The Archway Partnership, a unit of public service and outreach at the University of Georgia (UGA), is pleased to announce that Betsy McGriff will be the new Archway Professional in Grady County effective September 1, 2015. In her position, McGriff will serve as liaison between the community and the university as she works to connect higher education resources to locally identified issues and priorities. Her office will be located in City Hall in downtown Cairo.  McGriff succeeds Sharon Liggett who is now an Operations Coordinator with Archway and continues to hold Grady County in her portfolio.

Betsy McGriff joined the Archway Partnership in August 2013 as the Archway Professional in Candler County. A native of Bulloch County, Betsy holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, both from Georgia Southern University.  Betsy is a graduate of both Leadership Bulloch (2005) and the Georgia Academy for Economic Development (2006 & 2014).

“We are pleased that Betsy can continue her Archway service in Grady County,” remarked Archway Partnership Director Rob Gordon. “As the UGA faculty Archway Professional in Candler County for the past two years, Betsy has valuable experience that will enable her to lend immediate support to the Grady Archway Partnership’s efforts.”  In Candler County, Betsy facilitated community initiatives including adult and youth leadership development, city beautification, downtown revitalization, county-wide branding, health and wellness, recreation, and education.

Prior to joining the Archway Partnership, Betsy worked with Georgia Power in the Key Account Group where she assisted major industrial customers in managing energy costs and growth challenges. Concurrently, she served as Mayor of the Town of Register, where her term saw the implementation of the town’s first zoning ordinance, the implementation of a Council/Manager form of Government, and a renegotiation of the existing SPLOST agreement. Prior to that, she served as a Community Manager with the American Cancer Society where she focused on fundraising through Relay For Life events as well as community health education initiatives.

The Archway Partnership connects Georgia communities to the full range of higher education resources available at UGA to address critical community-identified needs. Partner communities have access to the knowledge, research and other resources available through the interactions between the communities and the university, while faculty and students are able to experience first-hand the opportunities and challenges facing the state. The community drives the process through an executive committee of community leaders and local organizations. The funding partners for the Grady County Archway Partnership include the City of Cairo, City of Whigham, Grady County, Grady County Schools, Archbold Medical Center/ Grady General Hospital, Bainbridge State College, Southern Regional Technical College, Thomas University, Cairo-Grady Chamber of Commerce, Grady County Joint Development Authority, Koyo Bearings, and UGA’s Office of Vice President for Public Service and Outreach.

For additional information about the Archway Partnership, go to:http://www.archwaypartnership.uga.edu/.