CONTRIBUTED BY OPELIKA CHAMBER
OPELIKA — Joel Alvarado, director of Business and Workforce Development for the Opelika Chamber of Commerce, has been selected to participate in the 2025–2026 Fellowship for Talent Development offered by the ACCE (Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives) Foundation.
This six-month fellowship is designed to help chamber professionals build stronger, more equitable workforce systems by deepening their understanding of the cradle-to-career talent pipeline in their communities. Throughout the program, Alvarado will work with a national cohort of his peers to develop a regional action plan to address a local workforce challenge. Participants engage in monthly webinars, receive coaching and check-ins, learn best practices in systems change, program design and impact measurement and take part in an in-person convening this fall in Alexandria, Virginia. The program will culminate in a graduation in Spring 2026.
Alvarado was awarded a scholarship to join the Fellowship and will bring back ideas, strategies and networks to enhance the Chamber’s ability to support job seekers and strengthen regional economic mobility.
“I’m incredibly honored to be selected for this fellowship and grateful for the opportunity to learn alongside a group of like-minded chamber professionals from across the country,” Alvarado said. “Workforce development is at the heart of what we’re building in Opelika, and I’m excited to bring back new strategies, tools and connections that will help us grow a more robust and resilient talent pipeline. This is a chance to dig deep, think big and ultimately do better for our businesses, our workers and our community.”
In Opelika, the Chamber and its Foundation are already leading the charge in workforce development through initiatives like the Opelika Workforce Council, which convenes business leaders, educators and community partners to align talent with opportunity. By cultivating partnerships across sectors and addressing key barriers to employment, the Chamber is ensuring Opelika stays at the forefront of workforce innovation and economic mobility.
