Lexa leader joins inaugural NEA Regional Leadership Accelerator Academy

Lynn Hawkins of Lexa is among 20 professionals selected for the inaugural NEA Regional Leadership Accelerator Academy, a regional leadership program convened by Arkansas State University’s Delta Center for Economic Development. The academy held its first session on Jan. 15 and will continue with six sessions every other month through November, concluding with a year-end graduation.

Hawkins, identified as chief operations officer at Arkansas Rural Health Partnerships, represents Phillips County in the cohort. Organizers describe the academy as a coordinated effort to build leadership capacity across participating counties in northeast Arkansas, with an emphasis on cross-county collaboration and practical skills that local leaders can apply to economic and community development projects.

The program’s structure is deliberately paced: six multi-day sessions spaced every other month create intervals for participants to return to their communities and apply lessons while preparing for the next module. With 20 professionals selected for this first cohort, the academy aims to seed a regional leadership pipeline that can support project development, grant writing, and intergovernmental coordination—areas local officials cite as critical for attracting investment and improving service delivery in small towns like Lexa.

For Phillips County, Hawkins’ participation carries particular weight for the local health sector. Arkansas Rural Health Partnerships provides services across rural communities, and enhanced leadership training could translate into stronger service coordination, improved operational efficiency, and a greater ability to compete for state or federal funding. More broadly, the program’s cross-county design creates networking opportunities that can help small governments and nonprofit agencies pool resources, share best practices, and scale successful pilot projects beyond municipal borders.

The Delta Center’s academy also aligns with long-term regional economic priorities: building managerial capacity and leadership literacy helps communities plan for workforce development, infrastructure investments, and health-care access—three areas that shape long-term population and economic trends in rural Arkansas. The every-other-month cadence aims to balance intensive training with time for practical follow-through, a design that research on leadership programs suggests improves retention and on-the-ground impact.

Organizers have posted a full roster, the program schedule and a county breakdown online for those who want to track the cohort or explore future participation. For Phillips County residents, Hawkins’ selection signals a direct line into regional conversations about economic development and health services improvement; expect to see local initiatives informed by the academy’s curriculum as sessions continue through the year.