Poe Named to National State Government Fellowship

Alabama Real Estate Commission Executive Director Dr. Vaughn T. Poe has been selected for the 2026 class of the Council of State Governments' Henry Toll Fellowship, a national leadership program for State officials.

Poe is one of 47 public servants chosen for this year's class. The group represents 32 States and U.S. territories and includes officials from the executive, legislative and judicial branches of State government.

The fellows will meet Aug. 21-25 in Lexington, Kentucky, for an intensive leadership program focused on communication, teamwork and decision-making.

“Being selected for the Henry Toll Fellowship is an incredible honor,” Poe said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to represent the Alabama Real Estate Commission and the State of Alabama on the national stage. I look forward to bringing new perspectives, ideas, and relationships back to Alabama that will strengthen the work we do on behalf of our consumers and real estate professionals.”

The fellowship is named for Henry Toll, a former Colorado State senator who founded the Council of State Governments. CSG launched the program in 1986, and more than 1,400 State officials have taken part since then.

The program draws officials from across the nation and across party lines. Alumni include Governors, Lieutenant Governors, Attorneys General, Secretaries of State, State Treasurers, legislative leaders and State Supreme Court Justices.

“The Toll Fellowship equips some of the nation’s most promising leaders with the relationships, perspectives and skills needed to bring people together, solve problems and strengthen public service,” CSG Executive Director and CEO David Adkins said. “CSG is honored to recognize this exceptional class and invest in their continued growth as leaders committed to serving their States and communities.”

Adkins, a former Kansas State senator, was himself a Henry Toll Fellow in 1993.

Poe brings decades of public service to the program. A retired U.S. Marine Corps officer, he has worked in all three branches of government during a public service career spanning more than three decades.

He served as the consumer-at-large member of the Alabama Real Estate Commission from 2017 to 2019 before becoming the agency's chief policy officer. He was named Executive Director in May 2020, replacing Pat Anderson.

Poe has also been active in Republican Party politics. He has served as a county chairman and district secretary-treasurer and currently chairs the Alabama Republican Party's 7th Congressional District organization while serving on the party's State Steering Committee.

His education includes a doctorate in information assurance, with a focus on cyber security, from the University of Fairfax. He also earned a master's degree in information technology management from Webster University and a bachelor's degree in management and computer information systems from Park University.

Poe's work outside State government spans agriculture, veterans' groups, cyber security and civic organizations. His affiliations have included the Alabama Farmers Federation, Alabama Cattlemen's Association, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, FBI InfraGard and the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials.

He also serves as co-chair of the West Alabama Veterans Action Board and as a supervisor with the Hale County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Poe and his wife, Rebekah, live in West Alabama, where they raise registered cattle and maintain a small collection of horses, chickens and household pets. His interests have ranged from farming and traditional English fox hunting to skydiving and ethical computer hacking.

The Henry Toll Fellowship class is selected through a competitive nomination and review process conducted by fellowship alumni. The program is designed to build working ties among State leaders who may come from different regions, political parties and branches of government.

The Council of State Governments, founded in 1933, works with officials from all three branches of State government and provides forums for policy work, leadership development and cooperation among States.