The University of Georgia continues to help nonprofit professionals from around Georgia sharpen their personal and organizational leadership skills through a long-standing leadership program.
Twenty-two nonprofit leaders attended the 2025 Executive Leadership Program for Nonprofit Organizations, held Jan. 12-17 at the UGA J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development.
“I wasn’t sure what to expect, but this was phenomenal,” said Luke Fletcher, vice president of recruitment, placement and retention at Construction Ready, a Georgia nonprofit organization which provides construction job training programs. “I didn’t just learn theory. The faculty gave me relevant skills like how to communicate uniquely with different areas of my organization and presented it in a way that I can implement it and replicate it with staff.”
The UGA Fanning Institute has led the program since 2007, developing nonprofit leaders both in Georgia and from around the nation.
“Nonprofit organizations play a huge role in helping to address community challenges,” said Julie Meehan, UGA Fanning Institute public service faculty member. “In turn, nonprofits require leaders equipped to not only guide operations but also foster community collaboration and look to the future.”
For one week each year, UGA Fanning Institute faculty along with experts from around the country work with participants on all facets of leading a nonprofit organization, from learning about one’s personal leadership style to nonprofit finance and problem solving.
“I really learned a lot about nonprofit finance and gained confidence in my ability to understand that topic,” said Sonia Robinson, executive director of Lowndes and Echols counties Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children in foster care in Georgia. “I received great instruction that I could understand, and I will take that confidence back to my organization.”
Through the Executive Leadership Program for Nonprofit Organizations, the UGA Fanning Institute covers both the technical and interpersonal leadership skills required in the nonprofit world. At the same time, the program connects participants to both each other and alumni.
“The nonprofit sector brings together leaders across backgrounds who all face unique challenges,” said Sayge Medlin, UGA Fanning Institute public service faculty. “Connecting nonprofit leaders through the Executive Leadership Program for Nonprofit Organizations allows participants to learn from each other during the program and after they graduate.”
Over the years, more than 300 nonprofit leaders from over 200 organizations have completed the program.
“I see that nonprofit leaders face many of the same challenges as I do,” said Jessica Blackrick, program director of Southeast Georgia CASA of Action Pact, Inc. “Attending this program helped me gain confidence in my abilities as a leader.”
2025 Executive Leadership Program for Nonprofit Organizations graduates are:
- Jessica Blackrick, Southeast Georgia CASA – Action Pact, Inc., Waycross
- Jamie Bormann, Crisis Line & Safe House of Central Georgia, Inc., Macon
- Mary Crawford, Girls on the Run South Georgia, Valdosta
- Windy Cruz, Center for the Visually Impaired, Atlanta
- Erica Davis-Woods, The Multi-Agency Alliance for Children (MAAC), Atlanta
- Prabodh Devkota, New American Pathways, Atlanta
- Lisa Dwyer, GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students, Atlanta
- Katheryne Fields, Georgia Rotary Student Program, Griffin
- Luke Fletcher, Construction Ready, Warner Robins
- Esteban Gonzalez, Atlanta Community Food Bank, Atlanta
- Chantal Hill, The Warrior Alliance, Atlanta
- Kimberly Hinton-Poole, NeighborWorks Columbus, Columbus
- Cynthia Jenkins, Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity, Jonesboro
- Kimberly Keegan, Ashton Hope Keegan Foundation, Inc., Watkinsville
- Kimberly King, The Sexual Assault Center of Northwest Georgia, Inc., Rome
- Amanda La Kier, JF&CS, Dunwoody
- Jackla Lawson, The Treehouse Children’s Advocacy Center, Thomasville
- Andrea Rivera, Avalon Action Alliance, Atlanta
- Sonia Robinson, CASA of Lowndes and Echols Counties, Inc., Valdosta
- Sharon Robinson, Wellstar Health System Foundation, Atlanta
- Chanteasea Swain, Camp Sunshine, Decatur
- Raymond Whitaker, Mission Roll Call, Sanford, N.C.
ELPNO Class of 2025
For more information on the Executive Leadership Program for Nonprofit Organizations, click here.