GeorgiaForward has selected 49 promising young leaders to serve the organization’s 2025 Young Gamechangers (YG) program. YG is a unique leadership action program hosted by GeorgiaForward, a non-profit organization administrated by the Georgia Municipal Association. Young Gamechangers brings professionals from across the state to work on the persistent challenges of one Georgia community.

In 2025, the City of Athens and Clarke County will host the Young Gamechangers. Local leaders have finalized their four “Challenge Questions” that the 2025 cohort will be charged to answer during the eight months they will spend focused on Athens, developing specific, actionable recommendations for the community. These questions focus on community impact, the town-gown relationship, economic disparity, and regional growth.

“Each year, our Young Gamechangers, through the energy and innovation of our state’s best minds, help improve our communities and strengthen our democracy,” said Amir Farokhi, chair of GeorgiaForward’s board of directors. “This year, we are excited and grateful to partner with Athens-Clarke County. Great ideas come from all over Georgia, and we cannot wait to see our Young Gamechangers in action.”

“Athens has always thrived on innovation and creative energy, so we are delighted to host the Young Gamechangers here in 2025. This is a group that I know will contribute enhanced vitality to Athens and the entire state of Georgia,” said Mayor Kelly Girtz of the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government. 

The 2025 cohort of Gamechangers will meet for the first time in Athens on April 23rd, and their work will culminate with a community presentation of their findings and recommendations on Thursday, November 6th. The Gamechangers are accomplished professionals aged 40 and under from across the state who wish to make an impact through civic engagement, economic development, and community partnerships. A third of the class is from the Athens-Clarke County area, another third is from the metro Atlanta region, and the remaining third are from greater Georgia. 

• Clayton Adams, Department of Early Care and Learning – Hull, GA

• Ashley Bailey, Georgia Municipal Association – Atlanta, GA

• Amanda Brown, Hart County Chamber of Commerce – Canon, GA

• Jeffrey Burke, University of Georgia, Archway Partnership – Athens, GA

• Taylor Cain, University of Georgia School of Medicine – Athens, GA

• Everett Easterling, Adobe – Smyrna, GA

• Jason Edwards, UGA J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development – Athens, GA

• David Elrod, Milestone Construction, LLC – Athens, GA

• Daniel Farr, Salesforce – Chamblee, GA

• Morgan Ferguson, Electric Cities of Georgia – Atlanta, GA

• Jordan Frank, Delta Air Lines – Atlanta, GA

• Brandon Gardner, Kaiser Permenante – Smyrna, GA

• Diriki Geuka, Townsend & Lockett, LLC – Atlanta, GA

• Danielle Hall, AmericasMart ANDMORE – Atlanta, GA

• Dennis Lamar Handy, The DL Handy Foundation, Inc. – Athens, GA

• Elyse Harris, Visit Athens, GA – Athens, GA

• Sarai Hitchcock, Columbus State University – Columbus, GA

• Jonathan James, University of West Georgia – Tallapoosa, GA

• Nicholas Joseph, Georgia Power - Locust Grove, GA

• Madison Krilla, Douglas County Parks and Recreation – Carrollton, GA

• Ferdinand (Nic) Laconico, University of Georgia – Athens, GA

• Emily Lasser, Georgia Tech Center for Economic Dev. Research - Peachtree Corners, GA

• Aundi Lesley, City of Canton – Canton, GA

• Savannah Lockman, Kennesaw State University – Marietta, GA

• Stephanie Mann, Athens Area Community Foundation – Winterville, GA

• Caitlin May, ACLU of Georgia – Athens, GA 

• Jon McBrayer, Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG) – Marietta, GA

• Demetrius McBride, Muscogee County School District – Midland, GA

• Ebonie Medious, LinkedIn – Decatur, GA

• Alison Melvin, The Classic Center – Athens, GA

• Callen Moore, Foothills Regional High School – Bogart, GA

• D.J. Myers, Ohio River South – Atlanta, GA

• Hue Nguyen, City of Morrow – Morrow, GA

• Michelle Nguyen, Historic Athens Welcome Center – Athens, GA

• Alexander Nikitin, Jackson Spalding – Athens, GA

• Reginald Rainge, City of Atlanta – Atlanta, GA

• Arica Ratcliff, Georgia Municipal Association - Powder Springs, GA

• Urie Register, Coastal Plain Area EOA – Valdosta, GA

• Todd Rice, AGN Tax & Accounting – Monroe, GA

• Michelle Roberts Kelterborn, Synovus Bank – Athens, GA

• Xavier Ross, City of Mableton – Mableton, GA

• Allison Shaw, UGA - Archway Partnership – Hull, GA

• Kasmira Smith, City of Valdosta – Adel, GA

• Brent Snodgrass, City of Newnan – Newnan, GA

• David Stahl, City of Port Wentworth – Guyton, GA

• Meredith Stinson, Georgia EMC – Atlanta, GA

• Cory-Lynn Thurston, Madison County Chamber of Commerce – Comer, GA

• Grace Tuschak, Go Georgia (formerly Georgia Bikes) – Athens, GA

• Kimberly Wilder, Davis, Chapman, and Wilder, LLC, Attorneys at Law – Augusta, GA

Previous Young Gamechangers Host Communities are Columbus-Muscogee County, Americus-Sumter County, Dublin-Laurens County, Douglasville-Douglas County, Augusta-Richmond County, LaGrange-Troup County, Milledgeville-Baldwin County, Albany-Dougherty County, Monroe-Walton County, Dalton-Whitfield County, Columbus-Muscogee County, and Valdosta-Lowndes County.