Rep. Arlene Beckles to Participate in Leadership Program for Select Southern State Government Officials

ATLANTA - State Representative Arlene Beckles (D-Norcross) was recently selected to participate in the 2025 Center for the Advancement of Leadership Skills (CALS) program in Nashville, Tennessee, from October 19 - 23. Inaugurated in 2007, CALS is the annual leadership program of the Southern Office of The Council of State Governments (CSG).

"I am grateful to Speaker Burns for selecting me to participate in this important program, which is designed to strengthen the core skills essential to effective leadership and public service," said Rep. Beckles. "It is an honor to join such a distinguished group of public officials from across the South. I look forward to learning from their experiences, expanding on my own leadership capacity and bringing those critical insights back to Georgia so I can continue serving my community."

Each year, CALS brings together select officials from three branches of government in 15 southern states to refine their leadership skills in a nonpartisan environment. The five-day program focuses on communication, conflict resolution, consensus building and critical decision making. Ultimately, CALS aims to provide the public with highly skilled, educated and confident state leaders.

Founded in 1933, CSG is the nation's only organization serving all three branches of state government. Opened in 1959, the mission of the CSG Southern Office is to promote and strengthen intergovernmental cooperation among its 15 member states, predominantly through the programs and services provided by its Southern Legislative Conference (SLC).

Representative Arlene Beckles represents the citizens of District 96, which includes a portion of Gwinnett County. She was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2024 and currently serves on the Special Rules, State Properties and Technology and Infrastructure Innovation committees.

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