Georgia Partnership Selects 2020-2021 Education Policy Fellowship Program Class

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