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Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA)’s Gail Jackson to be part of the 15th cohort of the Flinn-Brown Fellowship

by Community Contributor • July 27, 2023 • Comments Off

Good Morning,

Typically, my e-newsletters to you are reserved to talk about our region and the work that the diverse leadership of the Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona is doing to maintain and expand economic vitality here.

Today, however, I want to share a little bit of personal news that I think will also benefit our efforts.

I’m honored to announce that starting next month, I will be part of the 15th cohort of the Flinn-Brown Fellowship. This is an extraordinary opportunity to connect with 27 other civic leaders throughout the state and gain a deeper understanding of policies as we work to address Arizona’s long-term issues.

The fellowship is the flagship program of the nonpartisan Arizona Center for Civic Leadership and the Flinn Foundation.

The program begins with the Flinn-Brown Academy, a rigorous 11-session policy institute held over the next three months. It’s an unparalleled opportunity to learn about Arizona policy and politics from top state leaders and subject-matter experts. Topics for these all-day sessions include: economy and demographics; government and budget; two sessions on education (PreK-12 and higher education); public health; the environment; infrastructure; and criminal justice.

In November we will participate in the Flinn-Brown Convention, an annual day of professional development for the full network of more than 400 Flinn-Brown Fellows.

Eight counties are represented in the 2023 fellowship and about half the new fellows coming from outside of Maricopa County. In addition to me, two other Coconino County residents are part of this year’s cohort: Melanie Colavito, the Director of Policy and Communications for the Ecological Restoration Institute at Northern Arizona University; and Beya Thayer, Executive Director of the Yavapai Justice and Mental Health Coalition and Director of Behavioral Health Services for the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office.

I look forward to being part of this year’s fellowship and bringing back what I learn to benefit our region.