Metro Atlanta Community Leaders Attend National NeighborWorks Conference in Minneapolis

Atlanta, Ga. — The Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership (ANDP) 2025–2026 Community Leadership Initiative team recently returned energized from the NeighborWorks America Community Leadership Institute (CLI), held October 29–November 2, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The ANDP team, comprised of exceptional resident leaders, attended the national CLI, hosted by NeighborWorks America.

ANDP CLI team members included: Genia Billingsley (West Atlanta), Tamie Cook (East Point), Shelia Edwards (Mableton), Barkley Howard (Southeast Atlanta), Melissa “Missy” Riley (Decatur), and Pastor Terry Woodward (Clayton County). The team was led by Operations Director Susan Adams and Fund Development Manager Nana K. Simmons. Members were selected for their strong track records in community advocacy.

The ANDP team represented the diverse neighborhoods of Metro Atlanta and possess expertise and advocacy in key community areas:

• Equitable housing solutions and resident engagement in historically underserved communities
• Youth mentorship programs and expanding access to community resources
• Civic leadership, advocacy, and organizational strategy
• Infrastructure improvements and neighborhood beautification projects
• Cultural enrichment programs and partnerships between residents and local institutions
• Faith-based community outreach to strengthen local support networks

The Metro Atlanta community leaders joined over 500 participants which formed 62 teams to share strategies, strengthen leadership skills, and create actionable plans for local community improvement.

During the four-day conference, participants bonded over shared community concerns, challenges, amd resolutions. They attended dynamic workshops, engaged in thought-provoking panels, and toured Minneapolis to study successful community development projects firsthand. Teams were challenged to return home with actionable plans, supported by NeighborWorks America grants, for implementation.

“The CLI is more than a conference—it’s a catalyst for change,” said Shelia Edwards, Mableton community advocate and publisher of Spotlight South Cobb News. “Each of us returned with concrete strategies to uplift our neighborhoods and the tools to involve residents in shaping our own communities.”

On the final day of the conference, ANDP team members were each awarded certificates for their active participating in the event.

Through initiatives developed at CLI, ANDP aims to address housing affordability, youth engagement, infrastructure, and cultural programming, ensuring residents are active participants in shaping their neighborhoods.

By participating in CLI, the ANDP 2025–2026 team continues the organization’s longstanding commitment to building strong, resilient, and empowered communities across Atlanta and surrounding areas, demonstrating that leadership truly begins at the local level.