GA Partnership for Excellence in Education names 2019-2020 Education Policy Fellowship Program class
19 Fellows to Invest Several Months Exploring Public Education
MEDIA CONTACT: Robert Gaines, rgaines@gpee.org, 404-223-2464
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August 5, 2019 –
The Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education has announced the names of its twelfth Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP) class members. The 19 selectees will spend nine months deepening their understanding of the policy process within the multifaceted context of education.
EPFP is a 16-state national program that provides leaders with the knowledge and networks to advance the core issues of education policy. Participating fellows increase their expertise needed to engage in the process of making tough policy decisions. The organizations and businesses they represent benefit from their enhanced expertise.
Georgia Partnership President, Dr. Steve Dolinger, noted that Georgia is one of the program’s greatest beneficiaries, as each new EPFP class expands and improves the state’s capacity to make sound, education policy decisions. Ultimately, the goal of EPFP is to “equip leaders across diverse sectors with the skills to improve educational access and opportunities for all students in Georgia and increase the chances of children and youth to succeed,” he explained.
“We’ve supported hundreds of fellows through this program over the last twelve years, many of whom have gone on to be leaders in Georgia’s education landscape, and there’s no doubt in my mind that it remains one of the most valuable leadership development experiences available in the state,” he added. “The quality of instruction and networking provides an unmatched opportunity to build professional educational policy expertise that will long-serve Georgia.”
EPFP Program Coordinator and Georgia Partnership Director of Communications, Dr. Robert Gaines, said, “EPFP is a tremendous value-add to Georgia’s ongoing efforts to establish itself as a national leader in education. As our state continues making great strides to improve its public education system, the Partnership’s aim is to prepare EPFP Fellows who are willing and able to contribute to the development of educational policy decisions in the years ahead.” In the end, Dr. Gaines stressed, “what motivates us to facilitate the program is ensuring the development of sound education policies that support our students’ success in both today’s classroom and tomorrow’s workforce.”
Participants will attend monthly colloquiums that will be led by education experts. These sessions will cover a variety of subjects such as “Political and Demographic Landscape of Georgia: Strategic Leadership in a Dynamic Policy Environment,” and “Why Public Education: How Does the U.S. Educational System Compare to that of Other Countries?” Fellows will also attend a national policy seminar in Washington, DC.
Program Funder: The Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education is grateful for the funding support of Wells Fargo and Alston & Bird.
2019-2020 Fellows
Greg Barrett
Project Manager
GEEARS
Nathifa Carmichael
Independent Consultant
EduCapital Solutions, LLC
Matthew Colvin
Executive Director of Economic Development
University System of Georgia
Kimberly Creagh
Program Manager of Teacher Dev. & Retention (Governor’s School Leadership Academy)
Governor’s Office of Student Achievement
John Denine
Executive Director
CASIE
Debra Faulk
VP, Senior Philanthropic Specialist
Wells Fargo
Annie Frazer
Executive Director
Montessori Partnership for Georgia
Allyson Gevertz
Board Member
DeKalb County School Board
Sabrina Gomez
STEM Education Strategist
STEM Next
Dihanne Hayes
Program Manager, Office of Innovation
Atlanta Public Schools
Niyoka Johnson
National Director, Teacher Dev. & Instructional Support
3DE Junior Achievement
Alicia McCartney
President
GACIS
Ramona Mills
Director of Communications
Professional Association of Georgia Educators
Kathaleena Monds
Professor & Director, Center for Educational Opportunity
Albany State University
Mary-Kate Starkel
Director of Development
redefinED atlanta
Phylicia Thompson
Institutional Assessment and Planning Analyst
Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School
Anona Walker
Director of Post-Secondary Partnerships
Achieve Atlanta
Princeton Williams
Outreach Senior Program Manager
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
Jamie Wilson
Chief HR Officer
Clayton County Public Schools