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FROM STAFF REPORTS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation announced recently that Pari Barzegari, vice president of community and career development at The Shelby County Chamber, was selected to participate in the sixth cohort of its premiere business leadership program.

The Business Leads Fellowship Program trains and equips leaders from state and local chambers of commerce, economic development agencies and trade associations with resources, access to experts and a network of peers to build their capacity to address the most pressing education and workforce challenges.

“I am honored to be part of the sixth cohort of the Business Leads Fellowship Program,” Barzegari said. “I hope to learn how to better establish programming to benefit the ever-changing workforce development climate for our community. The more I can glean from the workshops on policy and history specific to the education pipeline, I will be poised to implement change locally.”

Cheryl Oldham, senior vice president of the Center for Education and Workforce, said the Business Leads Fellowship Program was created in response to the needs of state and local chamber partners.

“They, better than anyone, see the critical link between education and economic development, and we are glad to be able to support them as they take on this critical leadership role in their community,” Oldham said.

Following a competitive application and selection process, Barzegari was selected along with 34 other state and local chamber executives, economic development professionals and association leaders to participate in the sixth class of this program.

The yearlong virtual program, which concludes with an in-person meeting, will cover the entire talent pipeline, including early childhood education, K-12, postsecondary education and workforce development.

Upon completion, Business Leads Fellows will join the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s dedicated network of over 200 chambers of commerce and statewide associations from around the nation who regularly engage on education and workforce initiatives.

For more information on the Business Leads Fellowship Program, visit Businessleads.uschamberfoundation.org.