Atlanta — Feb 18, 2022
The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) was proud to welcome 43 leaders from metro Atlanta to the 2021 Regional Leadership Institute (RLI) class, where they participated in a week-long program to engage with some of the most salient challenges and opportunities facing our region. The class included professionals from a wide array of sectors, ranging from urban agriculture to energy to arts and culture. A complete list of 2021 RLI participants can be found at the bottom of this page.
Throughout the program, participants strengthened their leadership skills, built rapport with regional colleagues and together examined strategies for developing a stronger, more inclusive future for the metro region.
“The ARC’s Regional Leadership Institute experience is a great platform where leaders get to understand, dissect and collaborate on the intersection of resources needed in our communities,” said John Cornelius, Atlanta/Metro South Regional Director, Georgia Power, RLI Class of 2021
This year’s program focused on three key pillars – intersections, equity, and shared community, which were threaded across presentations, discussions, and workshops. The program also introduced expert hubs. Expert hubs allowed participants a chance to bring their expertise and connection to the subject matter more explicitly into the room. Another new addition to the program were policy action plans, where RLI participants met in small groups to review current initiatives and projects led by ARC staff and offer recommendations.
Culture Change Inspired by the Arts
This year’s program kicked off with a live performance and discussion by Out of Hand Theater. The performance, “If You Build It,” focused on housing, affordability, and displacement. Underscoring the importance of the arts in building connection and understanding, the performance also demonstrated how housing was at the inflection point of so many other policy areas. Framing how they would approach the week, participants were challenged to commit to be courageous in their presence, listening and care for others.
The Impacts of Decision-Making
The week began with presentations focusing on the past and present. Dr. Calinda Lee, Head of Programs and Exhibitions, Center for Civil and Human Rights, Dr. Akira Drake Rodriquez, Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Weitzman School of Design, and Ryan Gravel, Founder and President, SIXPITCH, grounded their discussion by highlighting key planning decisions, policies and practices that shaped the region and created inequitable outcomes for many of its residents. With a focus on systems, Mike Carnathan, Managing Director, Research & Analytics, ARC (RLI 2013), helped participants see patterns of inequity across a range of different indicators from housing access and education to healthcare. The class looked at community data trends to understand evolving community needs and identities, noting that the region is increasing in diversity and growing its aging population.
Participants explored COVID-19’s impact on the region through multiple panels. Leaders discussed the personal, emotional and economic toll the pandemic has had, as well as the broader regional challenges that it exacerbated. While COVID-19 was foreground in many conversations, participants were also prompted to think about recovery and what it looks like to create an economy that works for all people.
The participants heard from subject-matter experts like Sarah Kirsch, Director of the Urban Land Institute, Sanjay Patel, Director of Strategic Projects with Soccer in the Streets and Bentina Terry, Senior Vice President for External Affairs and Community Engagement at Georgia Power Company (RLI 2017).
The program concluded with participants workshopping how to expand their sphere of influence. Participants reflected on the ecosystems they were currently a part of and identified ways to deepen and expand those networks to collective impact at a regional level.
“RLI allowed me to gain a broader perspective on the issues facing our region and the need to develop tangible solutions with an equity lens,” said Catherine Foster Rowell, Councilwoman, City of South Fulton and RLI class of 2021 alum. “The bonding and networking among program participants has also proven to be invaluable.”
We are so grateful to the incredible class of 2021, and we are looking forward to seeing how they continue their work transforming our region in the years to come!
RLI Class of 2021
Durand Bailey |
Director of Operations |
Atlanta Music Project |
J. Olu Baiyewu |
Urban Agriculture Director |
City of Atlanta |
Irene Barton |
Executive Director |
Cobb Collaborative |
Eric Bell |
Founder |
AC Wyatt INC |
Leanna Brown |
Director of Government Affairs |
Metro Atlanta Chamber |
Maranie Brown |
Associate Director, Program Management |
T3 |
Nick Byers |
Senior Vice President |
Saturn Freight Systems |
Eric Christ |
Chief Operating Officer |
ChronicCareIQ |
Ellyn Cochran |
Senior Director, Early Learning and Development |
United Way of Greater Atlanta |
Eshe Collins |
Director of Programs |
Jumpstart for Young Children, Inc. |
Joli Cooper |
Executive Director |
GreenLight Fund Atlanta |
John Cornelius |
Atlanta/Metro South Regional Director |
Georgia Power |
Rochelle Dennis |
Chief Brand Strategist |
Beak Consulting |
Lynn Deutsch |
Mayor |
City of Dunwoody |
Nadia Faucette |
Vice President of Engineering |
GreyStone Power Corporation |
Catherine Foster – Rowell |
Councilwoman |
City of South Fulton |
Siddiqa Gibson |
Executive Director |
Best Life, LLC |
Chantell Glenn |
Program Associate |
The Annie E. Casey Foundation |
John Helton |
Executive Director |
Atlanta CareerRise/United Way of Greater Atlanta |
Shelbia Jackson |
Director, DeKalb Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Commission |
Decide DeKalb Development Authority |
Terence Johnson |
Faculty-J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development |
UGA |
Geoff Koski |
President |
KB Advisory Group |
Emily Lightner |
Executive Director |
Cultural Arts Council Douglasville/ Douglas County |
Christina Martain |
Director Service Strategy |
Kaiser Permanente |
Chris McCord |
Program Director |
Moving in The Spirit |
Randy Meacham |
Managing Director |
Gwinnett Municipal Association |
Donna Shaw Murphy |
Realtor/CEO |
Donna Murphy Realty Group |
Katherine (Katie) Pace-Quattlebaum |
CEO/Executive Director |
Southern Conservation Trust |
Sameer Patharkar |
Partner |
Lowe Engineers, LLC |
Dalia Racicne |
District Attorney |
Douglas County |
Raj Shah |
Senior Regulatory Attorney and Policyholder Advisor |
MagMutual Insurance Company |
Chris Sizemore |
CEO |
Creative Mischief |
Shirley Anne Smith |
Executive Director |
Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation |
Kimberly Spear |
Major Gifts Officer |
Clayton State University |
Rachel Sprecher |
Partnership and Grants Manager |
R. Howard Dobbs, Jr. Foundation. |
Ted Terry |
Commissioner |
DeKalb County |
Stephen Valrie |
Client Partner – Public Sector |
Slalom |
Daisy Wall |
Head of Revenue |
Uber |
Karen Winger |
Zero Vehicle Emissions Lead/PM |
USP USA |