Ollie Davison, who previously served as Selma Mayor Darrio Melton’s Chief of Staff before accepting a post as Deputy District Director in the Birmingham office of U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-AL, was recently selected to take part in the Delta Regional Authority’s (DRA) Delta Leadership Institute.

Davison, along with representative from seven other Delta states, will participate in the 10-week program, which is focused on developing competencies through site visits, best practice case studies, executive coaching and mentoring and regional project development.

“I never would have dreamed that a boy from Pritchard, Alabama would be selected by the governor to represent the great state of Alabama in a regional program like the Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy,” Davison said. “While I have a wealth of expertise, I know that this program will benefit my professional and personal leadership skills. Leadership is not just the head of a company or even the head of a country, it is something that is required from all of us, because to lead is to serve.”

According to a DRA press release, the program, which culminates in a graduation ceremony in Memphis, will help Davison further his skills in community leadership, policy development and regional collaboration to drive economic growth across the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions.

For his part, Davison is looking forward to the variety of knowledge he will take with him once the program is over.

“Knowledge can be gained through experiences and understanding other people’s perspective on [topics] like community issues,” Davison said. “I believe a great idea is the combination of several different views combined to form a new viewpoint.”

According to DRA Chairman Chris Caldwell, the program provides “the next generation of change agents with the skills and abilities to address some of the most pressing issues facing the Delta.”

For his part, Davison sees the opportunity as a chance to grow.

“We are all a mesh of an assortment of cultures,” Davison said. “I believe it is important to take into consideration the opinions [and] ideas of others, because this collaboration may prove beneficial to the well-being of our cities and, ultimately, society as a whole.”