Smart Growth America is excited to announce the 14 local elected officials who will participate in our 2025 Champions Institute. These champions will come together to learn, develop, and advance efforts to improve community design and create communities where all can thrive.
Smart growth strategies help towns and cities of all types across the country become healthier while improving resiliency. In its fourth year, Smart Growth America’s Champions Institute provides local leaders with knowledge and resources, to support plans, policies, and projects that promote strategies to improve community design.
The 14 local officials selected to participate in this year’s Champions Institute represent 10 states from across the U.S. These participants will attend interactive virtual sessions and learn from national experts and each other in a collaborative, supportive environment. At the end of the program, they will have become effective champions for Complete Streets, downtown revitalization, and other local initiatives that create places where families can be active together and live healthier lives. The tools and experiences gained during the program will allow these Champions to develop an action plan for creating strategies to improve community design in their communities.
The 2025 Champions Institute participants are:
Adrian Castellanos | Weehawken, NJ
Angie Emery Henderson | Nashville, TN
Brian Zacharias | Clarksville, TN
David E. Cohen | Princeton, NJ
Fran Nachlas | Boca Raton, FL
Ian Harwick | Denver, CO
Katrina Thompson | Broadview, IL
Laurel Burchfield | Shawnee, KS
Liz Sheehan | Lexington, KY
Nick Miller | Rochester, MN
Rick Minor | Tallahassee, FL
Sarah Bagley | Alexandria, VA
Tyler Dehn | Bel Aire, KS
Yamekia Robinson | Lake City, SC
Local champions are essential to building safer, healthier, and more resilient communities. Smart Growth America is excited to partner with the 2025 cohort to achieve their visions.