​Fellowship Provides State and Local Business Leaders with Opportunities to
Engage Nationally on Critical Education and Workforce Issues

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Friday, September 20, Takiyah Dixon, Director of the Lakeland
Chamber of Commerce, graduated from the ninth cohort of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Foundation’s premier business leadership program, the Business Leads Fellowship Program. The Business Leads Fellowship Program trains and equips leaders from state and local chambers of Commerce, economic development agencies, and trade associations with resources, access to experts, and a network of peers to build their capacity to address the most pressing education and workforce challenges.

“I am honored to have been a part of the Business Leads Fellowship Program. This experience
has equipped me with invaluable insights and tools to address our community's education and workforce challenges. My research on community schooling models and years of experience in workforce education have made this program a perfect fit. As a doctoral candidate in education, I am excited to leverage this recognition and my current participation in the Leadership Lakeland Program to continue advocating for effective education & workforce development. I am committed to using this expertise to create a meaningful impact and drive economic growth in our community.”

“We created the Business Leads Fellowship Program in response to the needs of our state and
local chamber partners,” says Caitlin Codella Low, Vice President of Policy and Programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. “They, better than anyone, see the critical link between education and economic development, and we are glad to be able to support them as they take on this critical leadership role in their community.”
 
Following a competitive application and selection process, Takiyah Dixon was selected along
with 34 other state and local chamber executives, economic development professionals, and
association leaders to participate in the ninth cohort of this program. The six-month program,
consisting of in-person and virtual meetings, covers the entire talent pipeline, including early childhood education, K-12, postsecondary education, and workforce development.

Upon graduation, Business Leads Fellows join the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s
a dedicated network of over 360 chambers of commerce and statewide associations nationwide that regularly engage in education and workforce initiatives.
  
For more information on the Business Leads Fellowship Program, visit the program’s website.

Absent congressional action, American families, workers, and businesses will be hit with the largest tax increase in American history at the end of next year.

“While the impact of a massive tax increase on individual Americans is clear, it is critical for policymakers to understand that the expiration of many pro-growth business tax reforms from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) also will dramatically increase costs for families and customers, harm main street businesses, reduce take-home pay for workers, and result in the loss of innovation and American jobs,” said Neil Bradley, Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “Pro-growth tax policy doesn’t just grow the overall U.S. economy; it raises wages for American workers and improves standards of living. Maintaining and improving pro-growth tax policy ensures that the U.S. remains globally competitive, retaining and attracting businesses, jobs, investment, and innovation here at home.”

This letter is the latest effort in the Chamber’s comprehensive education and advocacy blitz in support of maintaining a pro-growth tax code that builds a robust economy that benefits all Americans.
  
This summer, the Chamber put forth the Growth and Opportunity Imperative for America, a series of policy recommendations that will help the United States reach a goal of 3% annual real economic growth.  The Chamber also unveiled a new resource for policymakers and candidates detailing how a pro-growth tax code benefits American workers, businesses, and the economy. 
Recent polling from the Chamber shows a majority (80%) of voters are concerned that increasing taxes would result in higher prices and 93% believe American families and businesses are already paying enough in taxes. 

​Small businesses say that a competitive tax code means local economies grow and prosper, while workers across the country benefit from higher paychecks and more job opportunities.