Epps Takes Place as New Institute Deputy Director
The Vinson Institute's Dennis Epps took on a new role and responsibilities at the Institute as deputy director on Friday, March 9 through an appointment by Director Laura Meadows. Epps has served as the Institute's associate director for the Government Services and Research (GSR) division since 2010 and will continue to provide leadership for the division's programs until a search identifies a replacement.
As deputy director, Epps will use the keen administrative skills he demonstrated in GSR to help all divisions of the Vinson Institute continue to grow their ability to reach out to governments across the state and internationally. The GSR division under Epps broadened and enriched its capabilities by expanding its existing offerings and developing innovative ways of serving state and local governments in Georgia. The division, which includes the expertise of local government, demographic, economic, environmental, and legal specialists, among others, helped solidify the Institute's reputation as the go-to organization for governmental assistance.
Epps and his division were involved in a number of key initiatives in the last year from the Office of the Governor and the General Assembly such as the GEFA Water Supply Task Force, the Georgia Competitiveness Initiative, and the Rural Development Council. Epps was also personally instrumental in facilitating the high-profile meetings of the governor's Health Insurance Exchange Advisory Committee, which examined Georgia's approach to the establishment of health insurance exchanges and made data-driven recommendations to the governor.
"We're so fortunate to have someone with Dennis's capabilities taking on the responsibilities of this key leadership role in the Institute," commented Director Meadows. "His broad set of skills, familiarity with government, and deep understanding of the state of Georgia have already made a huge difference here at the Vinson Institute and will continue to do so."
Epps has served in other outreach roles at the University of Georgia since arriving in 2003, and much of his career has focused on promoting economic development throughout Georgia by helping foster improvement in governance, collaboration among the various entities that lead local development, and local preparedness for growth and development. He was an economic development specialist at the Fanning Institute, and he played a lead role in launching the Archway Partnership with its pilot project in Moultrie and Colquitt County. He has been named a recipient of the 2012 Walter Bernard Hill Award for distinguished achievement in public service and outreach at UGA. Overall, he has more than 25 years of experience in helping governments become more effective through improving their operations and responsiveness to constituents and has worked with clientele from state, regional, and local governments; nonprofit organizations; and public-private partnerships.
