The J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development is partnering with Archway in Grady County to develop a leadership tool that can be used locally.
A group of local volunteers held its first meeting with facilitators from Fanning to begin exploring the topic Friday. The facilitators conducted various exercises to encourage thoughtful discussion and discover helpful information about the community during the three-hour work session.
Local members of the committee include Pamela Grigg, director of Roddenbery Memorial Library; Charles Davis, president of Capital City Bank Group; Camelia Portillo, paralegal with Ferguson Law Firm and LULAC Chapter organizer; Marty Davis, continuing education coordinator with Bainbridge State College; Matt Sanders, Edward Jones Financial Planning Services and president of the Chamber of Commerce; David McCurry, principal of Cairo HighSchool; Dr. Chantrell Bruton, teacher at Southside Elementary School; Dr. Zerrick Clinton, art teacher at Cairo High School; Dr. Paul Wilkens, professor of management at Thomas University; and Mesha Wind with The Cairo Messenger and Archway Partnership Executive Committee Chair.
The facilitators included Louise Hill, who has been with the UGA Fanning Institute since 2003. According to information from Fanning, Hill’s primary work includes program design, curriculum development and teaching with a focus on adult leadership education.
A former board member of Leadership Georgia she received the 1994 Kerr Award for her active support of Leadership Georgia and the 2005 Leadership Georgia Threadgill Award recognizing her community service. She has served as president of the alumni association for both the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
Hill earned an associate’s degree from ABAC and a bachelor’s and master’s degree from UGA.
Raye Rawls, an attorney, arbitrator and mediator, holds a master’s degree in human resources.
She joined Fanning in 2004. Rawls, according to Fanning, has mediated and arbitrated thousands of cases in government institutions, court systems, corporations and private parties. She has also traveled around the country teaching courses on mediation, conflict management and other similar topics.
She earned her J.D. degree from Georgia State University and was an administrative law judge in Georgia and a former assistant dean of the Georgia State University College of Law.
The third facilitator is Brandy Walker who was looking forward to earning her doctorate degree from UGA.