‘Commission on the Future of Northeast Mississippi’ to Host State of the Region Meeting

April 26, 2024

The ‘Commission on the Future of Northeast Mississippi’, a program arm of the CREATE Foundation, is set to host its annual state-of-the-region meeting at the Cadence Bank Conference Center in Tupelo. The meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, May 8, will run from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., preceded by a coffee hour at 8:30 a.m.

About the Commission

Established in 1995, the commission is composed of 55 volunteer leaders representing 17 counties in the CREATE region. It is dedicated to fostering regional cooperation through regional community development. The commission gathers and analyzes data to identify critical regional issues, sets goals, and collaborates with numerous partners to tackle these challenges.

State-of-the-Region Meeting’s Focus

This year’s meeting centers around the theme “Communities Matter”, putting the spotlight on education and community affiliates’ contributions to their respective communities. The event will feature discussions from regional leaders and a school district setting the frontier for school accountability in Northeast Mississippi.

Highlights of the Meeting

Oxford Public School District’s superintendent, Bradley Roberson, is scheduled to present his ideas for enhancing accountability in public schools. He will also discuss Oxford’s strategies for serving its children.

The event will also showcase CREATE’s 16 community affiliates, with three representatives invited as panelists. These include Alison Buehler from the Starkville Community Foundation in Oktibbeha County, Gus Clark from PACE (Partners in Achieving Community Excellence) in Chickasaw County, and Amanda Angle from LEAD (Lee County Empowering Advancing and Developing) in Lee County. CREATE Foundation’s Director of Development, P.K. Thomas, will serve as the panel facilitator.

Jack Reed Sr. Community Leadership Award

The Jack Reed Sr. Community Leadership Award, funded by a special dividend from Journal Inc., and supported by an endowment at CREATE, will be presented during the meeting. The honor is annually bestowed on an individual or an organization demonstrating outstanding leadership in improving the quality of life in a community and in Northeast Mississippi.

Additional Event Details

Participants will receive CREATE’s 2023 Annual Report and a program for the meeting. The event is open to all and is free of charge. Any media interviews will be conducted post the meeting at 11:30 a.m.

For more information or any inquiries, the CREATE Foundation can be reached at (662) 844-8989 or via email at allie@createfoundation.com.