May 12, 2026                                                                                                   

New Cohort of Rising Stars Selected for IDA’s 2026 Emerging Leaders Fellowship
City Ave District’s Director of Finance, Diana Liu, was among 30 selected for the 2026 cohort.

[Bala Cynwyd, PA]– The International Downtown Association (IDA) selected 30 of the industry’s brightest professionals for the 2026 Emerging Leader Fellowship (ELF) program. These senior staff members hail from 3 countries and 20 states and provinces including Newcastle, UK; San Diego, CA; Boise, ID; Reno, NV; Toronto, ON; Topeka, KS; and Chicago, IL. 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.

“We are incredibly proud of Diana Liu for being selected to the International Downtown Association’s 2026 Emerging Leaders Fellowship. Diana’s leadership, professionalism, and dedication to City Ave District continue to make a lasting impact on our organization and community. This recognition is a testament to her hard work and the bright future ahead of her in the place management industry. We are excited to see her represent City Ave District among this outstanding national cohort of emerging leaders,” said Bryan Fenstermaker, President & CEO of City Ave District.

“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 takes place June 7-12, 2026, in New York City. Professionals from several place management organizations across the city provide technical in-the-field training. The event takes place at various locations throughout Manhattan with field visits provided by several local business improvement district (BID) leaders. 

Congratulations to the 2026 Emerging Leader Fellowship cohort! For more information about this year’s cohort, visit IDA’s website. Washington, DC-based IDA is the premier organization for urban place professionals who are shaping and activating dynamic city center districts. City Ave District is the urban place management organization representing the interests of property owners in Lower Merion and Philadelphia.            

About City Ave District
City Ave District is the catalyst for transformation and revitalization across this important regional corridor. We serve the entire District community from businesses and employees, to residents, students, visitors and more, providing programs and supplemental services that create a clean, safe and vibrant environment. City Ave District spans a 2.7 mile area from the City of Philadelphia to Lower Merion Township. For more information visit www.cityave.org.

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.