Applications are now being accepted for the Leadership Augusta Adult Class of 2025. Interested individuals can apply online at leadershipaugustaga.com/adult-application. Participants are chosen from the pool of applicants to create a diverse class with respect to several factors, including occupation, leadership experience, ethnicity, gender, age, geography, cultural perspective, and time in the community. Deadline for receipt of application and all required supplemental material is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 19, 2024. 

For over 40 years, Leadership Augusta has existed to identify and educate current and potential community leaders in the greater Augusta area. Through this annual program, more than 1,500 citizens of all ages, professions and educational backgrounds have had the opportunity each month to meet, learn and train to be informed leaders in the community. Leadership Augusta believes in cultivating leaders who will build upon those relationships, collaborate across cultural and economic boundaries, and develop innovative ways for the greater Augusta area to thrive, socially and economically. The Leadership Augusta Adult Class runs from August through May requiring a significant commitment of time and energy, but its value is immeasurable. Participants in Leadership Augusta can expect to refine their personal and public leadership style and skills, develop diverse contacts and an excellent communication network, receive recognition for themselves and their organization for their voluntary civic activities, and access better opportunities for taking an active role in addressing community needs. 

Leadership Augusta is proud to announce Al Dallas, Class of 2023, as the adult Class of 2025 Chair and Sarah Childers, Class of 2021, as his Co-Chair. Al Dallas currently serves as the Administrator and Chief of Staff at the Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University. Al formerly served as Executive Assistant to Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver. Mr. Dallas was born in Augusta, Georgia and raised in nearby Thomson. After earning a B.A. in English from Amherst College and his M.B.A. from the Terry School of Business at the University of Georgia, Al worked in the education, insurance restoration, and logistics industries. Wanting to make a bigger impact in his local community, he accepted the position with the Mayor in July 2013. Al is committed to supporting our local non-profits by serving as a board member for Historic Augusta, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Augusta and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk. His wife Lauren and two children, Bennett and Hawes, reside in Augusta.

Sarah Childers serves as the Experience and Community Development Manager at Destination Augusta and Assistant Film Liaison for Film Augusta. In her current role, Sarah spearheads initiatives aimed at creating and enhancing experiences to attract visitors while simultaneously enriching the quality of life for locals. Among Sarah's recent notable achievements are the collaborative development of the award-winning Authentic Augusta Experience collection, the successful launch of the Augusta Coffee Trail, development of the digital James Brown Journey trail, and management of Experience Augusta, Destination Augusta's premier annual meeting and largest event. She also actively fosters Augusta-Richmond County's reputation as a film-friendly destination, advocating for the economic development and job creation opportunities within the local film industry. She holds a liberal arts degree from California Baptist University. Originally from northern California, Sarah now resides in North Augusta with her husband, Wes, and their daughter, Ruby.