This month, the Lethbridge Downtown BRZ is proud to celebrate our Marketing and Communications Manager, Emily Chong! She recently returned from a transformative week in New York City, as she took part in the International Downtown Association's Emerging Leader Fellowship.

The Emerging Leader Fellowship is a highly respected, week-long program designed to shape the next generation of urban place management professionals. Bringing together a cohort of dynamic individuals from across North America, the Fellowship equips participants with advanced leadership skills and practical tools in areas like place-based economic development, public-private partnerships, and the creation of vibrant live-work-play environments in urban centres.

For Emily, the experience was nothing short of inspiring. Surrounded by peers who are managing downtowns from San Diego to Toronto, she engaged in deep discussions around leadership, community building, and the unique challenges and opportunities that urban areas face today. The program offered hands-on workshops, real-world case studies, and valuable mentorship from industry leaders who have guided some of the most successful downtown revitalization projects in recent years. Along with tours of many neighbourhoods within the city, she learned about the challenges they face and all the ways the community is coming together to combat them. What most intrigued her was the implementation of Times Square throughout the year and the work that goes into putting together their world-renowned events. New York, being a very pedestrian-friendly city, brought many ideas to Emily, which she can see being implemented within the heart of Lethbridge.

As part of the Lethbridge Downtown BRZ, her role already plays a critical part in shaping our city's core. Through strategic marketing and creative community initiatives, she helps foster a welcoming and dynamic downtown environment. This fellowship helped build on that work and gave her even more tools to support the future of downtown Lethbridge.

One of the biggest takeaways from the Fellowship was this: effective urban leadership starts with listening, collaboration, and a commitment to continuous learning. We're lucky to have a team member who's returned from this experience energized and ready to apply what she's learned right here in Lethbridge.

Stay tuned for upcoming initiatives and ideas inspired by her journey!