The Lowdown on Dossiers – Tips and Hints for Faculty Promotion

Leigh Elkins, Senior Public Service Associate, Carl Vinson Institute of Government

Leigh Elkins has served with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government (CVIOG) since 2012 as part of the Environmental Policy program. Elkins brings extensive knowledge in designing and implementing public engagement processes and helps communities blend natural resource planning with community and economic development opportunities. Prior to working with CVIOG, Elkins spent seven years with the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development where she managed the public input process for the Statewide Water Management Plan. Before coming to UGA, she worked in the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, where she established the WaterFirst Community Program. Elkins holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental analysis and policy from Boston University and a master’s in landscape architecture from UGA.

Danny Bivins, Senior Public Service Associate, Carl Vinson Institute of Government

Danny Bivins joined the Carl Vinson Institute of Government in 2012. As a senior public service associate, his work focuses on working with local governments utilizing an asset-based, community development approach. He also co-developed and manages the Georgia Downtown Renaissance Partnership, an initiative with partners including UGA, the Georgia Cities Foundation (GCF), the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) and the Lyndhurst Foundation. Bivins holds a master’s in historic preservation from UGA and previously worked at the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development for nearly a decade before joining the Institute of Government. Prior to joining the Fanning Institute, Bivins served as the program coordinator for the Georgia Historic Resource Survey Program “Find It,” where he helped initiate a joint venture between UGA, the Georgia Transmission Corporation and the State of Georgia’s Historic Preservation Division to document the state’s historic resources.

Lauren Healey, Associate Director and Senior Public Service Associate, J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development

Lauren Healey has more than two decades of experience in youth programming. As associate director for the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development, Healey specializes in designing, delivering and evaluating youth and multigenerational leadership programs for diverse audiences. Her areas of expertise include leadership curriculum development, teambuilding, youth leadership program development, leadership and personality assessments, and more. In her work, Healey also provides technical assistance to communities to help them meet their leadership goals. She has a successful background in the management of and collaboration with community agencies, advisory groups and volunteers to identify local needs. Healey holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Ph.D. in educational psychology from UGA.

Jennifer Ceska, Conservation Coordinator, State Botanical Garden of Georgia

Jennifer Ceska has served as the conservation coordinator for the State Botanical Garden of Georgia since 1995. She is also to thank for what is today the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance (GPCA). A graduate student at the time, Ceska took it upon herself to investigate how botanical gardens can promote conservation efforts. She consulted with other conservation colleagues across the U.S. to further explore how to develop such a network, and in 1995, the network was officially established. The GPCA’s founding partners include representatives from the State Botanical Garden, the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Callaway Gardens, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Forest Service and The Nature Conservatory. In her role, Ceska coordinates all conservation activities at the State Botanical Garden as well as the GPCA and Georgia Native Plant Initiative. A proud alumna, Ceska earned her master’s of horticulture conservation from UGA.

Keri Hobbs, Extension 4-H Specialist, UGA Cooperative Extension

Keri Hobbs began her career with UGA Extension in 2007 as the 4-H Agent for Sumter County. Today, she serves as the Extension 4-H Specialist for Volunteer Development. In her role, Hobbs works alongside county personnel to create and deliver resources for volunteer leadership and management. Hobbs is not only a proud alumna of the Turner County 4-H program, but also a proud UGA alumna, having received her bachelor’s degree in education. Additionally, she received her master’s in public administration from Valdosta State University. Prior to her time at UGA, Hobbs served as the Exhibit Interpreter Supervisor and later promoted to Volunteer Resources Manager at Zoo Atlanta. There, she managed hundreds of volunteers who donated over 25,000 hours annually. Hobbs also served with the Academy of Conservation Training, where she developed and delivered a volunteer training program at two locations in China to help them prepare for the Beijing Olympics.