Congrats David
Last updated on May 29, 2020
The International Downtown Association (IDA) selected 30 of the industry’s brightest professionals for the 2020 Emerging Leader Fellowship (ELF) program. These senior staff members hail from 3 countries and 17 provinces or states, including Newcastle, UK; Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Cleveland, OH; Chapel Hill, NC; San Jose, CA; Boulder, CO; West Palm Beach, FL; and Birmingham, AL.
Alumni of the IDA Emerging Leader Fellowship program, launched in 2016, are fast becoming sought-after leaders for the future of city building worldwide.
“The success of our Fellowship program underscores how critical this training is to our growing industry,” said David Downey, President and CEO of IDA. “This is the only program of its kind created specifically for urban place management professionals. IDA is looking to further illustrate the importance of our industry by elevating leaders with the necessary skills to champion inclusive city building. Professional development remains a hallmark of IDA.”
The Emerging Leader Fellowship is a week-long experiential program bringing together a cohort of IDA professionals from within the urban district management industry. The fellows learn essential leadership and place management skills and gain practical tools in the areas of place-based economic development, the live-work-play experience, and public-private partnerships.
"I am honored to have been selected for this prestigious fellowship," said David Barilla, Assistant Director of the City of Orlando's Downtown Development Board/Community Redevelopment Agency. "I look forward to expanding my knowledge in the realm of urban and economic development in an effort to sustain the trajectory of downtown Orlando during this period of economic recovery."
“The International Downtown Association is looking to build the future of our industry, and these accomplished executives are the rising stars of our profession,” said Downey. “With this program, we’re educating and inspiring the next generation of leaders.”
This program typically takes place each June in New York City. Due to the impacts of the current pandemic, this year’s cohort will receive their intensive instruction delivered by IDA partners at Coro New York Leadership Center over a virtual platform. The group will meet in-person in the spring of 2021 where they will continue their learning with professionals from several business improvement district organizations across the city providing technical in-the-field training.
For information about the 2020 cohort, visit IDA’s website.