Coro Fellow placed with Davis Chamber

The Davis Chamber of Commerce welcomes Dulce Galicia, a Coro Fellow from San Francisco, to begin a six-week field placement. The Coro Center for Civic Leadership is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that provides experiential and seminar training to groups of diverse leaders across the country. Coro participants learn about leadership across multiple sectors, industries and issues through experience, group participation, interviews and seminars.

There are numerous Coro Fellow alumni in the region, a Chamber news release said.

“Coro Fellows are trained to be rigorous, analytical and independent thinkers and to work within communities for positive change,” said Gary Sandy, senior executive director of the UC Davis chancellor’s office and a member of the Coro Class of 1985. “This is a tremendous opportunity for the Chamber to draw on Ms. Galicia’s talents and to gain a fresh perspective on the potential for sustainable economic development within Davis and the wider Sacramento region. The Davis Chamber will be well-served.”

Added Dirk Brazil, assistant Yolo County administrator and a 1983 Coro Fellow, “Having a Coro Fellow at the Chamber is a great idea. You get a very focused, smart person who will deliver a great product. They learn a lot about our community and we benefit from their input. It’s a wonderful partnership.”

Coro received an unprecedented number of requests for fellows, and the Davis Chamber was one of the few selected. Kemble Pope, the Chamber’s executive director, will be Galicia’s field faculty as she learns about the business sector.

“We’re excited to have Fellow Galicia work on portions of our economic development initiative,” said Gregg Herrington, president of Yackzan Group and chairman of the Chamber’s board of directors. “Ms. Galicia will research and gather critical information on our city’s competitive strengths and weaknesses as well as our place in regional economic development efforts. Her final products will complete Phase 1 of a strategic plan recently approved and funded by the Chamber’s board.”

Galicia graduated from Mills College with a bachelor of arts in ethnic studies. To fight poverty through service, she worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer coordinating capacity-building workshops for nonprofits in Marin County. She is interested in learning about local and global issues and said she’s eager to dive into Davis’ economic development initiative.

The placement is made possible by a grant from Yolo Energy Watch and PG&E. The Davis Food Co-op and Hallmark Inn are also supporting Galicia’s time in Davis.