DELTA BLUES MUSEUM LEADERS TAPPED FOR 2023 FELLOWS PROGRAM

Delta Regional Authority (DRA) has named Museum Director Shelley Ritter and Museum board member Dr. Mary A. Williams among the 40 community leaders from eight states as fellows of the 2023 Delta Leadership Institute (DLI) Executive Academy.

DLI is an extensive, nine-month executive leadership program that brings together public, private, and nonprofit sector leaders from the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt. The Executive Academy empowers fellows with the tools, experiences, and networks needed to address local and regional challenges. Fellows selected represent DRA's Federal-state partnership across Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.

Dr. Williams has been a Delta Blues Museum board member since October 2021 and is CEO of Urgent & Primary Care of Clarksdale. Ritter has served as the Museum's executive director since July 2003. Both women extend their congratulations to the other named fellows and look forward to the learning experience, with Dr. Williams adding, "The networking opportunities offered by DLI will be phenomenal."

Since 2005, the DLI Executive Academy has provided leadership development to more than 600 community leaders from diverse backgrounds, sectors, and industries to strengthen skills development, information sharing, regional collaboration, and improve the economic competitiveness and social viability of the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt. Upon graduation, DLI fellows will become members of the Delta Leadership Network, which provides peer-to-peer engagement opportunities for continued leadership development, information sharing, and collaboration with other leaders dedicated to the future of the Delta region.