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Birmingham, AL—Leadership Alabama, a statewide program of Alabama leaders engaged in creating a network for positive change, proudly announces Class VII of the Alabama Leadership Initiative (ALI) for 2024-2025, one of which is Ansley Emfinger, Senior Project Manager at Chambers County Development Authority.

The program, which was originally introduced in 1995, is for emerging leaders and complements Leadership Alabama’s existing leadership networks and programs.

The Leadership Alabama Board of Directors expanded the ALI program in 2017 to a six-month program comprised of three two-day sessions to offer young professionals the opportunity to develop personal leadership skills and establish ongoing relationships with other young leaders across the state.

“The Initiative exposes young professionals to decision-makers in Alabama who are sensitive to the challenges we face as a state, and it provides the participants with the unique opportunity to step inside the circle of decision-makers and problem solvers who mold the future of our state,” offered Ashley Kaplan, Leadership Alabama’s executive director.

During the upcoming program year, which launches on Wednesday, November 6, ALI Class VII members will meet in Montgomery, Auburn, and Birmingham, led by Leadership Alabama’s new ALI Director, Lydia Barnett. Presentations and group discussions will not only encourage members to critically examine their preconceptions about their state, their communities, and themselves, but also inspire personal growth. Current class members submitted applications and were chosen through a very competitive process conducted by an ALI Advisory/Selection Committee comprised of ALI alumni.

The program has three goals—education, connections, and personal development—and Leadership Alabama is thrilled to bring together outstanding young leaders each year to meet these objectives. Upon graduation, class participants are not only better equipped to contribute to Alabama’s forward movement, but also play a significant role in shaping the future of our state, thanks to ALI’s personal and professional training components and exposure to Alabama’s challenges and opportunities.