New Cohort of Rising Stars Selected for IDA’s 2026 Emerging Leaders Fellowship
The International Downtown Association (IDA) selected 30 of the industry’s brightest professionals for the 2026 Emerging Leader Fellowship (ELF) program. These senior staff members hail from 3 countries and 20 states and provinces, including Newcastle, UK; San Diego, CA; Phoenix, AZ; Boise, ID; Reno, NV; Toronto, ON; Topeka, KS; and Chicago, IL. Alumni of the IDA Emerging Leader Fellowship program, launched in 2016, are fast becoming sought-after leaders for the future of city building worldwide.
Among the 2026 cohort is Braxton Hynes, Economic Development Manager at Downtown Phoenix Inc. (DPI), the urban place management organization representing Phoenix, Arizona.
“The success of our Fellowship program underscores how critical this training is to our growing industry,” said David Downey, President & CEO of IDA. “This is the only program of its kind created specifically for urban place management professionals. IDA is looking to further illustrate the importance of our industry by elevating leaders with the necessary skills to champion inclusive city building. Professional development remains a hallmark of IDA.”
The Emerging Leader Fellowship is a week-long experiential program bringing together a cohort of IDA professionals from within the urban district management industry. The fellows learn essential leadership and place management skills and gain practical tools in the areas of place-based economic development, the live-work-play experience, and public-private partnerships.
“Being selected for the IDA Emerging Leader Fellowship is an incredible honor, and I'm proud to represent Downtown Phoenix Inc. and the work we do every day to make Downtown Phoenix a vibrant, thriving urban destination,” said Braxton Hynes, DPI’s Economic Development Manager. “I look forward to learning alongside some of the brightest minds in place management and bringing new ideas and strategies back to our community.”
“The International Downtown Association is looking to build the future of our industry, and these accomplished executives are the rising stars of our profession,” said Downey. “With this program, we’re educating and inspiring the next generation of leaders.”
The program takes place June 7-12, 2026, in New York City. Professionals from several place management organizations across the city provide technical in-the-field training. The event takes place at various locations throughout Manhattan, with field visits provided by several local business improvement district (BID) leaders.
Congratulations to the 2026 Emerging Leader Fellowship cohort! For more information about this year’s cohort, visit IDA’s website. Washington, DC-based IDA is the premier organization for urban place professionals who are shaping and activating dynamic city center districts.