Appalachian Regional Commission names Swigert as Appalachian Leadership Institute Fellow

COSHOCTON – The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) named Tiffany Swigert, the executive director of the Coshocton Port Authority to participate in the inaugural class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute. As a Fellow, Swigert will participate in the Appalachian Leadership Institute, an extensive nine-month program of skill-building seminars, best practice reviews, field visits, mentoring, and networking. The curriculum will be anchored by six multi-day seminars around the region with the first sessions taking place in Morehead, Kentucky Oct. 21-24. Subsequent training sessions will be held in Dalton, Georgia; Starkville, Mississippi; Beckley, West Virginia; Boone, North Carolina; Jamestown, New York; followed by a capstone graduation in Washington, DC in July 2020.

Paul Prater, the chairman of the Coshocton Port Authority Board of Directors, is elated that Swigert has the ability to learn from some of the tremendous leaders in the ARC Region. “Our job is to build capacity for the future. This leadership institute will challenge the director of our port authority and provide her with vital information to implement in Coshocton and connections that will benefit our community for years to come.”

“Having our local development director selected as one of only 40 in a 13 state, 420 county Appalachian Region is a tremendous honor both for Tiffany and Coshocton. Being named an institute fellow for this program is an acknowledgement of the tireless effort and energy she brings to the port authority on our behalf. It recognizes the progress she’s made in such a short time along with expanding the leadership potential she’ll be gaining by being a part of this intensive training. I’m very proud of Tiffany and look forward to seeing the fruit this will bear for all of Coshocton” said Mayor Steve Mercer.

As part of the Appalachian Leadership Institute, Swigert will work directly with public policy, community development, education, investment, and other professionals who live and/or work in the region to:

• Design effective economic development project proposals
• Integrate community assets into long-lasting economic development strategies
• Identify resources available to spur economic development
• Locate and access investment capital from a variety of public and private sources
• Prepare competitive applications for public grant opportunities
• Use expanded leadership skills to create strong coalitions

Upon completion of the program, Swigert will automatically become part of the Appalachian Leadership Institute Network, a peer-to-peer working group committed to Appalachia’s future.

“Our hope is that the Appalachian Leadership Institute will help develop leadership and problem solving, bring advancement, and grow greater prosperity in the region,” said ARC Federal Co-Chairman Tim Thomas. “Leadership is the essential foundation on which all of our collective efforts to enhance Appalachia rest.”

Swigert was selected via a competitive application process. ARC received 180 applications for the 2019-2020 Appalachian Leadership Institute class, resulting in an acceptance rate of 22 percent. Applications for the 2020-2021 class will open in March, 2020. The Appalachian Leadership Institute is a comprehensive regional leadership training program developed by the Appalachian Regional Commission in partnership with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; The Howard H. Baker Center for Public Policy; Tuskegee University; and Collective Impact. Information about the Appalachian Leadership Institute is available at www.arc.gov/leadershipinstitute.

Category: Government