Delta Regional Authority names 2026 Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy class

The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) has selected 33 community leaders from across its eight-state service region to participate in the 2026 Delta Leadership Institute (DLI) Executive Academy, an extensive leadership development program bringing individuals together from the public, private and nonprofit sectors in the the lower Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions.

Representing Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi and Tennessee, the 2026 DLI Executive Academy Fellows were selected through a competitive application process led by DRA’s Board of Governors and federal co-chairman.

“For the past two decades, the Delta Leadership Institute has represented the very best of the Delta—leaders who are rooted in their communities and who are committed to driving meaningful change across our region,” said Dr. Corey Wiggins, DRA Federal Co-Chairman. “We welcome this new cohort to the program, as we work together to shape a region where everyone has an opportunity to thrive.”

Since 2005, the DLI Executive Academy has provided leadership development to nearly 700 community leaders from diverse backgrounds, sectors, and industries to improve economic competitiveness and social viability throughout the Delta region.

Fellows participate in six in-person sessions led by local, regional, and national experts and cover policy areas and skills related to public infrastructure, regional transportation systems, workforce development, coalition-building and other fields necessary to facilitate economic development in the Delta.

When fellows complete the program, they leave with improved decision-making skills, practical policy knowledge, stronger leadership abilities, and a deeper, collective appreciation of the region’s diverse communities and issues.

Three people from Arkansas were chosen as part of the class – Paragould Regional Chamber of Commerce Workforce Development Director Teresa Branch; Langston Companies Human Resource Manager Dwayne Mays; and Winrock International program associate Jaylin Sprout.