Blogs
Chamber leaders named to ACCE Talent Fellowship
Leaders from 20 chambers of commerce, representing communities throughout the United States, have been selected to participate in ACCE’s Fellowship for Education and Talent Development. This is the fifth cohort of Fellows to participate in this program.
The Fellowship is an immersive professional development program that provides chamber of commerce professionals with education, peer connections and tools to improve the education and workforce development outcomes in the communities they serve.
Throughout the year-long experience, participants develop regional action plans to address a specific education attainment or workforce development issues in their communities.
Congratulations to this year’s Fellows!
Danielle Britton
Talent & Education Director
Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce
Binghamton, New York
Eric Brown
Vice President of Economic Development
Salina Area Chamber of Commerce
Salina, Kansas
Anthony Edwards
Senior Vice President of Talent Development, Attraction & Retention
Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce
Fort Worth, Texas
Angela Finding
Director, Education & Workforce
Greater Cleveland Partnership
Cleveland, Ohio
Rod Garvin
Vice President of Talent & Workforce Development
Charlotte Chamber
Charlotte, North Carolina
Theresa Harvey
President & CEO
North Orange County Chamber
Fullerton, California
Deana Karem
Vice President of Regional Economic Growth
Greater Louisville Inc.
Louisville, Kentucky
Stephanie Keinath
Director of Public Policy & Economic Development
Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce
Dayton, Ohio
Meg Lindsay
Director Education & Workforce/Spokane STEM
Greater Spokane Incorporated
Spokane, Washington
Sarah Moylan
Senior Director of Talent
Greater Omaha Chamber
Omaha, Nebraska
Anna Osland
Manager, Policy Initiatives
One Acadiana
Lafayette, Louisiana
Samantha Perez
Director of Education Policy
Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
Nashville, Tennessee
Beth Rinehart
President & CEO
Bristol TN/VA Chamber of Commerce
Bristol, Tennessee
Paige Sharpe
Program Manager
Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce
Springfield, Oregon
Betsy Sikma
Vice President, Talent & Economic Inclusion
Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce
Spartanburg, South Carolina
Kwee Lan Teo
Vice President of Talent & Workforce
Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce
Austin, Texas
Melissa Thompson
Director of Talent Development
Baton Rouge Area Chamber
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Adrea Turner
Director of Talent & Workforce Solutions
Greenville Chamber
Greenville, South Carolina
Kami Welch
President
Arvada Chamber of Commerce
Arvada, Colorado
Robin Willis
Associate Vice President of Talent Pipeline Strategies
Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
North Charleston, South Carolina
Learn more about the Fellowship here. ACCE will begin accepting applications for the next Fellowship cohort in May 2019.
Tags: Education Attainment, Education Attainment Division, Fellowship for Education Attainment, ACCE News
Chamber leaders accepted to Fellowship
Leaders from 21 chambers of commerce, representing communities throughout the United States, have been selected to participate in ACCE’s Fellowship for Education Attainment.
The Fellowship is an immersive executive development program that provides chamber of commerce professionals with education and tools to improve the birth-to-career education pipeline in the communities they serve.
Throughout the year-long experience, Fellows work to develop a regional action plan that focuses on addressing specific education attainment or workforce development issues in their communities.
Congratulations to this year’s Fellows!
Kristi Barr
Director, Workforce Development & Education
Little Rock Regional Chamber
Little Rock, Arkansas
Travis Burton
Manager of Public Affairs
Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
Frankfort, Kentucky
Cathy Burwell, IOM
President & CEO
Helena Area Chamber of Commerce
Helena, Montana
Tim Cairl
Director, Education Policy
Metro Atlanta Chamber
Atlanta, Georgia
Brett Campbell
Senior Vice President for Education and Workforce
Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Christopher Cooney, IOM, CCE
President & CEO
Metro South Chamber of Commerce
Brockton, Massachusetts
Jonathan Davis
Director of Workforce Initiatives
Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce
Augusta, Georgia
Melanie D’Evelyn
Manager, Education Attainment
Detroit Regional Chamber Foundation
Detroit, Michigan
Dexter Freeman, II
Director of Intelligence, Innovation, & Education
Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce
Irving, Texas
Christy Gillenwater, IOM, CCE
President & CEO
Southwest Indiana Chamber
Evansville, Indiana
Derek Kirk
Director of Community & Government Relations
North Orange County Chamber
Fullerton, California
Angelle Laborde, CCE
President & CEO
Greenwood Area Chamber of Commerce
Greenwood, South Carolina
Meaghan Lewis
Government Affairs Manager
North Carolina Chamber
Raleigh, North Carolina
Amber Mooney
Manager, Government Affairs
The Business Council of New York State
Albany, New York
Dr. Gilda Ramirez
Vice President, Small Business & Education
United Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce
Corpus Christi, Texas
Chris Romer, IOM
President & CEO
Vail Valley Partnership
Avon, Colorado
JoAnn Sasse Givens
Director of Workforce Development
Effingham County Chamber of Commerce
Effingham, Illinois
Mary Anne Sheahan
Executive Director of Leadership & Workforce Development
Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce
Burlington, Vermont
Barbara Stapleton
Vice President of Workforce & Education
GO Topeka
Topeka, Kansas
Sherry Taylor
President & CEO
Mason Deerfield Chamber
Mason, Ohio
Emily Ward
Vice President, Foundation Supports & Grant Management
Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce
Brooklyn, New York
Find more information about ACCE’s Fellowship for Education Attainment here, or contact Molly Blankenship, community advancement coordinator, by email or phone at 703-998-3530. ACCE will begin accepting applications for the next Fellowship cohort in May, 2018.
Tags: Education Attainment, Education Attainment Division, Fellowship for Education Attainment, ACCE News
Sheree Anne Kelly named ACCE’s next CEO
The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives is excited to announce that Sheree Anne Kelly has been named as the organization's next president and CEO.
Sheree Anne, who currently serves as senior vice president at Washington, D.C.-based Public Affairs Council, will join the ACCE team September 5. Mick Fleming, who has served as ACCE's president and CEO since July 2001, will continue to serve the organization throughout the transition.
Sheree Anne Kelly says hello to ACCE members
"Finding a talented leader is often a daunting task when searching for the best person to lead a proven and successful association," said ACCE Board Chairman Jay Chesshir, CCE, president and CEO of the Little Rock Regional Chamber. "Everyone involved in the executive search process has been extremely impressed with Sheree Anne and we look forward to working with her to build upon the amazing impact, strength, and resources we've created over the last 16 years."
Kelly was the unanimous choice of ACCE's 15-member CEO Search Committee, chaired by Roy H. Williams, president and CEO of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber. The committee worked with executive recruiting firm Korn Ferry.
"We went through a very methodical, disciplined process to find the right person," Williams said. "And at the end of that process, I believe the entire committee felt we perhaps exceeded our own expectations by finding Sheree Anne. Her attitude, enthusiasm, skill set, and personality should combine to take ACCE to a new level."
Kelly currently serves as PAC's chief public affairs expert and deputy for the organization, and executive director of PAC's Foundation for Public Affairs. In addition to strategic planning, operations management, and research oversight, she directs the Council's public affairs staff responsible for consulting, thought leadership and training on best practices and ethical considerations. She launched the international practice for PAC, which opened its first overseas office in Brussels in 2013. She's a frequent keynote speaker and guest lecturer, having delivered presentations across North America, Europe, and Asia. Prior to joining PAC, Kelly worked in the government affairs department of the National Association of Home Builders, and held positions at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in corporate relations and corporate development.
"Since my first job out of college was working for the U.S. Chamber," Kelly said, "ACCE is a real full-circle career moment. I've always had this idealism about giving back to communities and groups, and being a productive contributor to a mission-driven organization, so working with chamber leaders and ACCE's staff is a thrilling opportunity."
Tags: ACCE News
