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For more than 80 years, the Vinson Institute has worked with public officials throughout Georgia and around the world to improve governance and people's lives. From Georgia's early days as a largely agrarian state with a modest population to its modern-day status as a national and international force in business, industry, and politics with a population of almost 10 million, the Institute has helped government leaders navigate change and forge strong directions for a better Georgia.
In the Spotlight > Vinson Institute's Blount-Clark Awarded for Perseverance in Support of Children and Families

Vinson Institute's Blount-Clark Awarded for Perseverance in Support of Children and Families

Posted November 23, 2009
Contact: Courtney Yarbrough, cryarb@uga.edu; 706.542.6221

The Vinson Institute is proud to announce that Juanita Blount-Clark, an adjunct faculty member at CVIOG, was presented with the 2009 Jo Cato Perseverance Award for Grassroots Leadership at the Georgia Association on Young Children annual conference on October 9. This prestigious honor recognizes her career of working on behalf of children and families both in Georgia and nationwide.

In addition to a commitment to supporting children and families, recipients of the Jo Cato Perseverance Award must have provided more than 10 years of service with measurable impact and demonstrated a strong voice and work ethic, a dedication to lifelong learning, and a commitment to diversity. Blount-Clark is pictured here accepting her award to the right of GAYC president, Dr. Hilda Tompkins.

Blount-Clark arrived at the Institute in 2003. She coordinates and serves as a technical advisor on projects for the Institute's Child and Family Policy Initiative (CFPI). She often acts as liaison for CFPI to state agencies, particularly, the Division of Family and Children Services and Bright from the Start. Increasingly, she builds connections with leaders in federal agencies as well.

Prior to joining the Institute, Blount-Clark served 25 years as a public servant in Georgia state government. She was the director of the Offices of Human Resource Development and Personnel and Minority Health within the Division of Public Health. She coordinated strategic planning and collaborative development for comprehensive community building initiatives under Governors Zell Miller and Roy Barnes.

Blount-Clark has now taken her work to the national level through the Strengthening Families National Network. She has provided technical assistance and leadership as states work toward improving childcare and early learning systems. Most recently, she was asked to serve on an advisory panel with Kathleen Sebelius, the newly appointed Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, in Washington, DC.

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