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WSAV News 3
WSAV News 3
Rome News-Tribune
Shaylan Johnson selected for this year's Appalachian Leadership Institute Class
Shaylan Johnson, president of the Northwest Georgia Minority Business Association, is one of a few dozen people selected from the region for the Appalachian Regional Commission’s 2026-2027 Appalachian Leadership Institute. During the eight-month leadership and economic development program, participants will attend several multi-day seminars in all 13 states in the Appalachian region. There are only 40 fellows chosen from throughout the Appalachian region, and Johnson is one of just three who were chosen from Georgia this year. The last time anyone from Rome was selected was in 2023, when Rome Floyd Chamber President Pam Powers-Smith received a fellowship. “It feels really good to be able to follow behind her and to be able to grow,” Johnson said. “I feel like that brings and shows that Rome has powerhouses. We have leaders. … So, it feels good to be able to follow behind and follow in the footsteps of the greats.” Their first session ran from Oct. 23-27 in Huntsville, Alabama. Fellows are learning how to bring resources back to their communities and build the Appalachian region, Johnson said. Some of the topics they discuss include the complexity of being a leader, as well as understanding and learning how to get