PRESS RELEASES

HOUSTON'S NEXT GENERATION OF CIVIC LEADERS REPORT FOR DUTY

August 15, 2008 -- This month the City of Houston welcomes ten of the nation's best and brightest recent college graduates for a 12-month fellowship program that combines hands-on job experience with public-sector leadership training. These individuals, members of the inaugural class of City Hall Fellows (CHF) -- an elite, new national service corps which empowers young leaders to foster change within their own communities, were chosen from among more than 400 applicants.

"Houston is honored to have this diverse and gifted group of young people directing their energies to solving some of our most pressing challenges," said Mayor Bill White. "City Hall Fellows is turning some of our brightest minds to confronting head-on the civic, social and political problems we face, while teaching them the rewards of public service. We welcome the arrival of this new generation of leaders."

Every day, Houston ' s municipal government tackles public health, education, poverty, discrimination, public safety, economic development, transportation, housing, environmental, and even national security issues. CHF introduces Fellows to the inner workings of the City of Houston; brings their talent and energy to bear in addressing challenges facing the City; and exposes them to meaningful careers in public service. Houston ' s 2008-2009 CHF Fellows, a talented and diverse group of 5 men and 5 women will spend the next year learning how to leverage local government to address and solve City issues.

The 2008-2009 inaugural class of Houston Fellows includes the following individuals:

"Our cities are being forced to the frontlines of every major social issue by accelerating urbanization," said Bethany Henderson, Founder and Executive Director of CHF. "Local governments are facing increasingly complex challenges just as their most important assets - career policy and managerial leaders - are retiring en masse. Yet, for decades, little new college-educated talent has been entering the municipal workforce, City Hall Fellows offers a systematic solution to invigorate, empower and train young leaders to use local government to solve societal problems."

According to Nancy C. Brainerd, CHF's Houston Program Director, "a century ago, our educated young people could not achieve professional success without confronting head-on the civic, social and political problems right here in Houston. Today, unfortunately, many college students don ' t even equate government work with public service. Thanks to CHF, that will no longer be the case in Houston."

Following a 3-week orientation run by CHF, Fellows will spend their fellowship year working 4.5 days/week as special project assistants to senior city administrators and officials throughout the city government. The other half-day each week, they will participate in an intensive civic leadership development program, designed and run by CHF, in which they will learn about the history, politics, mechanics and functions of local governance. Aaron B. Hughes, CHF ' s Associate Program Director - Houston, said "the civic leadership development program gives Houston ' s most talented college graduates a unique opportunity to contextualize their experiences working within city government by critically examining the myriad factors that influence the creation and implementation of public policy."

Houston is one of two pilot cities hosting CHF Fellows in 2008-2009. San Francisco, CA is also hosting an inaugural cohort. CHF plans to continue to add new host cities each year moving forward.

By energizing more new talent to enter local government each year, CHF will create a snowball effect that will change both the culture and the perception of government work as well as the caliber of people choosing to work for America ' s cities. The efficient, effective local public sector that results will improve the quality of life for all Americans.