Atlanta – Registration is now open online at http://tinyurl.com/7ldaqnk for the Georgia Public Policy Foundation’s first event of 2012. Celebrating National School Choice Week, “Breaking Down Barriers to High Quality Education in Georgia” is the topic of the Leadership Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 25, at Cobb County’s Georgian Club.
The panel discussion features Lisa Kelly, president of the Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program; Dean Alford, president and chief executive officer of Allied Energy Services, and Lisa Gillis, president of Integrated Educational Strategies.
Dean Alford , a former five-term Georgia state representative, is President and CEO of Allied Energy Services and chairman of the board of directors of the Technical College System of Georgia. From 2003 to 2006, he was a member of Georgia’s State Board of Education. In 2004, Gov. Sonny Perdue asked him to chair the Governor’s Education Finance Task Force. He has served on the Advisory Board of Georgia Perimeter College’s Rockdale Campus and is on the Board of Trustees for Luther Rice University and the Woodward Academy Upper School Standing Committee. He was also responsible for the partnership between Georgia Tech and the Rockdale County School System in the creation of the Rockdale Math, Science and Technology Magnet School and is a member of their advisory board. In 2005, Alford was inducted into the National Commission for Cooperative Education Hall of Fame. Alford, who earned his Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech, serves on several boards at Georgia Tech and was recipient of the Dean Griffin Award for Community Service in 2001.
Lisa Gillis is project lead of the Digital Learning Council (co-chaired by Gov. Bush of Florida and Gov. Wise of West Virginia) and worked with the nation’s top innovators to design the Digital Learning Now roadmap writing the “constitution” for the digital revolution. A longtime educator, reformer and advocate, she has held key positions from the local to national levels ranging from classroom teacher to virtual school administrator, charter school developer, board member and parent. Gillis co-authored, “Virtual Schooling: A Guide to Optimizing Your Child’s Education” (Macmillan, 2009), and co-wrote the 2009 and 2010 iNACOL “Keeping Pace” reports. In addition, Gillis was chosen to serve on a team of five leaders to design the “How To Start An Online Program” Web site launched through iNACOL in September 2010. Passionate about school choice, Gillis believes that creating opportunities for children to succeed is an international civil rights issue. She is committed to the advancement of online and blended programs and educational environments where students will no longer be wedged into a “one size fits all” system or forced to attend school where they live. (http://.fromvisiontoreality.org)
Lisa Kelly is president of Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program, Inc., the state’s leading student scholarship organization. GOAL awarded 77 scholarships from $292,856 in donations in the first year of the program, 2008-009. In 2011-2012, GOAL awarded 2,354 scholarships based on $8.7 million in donations. The average gross income of families of recipients was $25,908. (www.goalscholarship.org)
The event will cost $25 to attend. Register by Monday, January 23, at http://tinyurl.com/7ldaqnk . Media interested in attending please contact Benita Dodd at or 404-256-4050 . (Difficulty registering? Contact Benita Dodd.)
Who: Dean Alford, Lisa Gillis, Lisa Kelly
What: “Breaking Down Barriers to High Quality Education in Georgia,” a Leadership Breakfast
When: 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Where: The Georgian Club, 100 Galleria Parkway, Suite 1700, Atlanta, GA 30339
Directions: http://tinyurl.com/4cf9yy2
About the Georgia Public Policy Foundation: The Foundation, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2011, is an independent, state-based think tank that proposes practical, market-oriented approaches to public policy to improve the lives of Georgians. The Foundation’s regular events include Leadership Breakfasts and Policy Briefing Luncheons. Weekly publications are the Friday Facts and Friday Idea commentaries. Visit our Web site at www.georgiapolicy.org . Join The Forum at http://forum.georgiapolicy.org/ . Become a fan of the Foundation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/gppf .
Atlanta – Registration is now open online at http://tinyurl.com/7ldaqnk for the Georgia Public Policy Foundation’s first event of 2012. Celebrating National School Choice Week, “Breaking Down Barriers to High Quality Education in Georgia” is the topic of the Leadership Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 25, at Cobb County’s Georgian Club.
The panel discussion features Lisa Kelly, president of the Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program; Dean Alford, president and chief executive officer of Allied Energy Services, and Lisa Gillis, president of Integrated Educational Strategies.
Dean Alford , a former five-term Georgia state representative, is President and CEO of Allied Energy Services and chairman of the board of directors of the Technical College System of Georgia. From 2003 to 2006, he was a member of Georgia’s State Board of Education. In 2004, Gov. Sonny Perdue asked him to chair the Governor’s Education Finance Task Force. He has served on the Advisory Board of Georgia Perimeter College’s Rockdale Campus and is on the Board of Trustees for Luther Rice University and the Woodward Academy Upper School Standing Committee. He was also responsible for the partnership between Georgia Tech and the Rockdale County School System in the creation of the Rockdale Math, Science and Technology Magnet School and is a member of their advisory board. In 2005, Alford was inducted into the National Commission for Cooperative Education Hall of Fame. Alford, who earned his Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech, serves on several boards at Georgia Tech and was recipient of the Dean Griffin Award for Community Service in 2001.
Lisa Gillis is project lead of the Digital Learning Council (co-chaired by Gov. Bush of Florida and Gov. Wise of West Virginia) and worked with the nation’s top innovators to design the Digital Learning Now roadmap writing the “constitution” for the digital revolution. A longtime educator, reformer and advocate, she has held key positions from the local to national levels ranging from classroom teacher to virtual school administrator, charter school developer, board member and parent. Gillis co-authored, “Virtual Schooling: A Guide to Optimizing Your Child’s Education” (Macmillan, 2009), and co-wrote the 2009 and 2010 iNACOL “Keeping Pace” reports. In addition, Gillis was chosen to serve on a team of five leaders to design the “How To Start An Online Program” Web site launched through iNACOL in September 2010. Passionate about school choice, Gillis believes that creating opportunities for children to succeed is an international civil rights issue. She is committed to the advancement of online and blended programs and educational environments where students will no longer be wedged into a “one size fits all” system or forced to attend school where they live. (http://.fromvisiontoreality.org)
Lisa Kelly is president of Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program, Inc., the state’s leading student scholarship organization. GOAL awarded 77 scholarships from $292,856 in donations in the first year of the program, 2008-009. In 2011-2012, GOAL awarded 2,354 scholarships based on $8.7 million in donations. The average gross income of families of recipients was $25,908. (www.goalscholarship.org)
The event will cost $25 to attend. Register by Monday, January 23, at http://tinyurl.com/7ldaqnk . Media interested in attending please contact Benita Dodd at or 404-256-4050 . (Difficulty registering? Contact Benita Dodd.)
Who: Dean Alford, Lisa Gillis, Lisa Kelly
What: “Breaking Down Barriers to High Quality Education in Georgia,” a Leadership Breakfast
When: 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Where: The Georgian Club, 100 Galleria Parkway, Suite 1700, Atlanta, GA 30339
Directions: http://tinyurl.com/4cf9yy2
About the Georgia Public Policy Foundation: The Foundation, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2011, is an independent, state-based think tank that proposes practical, market-oriented approaches to public policy to improve the lives of Georgians. The Foundation’s regular events include Leadership Breakfasts and Policy Briefing Luncheons. Weekly publications are the Friday Facts and Friday Idea commentaries. Visit our Web site at www.georgiapolicy.org . Join The Forum at http://forum.georgiapolicy.org/ . Become a fan of the Foundation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/gppf .