Up-and-Coming Legislators Graduate from Leadership Institute
Twenty-one freshman state representatives and senators graduated from the fourth Georgia Legislative Leadership Institute (GLLI) on September 25. GLLI, an offshoot of the Biennial Institute for Georgia Legislators, is a phased leadership development program that helps newer legislators develop skills in leadership, decision making, and policy analysis so that they can better serve their constituents and the citizens of Georgia. Candidates for GLLI are chosen by legislative leadership.
The Vinson Institute coordinates GLLI every two years in partnership with the General Assembly and financial support from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation. Since its inception in 2005, GLLI has enhanced the leadership skills of 91 legislators.
The curriculum focuses on characteristics vital to effective governance: personal leadership development, public policy process and analysis, ethical governance, political leadership, and advanced legislative processes.
The latest GLLI cohort met over two weekend sessions. Over the course of the sessions, the legislators engaged in a personal leadership assessment, then grappled with such topics as policy choices in the legislative process and collective problem solving and decision making. They also participated in workshops that help them identify the qualities necessary for effective legislative leadership and learned how to cultivate those qualities in themselves and others.
Members of the House and Senate leadership—Sen. Bill Cowsert, Rep. Terry England, Sen. Ed Harbison, and Rep. Billy Mitchell—presented the GLLI participants with their certificates.
2011 GLLI Graduates
Sen. John Albers, District 56
Rep. Paulette Rakestraw Braddock, District 19
Sen. Jason Carter, District 42
Rep. Josh Clark, District 98
Rep. Valerie Clark, District 104
Rep. Christian Coomer, District 14
Rep. Pamela Dickerson, District 95
Rep. Robert Dickey, District 136
Rep. Stacey Evans, District 40
Sen. Frank Ginn, District 47
Sen. Steve Gooch, District 51
Rep. Matt Hatchett, District 143
Rep. Susan Holmes, District 125
Rep. Rick Jasperse, District 12
Rep. Yasmin Neal, District 75
Rep. Lynne Riley, District 50
Rep. Jan Tankersley, District 158
Rep. Darlene Taylor, District 173
Rep. Ben Watson, District 163
Rep. Andy Welch, District 110
Rep. David Wilkerson, District 33
