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About SERDI

History

SERDI is a professional development association for executive directors and senior staff of the regional councils serving Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

SERDI was originally conceived in 1982 as an informal twice-a-year get together of regional council executive directors in the Federal Region IV (Atlanta Region) to discuss similar issues, concerns, and opportunities. Formalization took place in 1987, when the University of Georgia, through its public service program, became the secretariat for what became known as SERDI. Over the next several years, SERDI organized and conducted an annual professional development conference. Virginia joined in 1988, Arkansas in 1990, and Maryland in 2006. In 1995, SERDI expanded its mission to include a work program and developed the voluntary Council Assessment program. This program is a very popular tool, helping many councils develop strategies to position themselves in leading roles in enhancing their regions.

The Council of Peers and Staff

SERDI is governed by the Council of Peers: three executive directors from each of the ten states and three at-large members. The three at-large members are senior staff of a regional council and are nominated by the executive directors of their respective states. The Council of Peers contracts with The University of Georgia's Fanning Institute for staffing services. SERDI staff are faculty members at both the Fanning Institute and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, with experience in regional governance, law, and regional planning.

The Council of Peers meets twice annually: at their Fall Planning Meeting and at the professional development conference. The Fall Planning Meeting is held to develop the SERDI work program for the year and to develop the agenda for the next professional development conference.

Funding

SERDI is funded primarily by membership dues paid by participating regional councils and the registration fee for the annual professional development conference. Additional funding is provided by the contract fee for the council assessment program and technical assistance to state associations and individual member councils.