Dr. Robert Blaine
Senior Executive and Director, Center for Leadership, Education, Advancement and Development
About the Program
The Center for Leadership, Education, Advancement and Development is the go-to place for city leaders seeking to improve outcomes for children and families. With expertise in early childhood success, education & expanded learning, promoting a culture of health, youth & young adult connections, and economic opportunity & financial empowerment, LEAD reaches cities of all sizes and brings together local leaders to develop strategies via technical assistance projects, peer learning networks, leadership academies, and Mayors’ Institutes.
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Program Initiatives
From seeding promising practices and innovative approaches to leading cross-sector initiatives, the Center for Leadership, Education, Advancement and Development supports local leaders in placing children and families at the forefront of decisions across a range of issues including education, public safety, early childhood, economy empowerment and community development.
Highlights
Education and Workforce Success
A skilled and educated workforce is increasingly vital to a community’s economic vitality. Even when city officials do not play a direct role in governing their school systems, there are numerous ways in which they can exercise leadership to support public schools, expand alternatives for students who struggle in traditional educational settings, and increase postsecondary success.
Highlights
Youth & Young Adult Connections
NLC supports and informs city leaders and stakeholders interested in improving public safety and reforming the juvenile justice system. We also provide peer learning and support to the growing number of citywide programs reconnecting young people to school.
Highlights
Early Childhood Success
Research shows a critical period of child development is birth to age 8, not just physiologically, but also cognitively, emotionally, and socially, setting the basis for future health and wellbeing. Local leaders are well positioned to champion the needs of young children and families and help ensure that every child enters school ready to learn, and ultimately reaches their full potential.
Highlights
Health & Wellness
Local leaders play a pivotal role in the overall health and well-being of the cities, towns and villages they serve. With generous support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, NLC leads an effort to educate, train and build the capacity of city leaders to address the social determinants of health and improve health outcomes where individuals live, learn, work and play.
Highlights
Strong Southern Communities Initiative
The Strong Southern Communities Initiative (SSCI) provides practical support and guidance to municipal leaders in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana, bringing together local elected officials from across the region to improve outcomes for children and families. SSCI assists in the development of tailored local action plans and connects local leaders to national experts and regional partners who turn these plans into action.
