FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 24, 2025
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Arlicia Jordan
601-660-1218
ajordan@dra.gov
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Thirty-three Community Leaders Selected to DRA’s 2026 Leadership Development Program
DRa selects 33 community leaders across eight-state service region for
Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy
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Clarksdale, Miss. – The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) has selected 33 community leaders from across its eight-state service region to participate in the 2026 Delta Leadership Institute (DLI) Executive Academy, an extensive leadership development program bringing individuals together from the public, private and nonprofit sectors in the the lower Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions. Representing Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi and Tennessee, the 2026 DLI Executive Academy Fellows were selected through a competitive application process led by DRA’s Board of Governors and federal co-chairman.
“For the past two decades, the Delta Leadership Institute has represented the very best of the Delta—leaders who are rooted in their communities and who are committed to driving meaningful change across our region,” said Dr. Corey Wiggins, DRA Federal Co-Chairman. “We welcome this new cohort to the program, as we work together to shape a region where everyone has an opportunity to thrive.”
Since 2005, the DLI Executive Academy has provided leadership development to nearly 700 community leaders from diverse backgrounds, sectors, and industries to improve economic competitiveness and social viability throughout the Delta region. Fellows participate in six in-person sessions led by local, regional, and national experts and cover policy areas and skills related to public infrastructure, regional transportation systems, workforce development, coalition-building and other fields necessary to facilitate economic development in the Delta. When fellows complete the program, they leave with improved decision-making skills, practical policy knowledge, stronger leadership abilities, and a deeper, collective appreciation of the region’s diverse communities and issues.
The 2026 DLI Executive Academy fellows include:
Alabama
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Patricia Cade, Assistant Coordinator for Grants and Projects, Cahaba Medical Care Foundation; Thomaston, Ala.
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Augusta Watters, Coordinator of Institutional Advancement and Grants, Reid State Technical College; Monroeville, Ala.
Arkansas
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Teresa Branch, Workforce Development Director, Paragould Regional Chamber of Commerce; Paragould, Ark.
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Dwayne Mays, Human Resource Manager, Langston Companies Inc.; West Memphis, Ark.
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Jaylin Sprout, Program Associate, Winrock International; North Little Rock, Ark.
Illinois
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Linda Flowers, Branch President, NAACP-Carbondale Branch; Carbondale, Ill.
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Nicholas Holdinghausen, Regional Development and Marketing Coordinator, Southern Illinois Now; Marion, Ill.
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Angela Peyton, Executive Director, Greater Wabash Regional Planning Commission; Crossville, Ill.
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Wendy Pfeil, Executive Director, Southwestern Illinois Metropolitan and Regional Planning Commission; Millstadt, Ill.
Kentucky
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Monica Bilak, Executive Director, Sprocket Inc.; Paducah, Ky.
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Michelle Bundren, President and CEO, Murray-Calloway County Chamber of Commerce; Almo, Ky.
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Melissa Roberts, Business Services Consultant, Equus Workforce Solutions; Henderson, Ky.
Louisiana
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Allison Clarke, Deputy Director, Governor’s Office of Rural Development; Crowley, La.
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Cohen Guidry, Executive Director/CEO, Terrebonne Economic Development Authority; Houma, La.
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Chad Lacomb, Director, Office of Innovation Management, University of Louisiana at Lafayette; Arnaudville, La.
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Jan-Scott Richard, Mayor, City of Scott; Scott, La.
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Danielle Williams, Associate Professor, Grambling State University; Grambling, La.
Mississippi
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Mary Catherine Brooks, Chamber Director, Washington County Economic Alliance; Leland, Miss.
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Shequite, Johnson, Assistant Professor, Mississippi Valley State University; Indianola, Miss.
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Jarita King, Executive Director, Women’s Business Center, Alcorn State University; Natchez, Miss.
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Billye Jean Stroud, Director of Community Development and Main Street, City of New Albany; New Albany, Miss.
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Jonathan Townes, Vice President of Career and Technical Education and HBCU Initiatives, Hinds Community College; Ridgeland, Miss.
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Justin Wilkes, Public Affairs Specialist/Community Economic Development Coordinator, USDA-Rural Development; Jackson, Miss.
Missouri
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Janna Clifton, Retail and Membership Director, Jackson Missouri Area Chamber of Commerce; Jackson, Mo.
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Todd Clodfelter, Executive Director, Charleston Chamber of Commerce and Tourism; East Prairie, Mo.
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Lesley Rone, Regional Engagement Manager, Southeast Region, Missouri Department of Economic Development; Portageville, Mo.
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Jennifer Williams, Extension Engagement Specialist, University of Missouri Extension; Poplar Bluff, Mo.
Tennessee
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Cynthia Bradford, System Community Involvement Manager, Baptist Memorial Health Care; Cordova, Tenn.
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Mendi Donnelly, Community Development Director, Town of Somerville; Somerville, Tenn.
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William Ezzell, Bikeway and Pedestrian Program Manager, City of Memphis; Memphis, Tenn.
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Jason Fleming, Chief of Staff, City of Covington; Stanton, Tenn.
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Audrey Willis, Co-Founder, CodeCrew; West Memphis, Ark.
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Anthony Young, President and CEO, Epicenter; Collierville, Tenn.
For more information about the DLI Executive Academy, visit www.dra.gov.
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About the Delta Regional Authority
The DRA was established in 2000 as a formal framework for joint federal-state collaboration to promote and encourage the economic development of the lower Mississippi River and Alabama Black Belt regions. To fulfill this purpose, DRA invests in projects supporting transportation infrastructure, basic public infrastructure, workforce training, and business development. DRA’s region encompasses 255 counties and parishes in parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.
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