Regional Leadership Forum¹
at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

The Regional Leadership Forum is an independent, non-partisan citizens' league that convenes citizens and leaders from the Atlanta region to learn about and discuss the difficult and complex challenges that cross county lines and city limits. RLF provides a forum for dialogue and debate, and an opportunity for reaching consensus on how our region can best meet these challenges. RLF was founded in 1994 by graduates of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute, who recognized the need for an organization that could develop and sustain an infrastructure for civic engagement. Today, RLF has over 400 members from the 10-county Metro Atlanta Region. Membership is open to all and includes public officials, civic leaders, corporate executives and private citizens.

In 2003, RLF forged a strategic alliance with Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, making Georgia State its home. This partnership allows RLF to broaden the scope of its programs and services and gives RLF access to many of the university’s vast academic and administrative resources. Other partners include Research Atlanta, the Atlanta Regional Commission, the Metro Atlanta Mayors’ Association, and the Regional Business Coalition. Steve Rieck heads the RLF.

In February 2005, RLF’s board of directors began exploratory merger talks with their counterparts at Research Atlanta and The Atlanta Metro Group, a nonprofit corporation whose members meet monthly to discuss issues of importance to metro Atlanta and advocate for sound government in the region. In October 2005, the boards of directors of the three organizations formally voted to merge into a new entity called the Regional Atlanta Civic League effective December 1, 2005. The new organization will continue to be a part of the Andrew Young School.

Programs/Seminars

In 2005, the RLF produced a number of programs and events in three focus areas:

Leadership Outreach:

• Three informal networking events at various upscale restaurant locations in metro Atlanta designed to connect members of various young professional organizations with the region’s business, government, and community leaders. Approximately 60 people attended each of the events. Events were held at BluePointe on February 7, Kyma on May 24, and The Globe on August 30, 2005.
• RLF hosted a welcoming reception, in conjunction with the Atlanta Regional Commission, for graduates of the Regional Leadership Institute at St. Simons Island, Ga. This reception was designed to introduce RLF to new graduates as an engagement opportunity for them to exercise and develop the regional leadership skills they learned at the week-long institute. September 28, 2005.

Rush Hour Forums:

• An after-hours forum co-hosted with the Andrew Young School introduced RLF members to the school, its facilities and activities. Ambassador Andrew Young and AYSPS Dean Roy Bahl presented an overview of current activities and programs of the school, and shared their vision for future partnerships between the school and RLF. March 17, 2005.
• A breakfast forum at the R. Charles Loudermilk Sr. Conference Center in Atlanta brought more than 30 participants in this year’s LINK trip to Portland, Ore., back to talk about what the group heard, saw and learned in Portland. Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Maria Saporta moderated the discussion. May 12, 2005.
• An evening forum at the Centergy office complex in Midtown Atlanta brought RLF members and guests to the State of Georgia’s new, state-of-the-art, one-stop center for economic development. Participants got an inside look at how educational and governmental agencies are working together with the private sector to build the Atlanta region’s economy. Speakers included Georgia Power Company’s Vice President for Community and Economic Development Craig Barrs, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development Craig Lesser, “Georgia Quick Start” Director Jackie Rohosky, and Georgia Foreign Trade Zone President Julie Brown. August 30, 2005.

Focused Issue Programs and Forums:

• Forum on “Child Abuse and Exploitation.” The forum was presented in the studios of Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) and broadcast live on the Internet. GPB’s Nwandi Lawson, co-host of the popular “Lawmakers” show, moderated the forum, which featured presentations by Georgia Department of Human Resources Commissioner B.J. Walker; Patricia Crone of the Juvenile Justice Fund; child psychologist Dr. Sunaina Jain; Chief Juvenile Court Judge Sanford Jones of Fulton County; Pam Brown of Prevent Child Abuse Georgia; and Stephanie Davis, women’s policy advisor for Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. The objectives of the forum were to help regional leaders understand the scope and extent of child abuse and child sexual exploitation in the region; to help them understand the immediate and long-term impact of not curtailing incidences of child abuse and child exploitation; to identify what organizations are currently engaged in efforts to deal with these issues; and to suggest how regional leaders can respond to increasing the awareness of these issues and leverage efforts to diminish child abuse and exploitation. April 12, 2005.
• 2005 LINK trip to Portland, Oregon. RLF was a Gold level sponsor of the trip. LINK is an acronym for “Leadership, Involvement, Networking and Knowledge.” Its purpose is to provide participants with a meaningful leadership exchange and onsite exposure to the successes and challenges experienced in other metropolitan regions throughout the country. Each year, the Atlanta Regional Commission invites about 100 leaders representing business, government, the civic sector and academia to participate in the LINK trip. In addition, the annual trip facilitates peer-to-peer networking among and between Atlanta’s leaders and leaders in other metropolitan areas. During the three-and-a-half day visit, LINK participants focused their attention on issues related to transit and transportation, planning and governance, and business development. May 4-7, 2005.
• “Metro Voices, Metro Choices” survey briefing. More than 80 regional leaders gathered at the R. Charles Loudermilk Center for a special briefing on the “Metro Voices, Metro Choices: Building a Greater Atlanta” project. George Perlov, Vice President of the Advertising Council in New York, briefed attendees on the results of a telephone survey of more than 2,500 metro Atlantans taken during March and April of this year, and a similar survey of 400 regional leaders taken via the Internet in April and May. Many of the participants in the leadership survey were members of RLF. The survey revealed that most Atlantans are satisfied with the quality of life in the places where they live and are generally optimistic about the region’s future. When asked about a range of 14 issues facing the region, both regional leaders and the general public felt that there was quite a bit of work to be done in two general areas: 1) school improvement/after school programs/mentoring; and 2) drug and alcohol abuse. Both surveys also indicated agreement that these two areas were where individuals were most likely to volunteer their time, talents and resources in the future. The “Metro Voices, Metro Choices” project is a partnership of the Advertising Council, RLF, the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, and the Atlanta Regional Commission. July 27, 2005.
• 2005 Annual Meeting, “The Power of the Arts.” A crowd of more than 250 RLF members and guests converged on the Atlanta campus of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) to celebrate the Regional Leadership Forum’s 11th Annual Meeting, celebrating the “Power of the Arts” in metro Atlanta. The evening began with an “Arts Immersion” cocktail hour featuring dancers, musicians, artists, puppeteers, actors and actresses and static displays at various stations in the pre-function area of the SCAD facility. The program included special remarks by Susan Weiner, executive director of the Georgia Council for the Arts, and Kenny Leon, artistic director of True Colors Theatre Company. Mayor Shirley Franklin presented the 2005 RLF Founders’ Award to Cobb Countian Earl Smith, for his contributions to the arts in the region. Attendees also enjoyed performances by youth dance ensemble “Moving in the Spirit” and vocalist Dejie Johnson. October 11, 2005.
• “Housing Opportunity” Forum. Nearly 130 people attended this forum held at the old DeKalb County Courthouse in Decatur to discuss the growing problem of a lack of housing choices in metro Atlanta. More and more people are finding it difficult to find affordable housing close to where they work, or near family and friends. Long commutes create congestion on Atlanta's roads and highways and pollute the air. Panelists Hattie Dorsey of the Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership, Burrell Ellis of the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners, Larry Gellerstedt of the Livable Communities Coalition, Pam Sessions of Hedgewood Properties, and Sam Olens of the Atlanta Regional Commission discussed how developers and builders can work with government agencies and citizens to find creative ways to provide affordable housing in the region. The forum was sponsored by RLF, the Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership, Emory University, the Greater Atlanta Homebuilders Association, Hedgewood Properties, and DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson. November 1, 2005.

Media Coverage

"Child Abuse & Exploitation,” Georgia Public Broadcasting, April 12, 2005.

“Looking Westward—Oregon trip puts focus on transit,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 6, 2005.

Regional Leadership Forum and Research Atlanta's plans to join with the Metro Group were reported in "Three civic organizations to combine," Atlanta Journal-Constitution, October 13, 2005.

Regional Leadership Forum Board of Directors 2005

Executive Director

Steve Rieck

Executive Committee

Committee Chairs

Directors

1. For a complete listing of AYSPS Active Research Sponsored Grants from CY2005, see the Appendix: Report on External Funding.