WASHINGTON — A Ridgway, Pa., woman was among the 40 Fellows who will be participating in the second class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute.
Abbi Peters, executive vice president of operations, PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, will join professionals from the other member state of the Appalachian Regional Commission.
As a part of the Leadership Institute, each Fellow will participate in an extensive, nine-month series of skill-building seminars featuring regional experts, peer-to-peer learning, and case study analysis beginning virtually in mid-October through July 2021. Topics include:
Designing effective economic development project proposals; integrating community assets into long-lasting economic development strategies; identifying resources available to spur economic development; locating and accessing investment capital from a variety of public and private sources; preparing competitive applications for public grant opportunities; and using expanded leadership skills to create strong coalitions.
Upon completion of the program, Appalachian Leadership Institute Fellows will automatically become part of the Appalachian Leadership Institute Network, a peer-to-peer working group committed to Appalachia’s future.
Appalachian Leadership Institute Fellows were chosen via a competitive application process. Over 100 qualified applications were received for this year’s program.
Due to the COVID crisis, the 2019-2020 Appalachian Leadership Institute pivoted from field visits and in-person seminars to online working sessions on developing community capacity and capitalizing on natural and cultural assets, followed by supplemental discussions. This year’s program will remain online until further notice.
The Appalachian Leadership Institute is a comprehensive regional leadership training program developed by the Appalachian Regional Commission in partnership with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; The Howard H. Baker Center for Public Policy; Tuskegee University; and Collective Impact. More information about the Appalachian Leadership Institute is available at leadership.arc.gov.
