As a thought leader, ICMA is committed to creating and supporting thriving communities. As part of this commitment, ICMA has created— in partnership with the Kettering Foundation and the National Civic League—the Leadership Institute on Race, Equity, and Inclusion.

The institute supports the ICMA Executive Board’s statement regarding systemic racism, and more specifically the commitment to: “Engage our members and partners in a process of listening to understand what our profession needs in order to deliver on the work of our mission and vision through the lens of equity and inclusion.”

The institute will take local government participants on a 12-to-18-month journey of interactive learning, networking with colleagues, and engaging discussions of the key leadership issues surrounding racial equity.

Join us in welcoming these participants who have been selected as the fellows of the class of 2022–2023:

SCOTT ANDREWS, assistant city manager, Bakersville, California

SHARRICE BLACKMON, senior project coordinator, Broward County Transit, Plantation, Florida

CANDICE BODKIN, assistant professor, Georgia Southern University, Georgia

JAY BROWN, deputy county administrator, Hanover County, Virginia

SARAH BROWN, debt manager, St. Paul, Minnesota

JUSTIN CASANOVA-DAVIS, town administrator,  Norfolk, Massachusetts

ELISA COX, assistant city manager, Rancho Cucamonga, California

DIONNE DESCHENNE, analyst strategist, Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, Indianola, Washington

RACHEL FRIEDLANDER, city manager, Seldovia, Alaska

STEPHANIE HIRSCH, city manager, Eau Claire, Wisconsin

MOLLY HARLOW, assistant director for Leadership Development, Institute of Government UVA's Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, Charlottesville, Virginia

LINDA JONES, diversity, equity, and inclusion director, Apex, North Carolina

MARTHA PAIGE, town manager, Morrisville, North Carolina

NAT ROJANASATHIRA, assistant city manager, Monterey, California

BRIAN SHEA, assistant city manager, Rye, New York

JOSH SMITH, county administrator, Rock County, Wisconsin

BRIAN STALEY, public works director, Adams County, Colorado

MELISSA WEISS, deputy city administrator, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

AARON ZAVALA, senior management analyst, Petaluma, California

ICMA is committed to mitigating the effects of bias in the profession, ensuring that ICMA membership is inclusive and mirrors the diversity in communities, and making certain that local government professionals can look to ICMA for tools and resources to assist in their own community equity programming.  To learn more about ICMA’s commitment to Race, Equity and Social Justice, visit the website.