Strengthening Civic Infrastructure: New Board Leadership Signals National Issues Forums Institute’s Next Chapter

​The National Issues Forums Institute has announced new board leadership following its final Board of Directors meeting of 2025, electing Hollie Cost as Board Chair and Linda Seals as Vice-Chair. Both leaders bring deep experience in civic engagement, community-based problem-solving, and institutional leadership, shaped by careers spanning higher education, local government, and extension-based public service. Having served on the NIFI board through a period of growth and strategic renewal, Cost and Seals are positioned to provide continuity while advancing the organization’s mission to strengthen democratic practice through deliberation and action. Their election comes as NIFI expands national partnerships during the country’s 250th anniversary, signaling an emphasis on moving beyond dialogue toward measurable community impact while maintaining the organization’s long-standing commitment to nonpartisan, inclusive civic participation.

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The National Issues Forums Institute has announced new officer leadership following elections held at the Board of Directors' final meeting of 2025. Hollie Cost has been elected to serve as Board Chair, and Linda Seals has been elected as Vice-Chair, bringing combined expertise in civic leadership, community engagement, and institutional innovation to guide NIFI's strategic direction. Cost serves as Assistant Vice President for University Outreach and Public Service at Auburn University, where she develops partnerships between higher education and communities across Alabama and beyond. Her background includes teaching special education at the University of Montevallo and serving as a city council member and mayor of Montevallo, where she transformed traditional town halls into inclusive community deliberations. Her leadership reflects a longstanding commitment to democratic engagement and participatory governance grounded in deliberative practice.

Seals brings a practitioner's perspective as a Regional Specialized Agent with the University of Florida IFAS Extension, focusing on community-based education, engagement, and applied research. Her work emphasizes public-facing problem-solving and local decision-making processes that align with NIFI's commitment to inclusive participation. Both leaders have served on the NIFI Board through periods of organizational growth and transition, contributing to strategic planning, governance development, and programmatic expansion. Cost previously held the position of Vice-Chair before she was elected Chair, while Seals has helped navigate NIFI through strategic renewal during a time when civic infrastructure faces unprecedented challenges. Their combined institutional knowledge and dedication to nonpartisanship position them to advance NIFI's mission of equipping people to use deliberation for public problem-solving and community action.

The leadership transition comes as NIFI expands programming and national partnerships during the nation's 250th anniversary, a moment when democratic institutions require strengthening, and communities seek pathways for productive civic participation. Cost has emphasized moving NIFI's work beyond dialogue toward transformational community action, building on the legacy of visionaries including David Mathews, Betty Knighton, and Kara Dillard. Seals has highlighted the critical importance of fostering dialogue and participation during times when democracy feels fragile. For practitioners working to embed deliberative methods in educational and community settings, this leadership represents continuity in NIFI's commitment to evidence-based approaches while signaling evolution toward bolder civic engagement outcomes.

Learn more about NIFI's board leadership and strategic direction at https://nifi.org/nifi-board-of-directors-elects-new-officer-leadership/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email.