Batesville chamber’s Hill completes first year of community development program

Above: Chris Hill with the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce

Chris Hill, director of marketing and communications for the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce, recently completed Year 1 of the 39th annual Community Development Institute at the University of Central Arkansas.

The program trains community leaders and economic development professionals to build stronger, more resilient communities. Participants learn to identify local assets, set strategic goals, encourage collaboration and respond to economic and quality-of-life challenges.

The full Community Development Institute experience is a three-year program, with one week of intensive training each year. Participants move through the program in cohorts and gain real-world tools they can bring back to their communities.

Crystal Johnson, CEO of the Batesville Area Chamber, and Jamie Rayford, chief strategy officer, are graduates of the program.

“We’ve seen firsthand how CDI equips leaders with practical tools that make a real difference,” Johnson said. “Chris’s creativity and dedication already elevate our work every day. I’m excited to see how he’ll use this training to tell our community’s story in even more powerful ways.”

Hill’s participation was made possible through a scholarship from Citizens Bank, a longtime supporter of local leadership development.

“We’re grateful to Citizens Bank for their continued investment in programs that build the capacity of local leaders,” Johnson said.

UCA is the birthplace of the Community Development Institute, which began in 1987 in partnership with Entergy. Since then, institutes have expanded to Texas, Idaho, Alabama, Illinois and Delaware, with the establishment of a national governing and certification body, the Community Development Council.

Image provided by the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce