GA Partnership for Excellence in Education names 2020-2021 Education Policy Fellowship Program class
20 Fellows to Invest Several Months Exploring Public Education
MEDIA CONTACT: Robert Gaines, rgaines@gpee.org, 404-223-2464
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August 5, 2020 –
The Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education has announced the names of its thirteenth Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP) class members. The 20 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 since its inception, the program has been an invaluable asset to Georgia, with each new EPFP class enhancing 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 over two hundred fellows through this program over the last thirteen years, and many of them have become influential leaders in Georgia’s education landscape. Given the looming uncertainty within our public schools due to COVID-19 and the increasing need for strong leaders supporting education, I’m even more convinced that EPFP is one of the most powerful 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, echoed Dr. Dolinger’s sentiments. “EPFP has played a critical role for years in advancing Georgia’s ongoing efforts to establish itself as a national leader in education. Now, as our state grapples with the challenge of educating students in the midst of a pandemic, the Partnership’s aim is to prepare EPFP Fellows who can not only advocate for good policies, but who can also be agile and innovative in their approach to addressing both immediate and long-term needs in education.” In the end, Dr. Gaines stressed, “what drives 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, health, and policy 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?”.
Founded in 1992 by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Economic Developers Association, the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education consists of business, education, community and government leaders who share a vision of education excellence. Working to be Georgia’s foremost change agent in education, the independent non-profit, non-partisan organization takes lead roles in efforts to shape policy and reform education.
Program Funder: The Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education is grateful for the funding support of Wells Fargo and Alston & Bird.
2020-2021 Fellows
Hallie Angelella
Naserian Foundation Early Childhood Program Mgr.
Alliance Theatre
Jennifer Anthony
Assistant Principal
Cobb County Schools
Leri Argueta
Assistant Director for Enrollment Diversity
University of North Georgia
Bernadette Ball-Oliver
Executive Director of High Schools
Savannah-Chatham County Board of Education
Alicia Brandon
Corporate Social Responsibility Leader
IBM
Jess Burke
Program Coordinator
Georgia Humanities
Katie Grogan
Sr. Research Associate
WestEd
Avery Hart
Economic Development Project Manager
University System of Georgia
Clay Hunter
Assistant Superintendent
Gwinnett County Public Schools
Kim Karacalidis
Director of Strategy & Operations
Relay Graduate School of Education
Shafiqua Little
Data Analyst
Learn 4 Life
Angela Moton
Assistant Superintendent
Barrow County Schools
Michele Neely
President
State Charter School Foundation
Lisa Olens
Education Manager
Georgia Power
Kerry Pritchard
Manager
Policy, Flexibility & External Affairs
Georgia Department of Education
Brandy Reeves
Sr. Director of Alumni Programming
New Leaders
Jody Reeves
Executive Director
Georgia ACTE
Laura Register
Founder & President
LBR Consulting
Aarti Sharma
VP of New School Development
Georgia Charter Schools Association
Terra Walker
Principal
KIPP Vision