Sarah Adams, left, and Tommie Beth Willis, right, are among 14 members of South GeorgiaLEADS 2.0, a program that calls upon leaders from across the region to address a problem facing South Georgians.

MOULTRIE, Ga. — In most leadership programs, participants learn from experts, activists or political leaders about challenges facing the community, region or state then return to their usual jobs.

After five years of programs like that, South GeorgiaLEADS is turning the paradigm on its head.

The class that will gather for the first time Oct. 13-14 at Gin Creek near Hartsfield will include 14 previous graduates of South Georgia LEADS. Their mission: To solve a problem.

“We want to put into action what we’ve been teaching,” said Barbara Grogan, chairman of South GeorgiaLEADS.

Organizers are calling this South GeorgiaLEADS 2.0, or SGL2, to differentiate it from the traditional South GeorgiaLEADS program, which will return next year.

In SGL2, Grogan said, participants will “get into the weeds” of issues facing the South Georgia region, and they’re expected to craft a response to help solve one of those issues. Agencies will work to put this response into practice.

Participants will choose what issue they’re going to try to solve. It might be a shortage of health care workers, or food insecurity, or any of a number of other challenges that the region faces.

“South GeorgiaLEADS 2.0 is a culmination of seven years of dedicated commitment by leaders across South Georgia,” Grogan said. “As a group, we have formed an organization, board of directors, and graduated over 160 alumni, all with the purpose of enhancing the leadership capacity of our region to grow and thrive. We believe SGL2 will bring about solutions to regional topics, and I look forward to working with our 2021-2022 class members.” 

With continued investment from statewide and regional corporate sponsors and support from higher education partners at the University of Georgia’s J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development and the Center for South Georgia Regional Impact at Valdosta State University, South GeorgiaLEADS 2.0 is positioned to be a catalyst for change in the region, she said. 

Two Colquitt Countians are among the participants — Sarah Adams, Colquitt County facilitator for the University of Georgia’s Archway Project, and Tommie Beth Willis, president of the Moultrie-Colquitt County Chamber of Commerce. Other participants are from Dougherty, Lee, Lowndes, Sumter and Tift counties.

Sponsors of South GeorgiaLEADS 2.0 include: AT&T, Colony Bank, Electric Cities of Georgia, Fitzgerald Ben Hill Development Authority, Georgia CEO, Georgia Power Company, Leadership Worth, Locate South Georgia Foundation, Inc., One Sumter Economic Development Foundation, Inc., Sylvester-Worth County Chamber of Commerce, Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority, and Upland Wealth Advisors. 

Sharing his support for the new approach of using SGL alumni and the leadership skills already imparted to drill down and tackle the intractable issues of South Georgia, Fanning Institute Director Matt Bishop applauded the program’s efforts. 

“Communities and regions need leaders who can pivot and adapt to a changing environment,” said Bishop. “We are excited to build off of our already successful South Georgia LEADS program to develop a new curriculum and provide next-level leadership development for the region.” 

Dr. Richard A. Carvajal, president at Valdosta State University, shared his excitement for the program.

“Valdosta State University is in the business of creating future leaders, and we are very excited to see what this new class of alumni will accomplish with its new mission,” Carvajal said. “South GeorgiaLEADS and VSU are proud partners committed to the successful future of our region. Valdosta State remains dedicated to driving economic awareness, growth, and development in South Georgia. We look forward to working with this class to create lasting and impactful opportunities in our communities.” 

Georgia Power is South GeorgiaLEADS’ sustaining sponsor, and the company’s regional director in Valdosta, Joe Brownlee, graduated from the program earlier this year. Brownlee said he believes leveraging investment to meet shared objectives represents the greatest opportunity for the region’s success. 

“Georgia Power is committed to being a ‘Citizen Wherever We Serve’ and to utilizing the company’s resources to improve our communities,” Brownlee said. “This requires us to look at the issues facing our communities and determine how we can be a part of changing systemic issues. South GeorgiaLEADS has provided an excellent platform since 2016 to identify regional issues and prepare leaders with the collaborative knowledge, networks, and skills to address those issues. I look forward to seeing the solutions this group of alumni and the efforts of ‘Leads 2.0’ presents for our region and our future.” 

Daryl Ingram, senior vice president and chief external officer for Electric Cities of Georgia — which has been SGL’s presenting sponsor since its launch in 2016 — talks about the importance of grassroots leadership. 

“LEADS prioritizes sound leadership values and local stakeholder development resulting in economic prosperity across Georgia,” Ingram said. “The grassroots principles align with the Electric Cities of Georgia’s rich history of helping communities and we look forward to again supporting this year’s LEADS program as they work to support Southwest Georgia.”