Washington, DC, September 18 –– Following an eight-month search involving input from more than 1,400 business, political, and civic leaders, the Aspen Institute has identified Phoenix City Councilman Greg Stanton and State Representative Leah Landrum-Taylor as “true rising stars” of American politics.

The Aspen Institute selected 24 of the nation’s top young elected officials for a fellowship program honoring public leaders. Councilman Stanton, Representative Landrum-Taylor and the other 22 leaders were chosen from the ranks of federal, state, and local governments, representing 21 states. Together they form the second two-year class of the Aspen-Rodel Fellowships in Public Leadership. The program is designed to bring together the very best of the nation's emerging leaders to discuss broad issues of democratic governance and effective public service. Aspen Institute President Walter Isaacson said the Rodel Fellows "represent the best hope for America's future—upcoming leaders committed to working together for the common good."

Leah Landrum-Taylor is currently serving her fourth term as a member of the Arizona House of Representatives and is a member of the Environment and Ways and Means Committees. Representative Landrum-Taylor is the Arizona Caucus chair for the National Black Caucus of State Legislators and has previously served as Assistant Democratic Leader in the House. While serving in the Arizona Legislature, she has focused on uniting families through kinship foster care, making sure Arizonans have affordable housing options and working to make the environment safe for people who live near industrial areas. Representative Landrum-Taylor collaborates with faith communities to keep families together. She is an adjunct professor for Maricopa Community Colleges and senior advisor for the Arizona Children’s Association.

Greg Stanton is serving his sixth year as a Phoenix City Councilman. He is a strong advocate for education and has worked to improve K-12 partnerships and develop downtown Phoenix's new Arizona State University campus and University of Arizona Medical School. He served as lead councilman in the successful effort to make Phoenix the headquarters of the Translational Genomics Institute and International Genomics Consortium. Councilman Stanton was appointed by Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano to serve on a council charged with improving early childhood education in Arizona and ensuring that more students graduate from high school, succeed in college and are ready for the modern workforce. He is a leader in bringing diversity to the local economy, including higher wage jobs and a better educated workforce. The Councilman also heads the Valley's regional committee to address issues of homelessness.

Examples of other young leaders in the new class include Andre Bauer, Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina; Eric Garcetti, president of the Los Angeles City Council; Lisa Madigan, Attorney General of Illinois; and Vermont Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz

The Aspen Institute-Rodel Fellowships in Public Leadership seeks to enhance our democracy by identifying and bringing together the nation's most promising young political leaders to explore the underlying values and principles of western democracy, the relationship between individuals and their community and the responsibilities of public leadership. The fellowships support and inspire political leaders committed to sustaining the vision of a political system based on thoughtful and civil bipartisan dialogue and help the country's brightest young leaders achieve their fullest potential in public service.

For additional information concerning the Aspen Institute-Rodel Fellowships in Public Leadership, visit www.aspeninstitute.org/rodel.

The Aspen Institute, founded in 1950, is an international nonprofit dedicated to fostering enlightened leadership and open-minded dialogue. Through seminars, policy programs, conferences and leadership development initiatives, the Institute and its international partners seek to promote nonpartisan inquiry and an appreciation for timeless values. The Institute is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has campuses in Aspen, Colorado, and on the Wye River on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Its international network includes partner Aspen Institutes in Berlin, Rome, Lyon, Tokyo and New Delhi, and leadership programs in Africa and Central America.