Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership welcomes 33 local changemakers to its Class of ‘23
The Class of 2023 will visit Dawsonville, Albany, Columbus, Coastal Georgia and Serenbe. (Photo courtesy of the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership.)
By Hannah E. Jones
On Friday, March 10, the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership (IGEL) announced its Class of 2023 — 33 leaders from academia, industry, advocacy, government from around the state. Through this nine-month program, the newest slate of participants will engage in an immersive, nonpartisan environmental education and leadership development experience.
IGEL’s program is a hands-on experience that includes five, four-day sessions that will allow the local leaders to deepen their knowledge and strengthen the skills needed to address Georgia’s top environmental challenges.
IGEL’s program follows three core values:
- Fostering a deeper understanding of Georgia’s environmental issues
- Providing a forum for participants to explore each other’s views and motivations
- Engaging participants in key aspects of leadership, including creative problem-solving, conflict resolution, communication and trust building.
Class of 2022 on a bike tour in Columbus, Ga. (Photo courtesy of the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership.)
The 2023 class will travel to five locations — Dawsonville, Albany, Columbus, Coastal Georgia and Serenbe — to meet with stakeholders and learn more about Georgia-specific issues through a combination of classroom and hands-on, experiential learning.
The new class will also participate in peer coaching groups, meet with expert speakers and panelists and join experiential sessions to practice new skills.
“In an era in which leaders are starved for time and struggle with dialogue, IGEL has cultivated a culture of candor, collaboration, curiosity, and empathy,” Howard Lalli, IGEL Board Chair and member of the 2006 IGEL class, wrote in a release. “We create a brave space to have meaningful conversations and form relationships, and we serve as the connective tissue across the range of sectors focused on Georgia’s natural resources.”
The 2023 class includes:
- Blair Beasley, Ray C. Anderson Foundation
- Alex Bradford, Georgia Farm Bureau
- Allison Bridges, Georgia Tech
- Randy Butterfield, King and Spalding LLP
- Dion Davis, Jekyll Island Foundation
- Michael Diaz, Arcadis
- Puneet Dwivedi, University of Georgia
- Troy Harris, Jamestown
- Scott Hendricks, Georgia Power
- Maurice L. Horsey IV, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Region 4
- Debra Lane, Rayonier Advanced Materials
- Odetta MacLeish-White, Center for Community Progress
- James Marlow, Southface Energy Institute
- Jumana Master, Delta Air Lines
- Robin McLachlan, College of Coastal Georgia
- Celine Benoit, Atlanta Regional Commission
- Joe Montgomery, Retired, Darlington School
- Hannah Palmer, Finding the Flint
- Abbey Patterson, AMP Consulting Services
- John Peebles, Columbus Water Works
- Taylor Pool, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Hattie Portis-Jones, City of Fairburn
- Polly Sattler, Partnership for Inclusive Innovation
- Aimee Skrzekut, Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance
- Rachael Sulkers, Hodges, Harbin, Newberry and Tribble
- Shane Totten, Mannington Mills, Inc.
- R. Jessica Turner, GEI Consultants
- Rachel Usher, Southeast Sustainability Directors Network
- Will Wagner, Georgia Department of Natural Resources
- Kris Waters, Cox Enterprises
- Andrew White, Park Pride
- Patricia Yager, University of Georgia
- Thatcher Young, Velo Solar
It brings me to the beautiful experience in the past.Report