The Sycamore Institute’s Executive Director Laura Berlind is one of 10 business, nonprofit, and government leaders from Middle Tennessee chosen to participate this year in a Harvard Business School program that convenes individuals working across sectors to make their communities prosper.

As part of Harvard’s Young American Leaders Program, Berlind will travel to Boston this June for an intensive workshop on urban and rural regional collaborations and strategies for economic resilience.

“From poor health and well-being to the rapid digital evolution of our economy, Tennessee’s greatest challenges are closely connected,” said Berlind, who also holds a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. “The more people from across the state with different perspectives and values can find common ground, the better positioned we’ll be to achieve greater health and prosperity for every Tennessean.”

Harvard launched the Young American Leaders Program in 2015 to bring together “small groups of high-potential leaders from different sectors of cities (business, local government, school districts, and social enterprise) to explore how they can improve their regions’ competitiveness,” according to the school. This year, local community leaders from 13 cities across the U.S. have selected 10 individuals from each region to take part in the program.

“Through this collaboration, we hope to help prepare a rising generation of local leaders who can work together for the shared growth and prosperity of our region in today’s global economy,” said Dr. Scott T. Massey, chairman and CEO of Global Action Platform, the local partner and coordinator of the Young American Leaders Program for Nashville.

Linda Peek Schacht, leader in residence and associate professor at Lipscomb University’s College of Leadership and Public Service, will help advise the group.