DETROIT (March 16, 2022) – The Detroit Regional Chamber today announced the Detroit region’s seventh cohort of the Young American Leaders Program (YALP) at Harvard Business School (HBS). The aim of YALP is to improve U.S. competitiveness by advancing prosperity for all Americans and to develop leaders who can implement cross-sector collaboration at the community level. The program will take place in June 2022 and will gather teams from Birmingham, Boston, Chattanooga, Columbus, Detroit, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Jose, and Seattle. This year’s Detroit contingent includes:
- Racheal Allen, Chief Operating Officer, Marygrove Conservancy
- Adam Burgess, Senior Vice President, Plante Moran Cresa
- Jack Elsey, Partner and Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Children’s Fund
- Rachael Eubanks, Treasurer, State of Michigan
- Saju George, Regional Chief Executive Officer, Garden City Hospital
- Cara Griffin Williams, Compliance, Ethics, and Integrity Officer, Ford Motor Company
- Alissa Sevrioukova, Public Affairs Chief of Staff, DTE Energy
- Tim Slusser, Chief of Mobility Innovation, City of Detroit
- Peter Van Dyke, Communications and Community Leader
- Ashley Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer, RIZZARR
For four intensive days, the group will learn through case-method discussion about best and worst practices on cross-sector collaborations from across the country and around the globe. The HBS faculty will focus on where America and American cities stand today and share insights on improving cities’ standings in K-12 education, economic development, infrastructure, and workforce development.
“Bringing young leaders together from diverse industries and backgrounds from across Detroit to learn from each other, share with each other, and collaborate with delegations from cities across the country is critical for helping advance our region’s competitiveness,” said Sandy K. Baruah, president and chief executive officer of the Chamber. “The Chamber takes pride in its role in convening leaders to support equitable, long-term, and sustainable growth for all people in our region.”
What Faculty Are Involved from Harvard Business School
- Karen Gordon Mills, form head of the Small Business Administration and now a senior fellow at HBS
- Rosabeth Moss Kanter, a noted expert on leadership and change in complex settings, including at the city level
- Jan Rivkin, co-chair of HBS’s project on U.S. competitiveness
- Mitch Weiss, formerly chief of staff to Boston’s Mayor and now teaching public entrepreneurship at HBS
Selecting Detroit’s 2022 YALP Cohort
To find and recruit the 2022 YALP cohort, senior business, government, and civic leaders that represent our community’s rich diversity identify and reach out to energetic, creative, and collaborative up-and-comers with a track record of civic engagement. Additionally, past participants help build and improve the program by providing feedback on the process and identifying potential future leaders.
This Year’s YALP
The program will run Tuesday, June 21, to Friday, June 24, 2022, at the HBS in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This year’s YALP has an even greater resonance as Detroit and the country work to rebuild from COVID-19, continue to address long-term racial inequities, and build an economic recovery that benefits all members of our community.
###
About the Detroit Regional Chamber
Serving the business community for more than 100 years, the Detroit Regional Chamber is one of the oldest, largest, and most respected chambers of commerce in the country. As the voice for business in the 11-county Southeast Michigan region, the Chamber’s mission is carried out by creating a business-friendly climate and providing value for members. The Chamber leads the most comprehensive education and talent strategy in the state. The Chamber also executes the statewide automotive and mobility cluster association, MichAuto, and hosts the nationally recognized Mackinac Policy Conference. For more information, please visit detroitchamber.com.