals set aside personal gain, benefit or goals for
the sake of the group."