PSO In Action 1

Faculty from PSO units showcase projects across the state in the first session on “units in action.” Projects include Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s youth workforce development program in Brunswick —YoPro, for Young Professionals — which helps set underserved youth on local STEM career pathways; CyberArch and its work in rural Georgia with the Institute of Government; Small Business Development Center’s Digital Marketing Bootcamp program in 20 rural counties to help businesses expand their marketing reach beyond the local community; and the Fanning Institute for Leadership Development’s Innovations in Community Leadership Initiative.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Identify PSO projects across the state.

Presenters:

Kimberly Andrews, coastal ecology specialist, Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant
Kimberly is a faculty member at Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant in Brunswick where she manages the Coastal Ecology Lab. She officially joined Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant in 2020 but has been working on the Georgia coast since 2011. She conducts ecological research on how landscape changes affect habitats, wildlife and people, and engages communities in understanding these environmental impacts. She facilitates conflict resolution with stakeholders by integrating results into recommendations for infrastructure designs, industry operations and development plans.
Mark Lupo, senior public service associate, Carl Vinson Institute of Government
Mark serves as the coordinator for the UGA CyberArch program. Prior to his current position, Mark served as the resilience specialist with the Small Business Development Center and has been with UGA for over 17 years. He currently leads a team of 24 student interns in creating and developing the CyberArch program. Mark specializes in assisting students and organizations to strengthen their cybersecurity posture and in helping prepare students for future cybersecurity careers.
Brittany Adams-Pope, public service associate, J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development
Brittany works within the youth development practice group and assists the institute’s other practice groups as needed. Her expertise includes developing leadership programs focused on authentic, transformational and servant leadership. She has worked with a wide variety of populations and strives to create unique leadership programs for all ages. In addition, she is a certified Equine-Assisted Facilitator in the up-and-coming field of equine-assisted coaching and facilitation.
Matt Bishop, director, J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development
Matt guides the institute’s strategic direction and programmatic operations to fulfill its mission to strengthen communities, organizations, and individuals through leadership development. With an extensive background in leadership, community economic development, community visioning, strategic planning, and group facilitation processes, he leads the institute’s efforts to design and deliver leadership programs that focus on community, nonprofit and youth audiences.
Robbie Parks, business consultant, Small Business Development Center
Robbie is passionate about teaching entrepreneurs how to plan, launch, manage, and grow their businesses. Her areas of expertise include marketing, communications, graphic design, brand design and management, process analysis, CRM implementation and administration, SEO, and information technology.