WPB DDA’s Sabrina Lolo Among the Top Urban Champions Chosen for IDA’s 2025 Emerging Leaders Fellowship
May 15th, 2025
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (May 15, 2025) – The International Downtown Association (IDA) has selected Sabrina Lolo, Marketing Coordinator for the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority (WPB DDA), and another 26 of the industry’s brightest professionals for its 2025 Emerging Leader Fellowship (ELF) program. These senior staff members hail from 15 states and provinces from around North America including West Palm Beach, FL; Philadelphia, PA; Charlotte, NC; Cleveland, OH; Austin, TX; Boulder, CO; Lethbridge, AB; Bellingham, WA; San Fransico, CA. Alumni of the IDA Emerging Leader Fellowship program, launched in 2016, are fast becoming sought-after leaders for the future of city building worldwide.
“The success of our Fellowship program underscores how critical this training is to our growing industry,” said David Downey, President & CEO of IDA. “This is the only program of its kind created specifically for urban place management professionals. IDA is looking to further illustrate the importance of our industry by elevating leaders with the necessary skills to champion inclusive city building. Professional development remains a hallmark of IDA.”
The Emerging Leader Fellowship is a week-long experiential program bringing together a cohort of IDA professionals from within the urban district management industry. The fellows learn essential leadership and place management skills and gain practical tools in the areas of place-based economic development, the live-work-play experience, and public-private partnerships.
“It’s an honor to be selected for the 2025 Emerging Leader Fellowship,” said Lolo. “I’m excited to learn from peers across the country and build on the knowledge I’ve gained with the WPB DDA. This opportunity will help me bring forward-thinking, inclusive ideas that support Downtown West Palm Beach’s continued growth as a vibrant, accessible, and thriving hub for our residents, visitors, and businesses.”
Lolo is the latest WPB DDA team member selected for the ELF program. Prior fellows from the WPB DDA include Executive Director Teneka James-Feaman; Marketing Director Tiffany Faublas; Public Realm Director Sherryl Muriente; and District Services Manager Catherine Ast.
“The International Downtown Association is looking to build the future of our industry, and these accomplished executives are the rising stars of our profession,” said Downey. “With this program, we’re educating and inspiring the next generation of leaders.”
The program, which takes place June 8-13, 2025, in New York City, features technical in-the-field training by place management organization (PMO) professionals and field visits from local business improvement district (BID) leaders at various locations throughout Manhattan.
Congratulations to the 2025 Emerging Leader Fellowship cohort! For more information about this year’s cohort, visit IDA’s website.
About the Downtown Development Authority
The West Palm Beach DDA is an independent taxing district created in 1967 by a special act of the Florida Legislature. Its mission is to promote and enhance a safe, vibrant Downtown for our residents, businesses and visitors through the strategic development of economic, social and cultural opportunities. For more information about the DDA or Downtown West Palm Beach, please visit DowntownWPB.com or call the DDA at (561) 833-8873.
About the International Downtown Association
The International Downtown Association is the premier organization for urban place professionals who are shaping and activating dynamic city center districts. Our members are downtown champions who bring urban centers to life, bridging the gap between the public and private sectors. We represent an industry of more than 2,500 place management organizations, employing 100,000 people throughout North America and growing rapidly around the world. Founded in 1954, IDA is a resource center for ideas and innovative best practices in urban place management. For more information, visit downtown.org.