FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cleveland Executive Fellowship Names New Leader

CLEVELAND, Ohio (Sept. 20, 2006) - Yemi Akande has become program manager of the Cleveland Executive Fellowship, an effort aimed at developing future leaders in Greater Cleveland.

In her new role, Akande will implement curriculum and help train participants in the Fellowship program, funded by The Cleveland Foundation. Her arrival coincides with the start of the newest class: eight individuals of various ages and professional backgrounds who, over the course of a year, become immersed in Cleveland's decision-making processes by completing high-level assignments in corporate, education, nonprofit, and public-sector workplaces. At the end of their experience, fellows are encouraged to pursue pivotal roles within the city and the organizations that help shape it.

"Cultivating leaders is crucial to Cleveland's success," said Ronald B. Richard, chief executive of The Cleveland Foundation. "I welcome Yemi's contributions to this important cause." 

Akande spent the past three years as an assistant professor at John Carroll University, where she developed curriculum and taught courses including intercultural and multicultural communication. Prior to joining the university, she served as associate director of recruitment for the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES) in Chicago, a nonprofit international organization that provides students with high-quality, academic study-abroad programs.

She holds a doctorate in intercultural, organizational and political communication from the University of Oklahoma and two master's degrees from the university: one in human relations and organizational development and a second in public relations, journalism and mass communication. She earned a bachelor's degree in speech communication from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo.

The Cleveland Executive Fellowship, a Coro program funded by The Cleveland Foundation, immerses participants in the public, private and non-profit sectors during a year-long study of the people and institutions guiding Cleveland's civic agenda. The Fellowship employs training methods pioneered by Coro, a 64-year-old national organization that prepares individuals for effective and ethical leadership in the public arena.

Established in 1914, The Cleveland Foundation is the world's first community foundation and the nation's third-largest today, with assets of $1.7 billion and annual grants surpassing $80 million. The Foundation improves the lives of Greater Clevelanders in perpetuity by building community endowments, addressing needs through grantmaking, and providing leadership on vital issues. Currently the Foundation proactively directs two-thirds of its flexible grant dollars to the community's greatest needs:  economic development, public school improvement, early childhood development, neighborhoods and housing, and arts advancement.

For more information on the Cleveland Foundation, please visit www.clevelandfoundation.org.