VALDOSTA — Applications are now open for the next cohort of the Regional Leadership Initiative program of South GeorgiaLEADS. 

RLI encompasses a robust curriculum, which strategically aligns the region’s economic development challenges to leadership competencies specific to the needs and opportunities facing rural South Georgia. 

Started in 2014 by economic development professionals across the region who understood the critical importance of investing in a new generation of leaders, South GeorgiaLEADS remains committed to its mission of raising the leadership capacity of South Georgia.

“When we began this leadership program it was because economic developers like myself saw a gap in the communities we served,” explained Jason Dunn, South GeorgiaLEADS board member and executive director of the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill Development Authority. “We needed more citizens to understand the power of economic development and know how to participate in economic growth through their jobs and skill sets.”

The resulting program, which has now graduated eight cohorts and more than 230 leaders across 39 eligible South Georgia counties, is a leadership immersion designed to facilitate awareness of issues essential to the region’s future success.

“Ten years into the program, we are proud of our reach and impact across the region. As we look to a second decade of South GeorgiaLEADS, we are excited to announce changes to this year’s program that seek to put South Georgia in the driver’s seat of the Regional Leadership Initiative,” said Mary Beth Brownlee, South GeorgiaLEADS board chair and director of One Valdosta-Lowndes. “With new partnerships in place, we are well prepared to strengthen the leadership capacity of our region and enhance the overall participant experience.”

The 2025-2026 RLI class has a robust schedule to look forward to. The selected class participants will convene for an overnight kick-off retreat in August in Worth County, then meander throughout the region over the next eight months with visits to Berrien, Cook, Dougherty, Coffee, and Tift counties. The final two-day session and graduation will take place in March 2026 in Valdosta.

“We love hosting this group of established and emerging leaders in our community,” said South GeorgiaLEADS board member and Douglas-Coffee Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Authority Chief Executive Officer Matt Seale. “We live in a part of the state where working together across county lines is essential for regional prosperity, and the way in which RLI brings leaders together as a collective force for South Georgia is unmatched.”

Class sessions in the upcoming cohort will touch on a broad range of topics beyond leadership development, including thinking and acting in a regional context, legislative policy, communication, economic development strategy, agricultural economics, tourism product development and the importance of the region’s military installations.  

Participants can expect each session to be packed full with training from experts across their respective fields, who understand the region and are committed to its success. 

Support from Valdosta State University’s Center for Regional Impact and leadership training and facilitation from Georgia EMC, Georgia Power, Locate South Georgia, the region’s technical colleges and other vested partners are integral to the program curriculum. Additionally, site visits and break-out sessions led by industry leaders, educators, and elected officials from host communities and around the state round out the participant experience.

Alex English, regional program coordinator with Resilient Georgia, completed the RLI class this past year.

“South GeorgiaLEADS and RLI provided me with the opportunity to learn and grow alongside a diverse group of leaders from across South Georgia,” English said. “What began as a room full of strangers quickly became a network of close collaborators, united by a shared commitment to driving economic growth in our region.”

The only criteria for participation is residency in South Georgia. Brownlee encourages citizens across all industries, public, private and non-profit sectors and at all career levels to apply.

“The strength of this program comes from the diversity of its participants,” she said. “The clearest path to addressing our region’s challenges is by hearing voices and perspectives from all angles – and creating a collaborative learning environment to find solutions and drive innovation.”

Cost to participate in the Regional Leadership Initiative is $1,500 with a limited number of scholarships available upon request. Visit the South GeorgiaLEADS website at southgeorgialeads.org for more information and to apply. Applications for early consideration are due June 2. The final application deadline is 5 p.m., Monday, June 9.