Education & Events
The Ford Foundation
Regionalism and Sustainable Development (RSD) Fellowship Program
With the generous support of the Ford Foundation, ACCE is again offering chamber and regional leaders an opportunity to engage in the Regionalism and Sustainable Development (RSD) Fellowship program. This unique and exclusive 12-month program will instill a deeper understanding of regional thinking, strategies and opportunities that will help Fellows grow and develop competitive economies and communities. With the assistance of the Alliance for Regional Stewardship, the Citistates Group and FutureWorks, a policy and consulting firm, ACCE is providing this educational program to chamber and business leaders of today and tomorrow.
The Fellowship provides hands-on training, peer knowledge exchange, research and examination of working models on a wide-range of sustainability issues, such as:
- Infrastructure;
- Land use;
- Environmental stewardship;
- Housing;
- Minority inclusion;
- Workforce development;
- Education;
- Immigration; and
- Inner-city challenges.
Fellows become part of a cadre of influential leaders who are ready to apply their knowledge to make their own regions more prosperous, vital and inclusive. The growing cadre will, in turn, reinforce the national and global movement benefiting regional economies everywhere.
Program format and schedule
Each cohort group meets for three in-person, symposium-style sessions taught by carefully selected scholars and professional practitioners. In addition, Fellows prepare and implement individual regional action projects targeting their service area. Between meetings, Fellows remain engaged with readings, DIALogue webinars, and one-on-one coaching and guidance to help with their regional action projects. At the conclusion of the program, new findings and additional best practice lessons will be incorporated into the policy-practice library of resources offered through the Alliance for Regional Stewardship.
The schedule for the program is:
Cohort 1:
Begin study | August 2008 |
First meeting | September 17-19, 2008 (Long Beach, California) |
Second meeting | January 14-16, 2009 |
Third meeting | April 1-3, 2009 |
Graduation | Spring 2009 |
Cohort 2:
Begin study | September 2008 |
First meeting | October 15-17, 2008 (Long Beach, California) |
Second meeting | February 11-13, 2009 |
Third meeting | May 13-15, 2009 |
Graduation | Summer 2009 |
Cohort 3:
Begin study | October 2008 |
First meeting | November 17-21, 2008 (Long Beach, California) |
Second meeting | March 11-13, 2009 |
Third meeting | June 17-19, 2009 |
Graduation | Summer 2009 |
Locations and exact meeting times will be provided well in advance of each meeting.
Meets the Fellows
In June 2008, ACCE announced the selection of 50 new RSD Fellows from across North America. The Fellows were divided into three cohorts of up to 18 fellows, groups composed to ensure optimal knowledge exchange and networking based on geographic, demographic and organizational diversity.
Cohort I:
- Rafael Carbonell, Thrive (WI)
- Mary Graham, CCE, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce (SC)
- Ellen Horan, Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PA)
- Kristofer Johnson, IOM, St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce (MN)
- Jerry Mallot, CCE, IOM, Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce (FL)
- Michael Malone, Northwest Arkansas Council (AR)
- Kelly Miller, Asheville Chamber of Commerce (NC)
- Andrew Moretz, IOM, Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce (NC)
- Lou Ann Nisbett, The Alliance (AR)
- Wendy Northcross, CCE, IOM, Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce (MA)
- Judith Prince, University of South Carolina Upstate (SC)
- Kristi Ray, IOM, Columbia Chamber of Commerce (MO)
- Jeff Severs, Greater Spokane Inc (WA)
- Jack Wong, CMA, Vancouver Board of Trade (BC)
- Steve Wray, Economy League of Greater Philadelphia (PA)
Cohort II:
- Dennis Andrews, Richmond-Wayne County Indiana Chamber of Commerce (IN)
- Chip Cherry, CCE, Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce (GA)
- Chris Cooney, CCE, Metro South Chamber of Commerce (MA)
- Daniel Culhane, Ames Chamber of Commerce (IA)
- Mica Espinoza, Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce (TX)
- Samuel Garrison, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce (CA)
- David Hauser, CCE, IOM, Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce (OR)
- Sandy Hentges, IOM, Austin Chamber of Commerce (TX)
- Jodi Ann LaFreniere, CCE, IOM, Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce (NC)
- David Martin, CCE, IOM, Chamber of Commerce of Fargo Moorhead (ND)
- Paul Matthews, 495/MetroWest Corridor Partnership, Inc. (MA)
- Tracye McDaniel, Greater Houston Partnership (TX)
- Aaron Nelson, Chapel Hill/Carrboro Chamber of Commerce (NC)
- Phillip Parker, CAE, CCE, Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce (OH)
- Leon F. (Skip) Rowland, Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce (WA)
- Nadine Francis West, MetroHartford Alliance Inc (CT)
- Robert Wright, Rowan County Chamber of Commerce (NC)
- Kristina Wyatt, Greater Kansas City (MO)
Cohort III
- Marla Akridge, Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce (OH)
- Amy Clickner, Lake Superior Community Partnership (MI)
- Myrita Craig, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber (OH)
- Barb Denny, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce (OK)
- Thomas Donley, CCE, York County Chamber of Commerce (PA)
- John Harmon, Metropolitan Trenton African-American Chamber of Commerce (NJ)
- Jerry Hoyer, CCE, CID, Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce (CA)
- Carl Hum, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce (NY)
- Paul Jadin, Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce (WI)
- John Long, III, IOM, CCE, CAE, St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce (FL)
- David May, CCE, CAE, Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce (CO)
- Larry McKinney, CCE, CED, IOM, Daytona Beach-Halifax Area Chamber of Commerce (FL)
- Jean McPheeters, IOM, Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce (NY)
- Shane Moody, IOM, CCE, Destin Area Chamber of Commerce (FL)
- Lance Pressl, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce (IL)
- Susan Stauder, St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association (MO)
- Keva Walton, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce (NC)
For more information
To learn more about this program, please contact Lisa Itamura at 703-998-3522.