Public Executive Leadership Academy
- Chapel Hill, NCJuly 13 - 18, 2025August 3 - 8, 2025
Public Executive Leadership Academy (PELA) program is our premier leadership experience for government professionals from the School of Government. We are celebrating over two decades of excellence in Public Executive Leadership.
The dates are July 13-18 and August 3-8, 2025 in person at the School of Government. (Note: due to the holiday weekend, the July 6-11 dates have been changed to July 13-18.)
The application will open in January and close May 15, 2025.
Visit the Public Executive Leadership Academy home page for scholarship information, faculty lists and alumni.
The Public Executive Leadership Academy provides municipal and county managers, assistant/deputy managers, and department directors the opportunity to learn more about themselves as leaders and to gain skills to lead and manage change in their communities. Participants will learn skills in facilitation, media relations, and emotional resiliency and will gain a deeper understanding of their leadership approach and how it affects their interaction with stakeholders, staff, and elected officials. They will choose a "real world" project that integrates lessons from PELA for leading regional, community, or organizational change and develop a plan for carrying it out, through peer consultation. Participants will also work on a personal leadership development plan that will incorporate feedback from faculty, peers, and a leadership self-assessment.
Acceptance into this program requirement: This course requires a minimum of seven years of supervisory experience in a local government-at least five years of which must be as a municipal or county manager (CAO), assistant/deputy manager, or department director.
Fee: $5,300 (includes hotel and most meals)
Please note: PELA is an immersive residential program where participants are together for the length of the program. Hotel accommodations are provided as part of the tuition cost, and it is required that you stay with the group at the hotel regardless of whether you are local. There are significant benefits to this experience. If you have any questions about this policy, please contact Kim Nelson or Miranda Day.
Scholarship Information: Scholarships are available through NCCCMA for NCCCMA members.
The 2025 NCCCMA Scholarship Application can be found HERE. Scholarship questions and completed scholarship applications must be submitted to Patrick Niland, NCCCMA professional development committee chair, Patrick.Niland@unioncountync.gov.
* Important: The scholarship application deadline is June 1, 2025. We strongly encourage you to apply for the scholarship at the same time you apply for PELA. While acceptance into PELA and access to scholarship funds are not guaranteed, applying early ensures you will be considered for financial support if needed.
Members of Civic Federal Credit Union (Civic) and Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU), who are local government employees, are eligible to apply for a scholarship towards tuition for conferences, classes, and seminars offered by the School of Government. There are four deadlines to submit applications:
- March 1 (for courses starting between April 1 and June 30)
- June 1 (for courses starting between July 1 and September 30)
- September 1 (for courses starting between October 1 and December 31)
- December 1 (for courses starting between January 1 and March 31)
- Chapel Hill, NCJuly 13 - 18, 2025August 3 - 8, 2025UNC School of Government | Knapp-Sanders Building
400 South Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27514View Scholarship InformationMembers of Civic Federal Credit Union (Civic) and Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU), who are local government employees, are eligible to apply for a scholarship towards tuition for conferences, classes, and seminars offered by the School of Government. There are four deadlines to submit applications:
- March 1 (for courses starting between April 1 and June 30)
- June 1 (for courses starting between July 1 and September 30)
- September 1 (for courses starting between October 1 and December 31)
- December 1 (for courses starting between January 1 and March 31)
View Cancellation PolicyCourse participants who cancel their registration on or before July 05, 2025 will receive a full refund. No refund will be made for cancellations on or after July 06, 2025, but you will receive a transferrable credit to be used within 12 months. Click here to view the School’s full cancellation and refund policy.View Hotel InformationThe hotel is included in the fee. It is required that you stay at the hotel during the program. Reservations will be made for you if accepted into the program.
View Additional InformationMust apply30$5,300.00Registration and payment for this course grants access for a single attendee. In order to register a group of attendees, please register each person individually. If you have questions, please contact our registration office at registration@sog.unc.edu or 919.966.4414.
