The Leadership MAX Class of 2026 took their learning on the road for Kia Georgia Day, presented by Amazon, an immersive field experience connecting leadership, workforce development, education, economic development, and the needs of major employers. Special thanks to Kristin Laarhoven, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Workforce Development, Technical College System of Georgia, for serving as board lead for the day, and to Meghan Richardson, Director of Economic Development for the City of West Point, for her partnership in planning the day. We are also grateful to Samir Abdullahi, Director of Select Fulton, for sponsoring the field trip.
The day began with greetings from Leadership MAX Class of 2026 program chair Jenny Taylor, Chief Mission Officer and Vice President of Career Services at Goodwill of North Georgia, on behalf of herself and fellow program chair Laarhoven, as class members gathered at the bus shuttle to begin the trip. Our sincere appreciation to Kevin Kirby, Campus Events and Conference Center Manager with Atlanta Metropolitan State College, for providing parking spaces for those joining the trip.
The first stop on the tour was with Stuart Countess, president and CEO of Kia Georgia and chair of the State Workforce Development Board, who presented to the Class of 2026 on how Kia is achieving record results by empowering and trusting its workforce. Cohort members then toured Kia Georgia facilities, followed by guided tours with Kia suppliers Hyundai Mobis and Hyundai Transys Georgia Powertrain. During lunch, Jeff Lukken, Director of the Wilkinson Family Servant Scholars Program and Assistant Professor at LaGrange College and former Mayor of the City of LaGrange, shared how local leaders worked together to support Kia Georgia’s arrival and offered leadership lessons from his many years of experience serving as mayor of LaGrange.
The experience also placed Kia Georgia within the broader story of community and economic transformation in the region through conversations with the following regional leaders.
- Nicki Barradas, Assistant Manager/Human Resources, Hyundai Transys Georgia Powertrain
- Dr. Stacy Bartlett, President, Point University
- Dr. Susanna Baxter, President, LaGrange College
- Andy Camp, Regional Economic Development Manager, West Georgia, Georgia Power
- Laurie James, Senior Director, Human Resources, Duracell (North America)
- Dr. Jennifer Pike, CTAE Director, Troup County Schools
- Dr. Julie Post, President, West Georgia Technical College
The day concluded with Richardson sharing the West Point transformation story, bringing the experience full circle. Together, the day’s conversations highlighted lessons in leadership, partnership, talent development, and the powerful role cross-sector collaboration can play in transforming communities and preparing regions for long-term economic opportunity.
Our deepest gratitude goes to each of these leaders for taking the time to invest in our class members. As always, we are grateful to our program chairs and partners for coming together to create another meaningful and unforgettable learning experience.
Last but not least, a special shout-out to Amazon for serving as our presenting sponsor and Goodwill of North Georgia for serving as our program sponsor. We are incredibly grateful to our sponsors in making our Leadership MAX experience possible.
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Leadership MAX provides an exciting opportunity for workforce developers to grow within the workforce development community and develop into a community of peer leaders who will solve problems together in the years to come. Designed especially for developing leaders in the workforce development field, this cohort-based leadership development program is as an extension and evolution of our commitment to provide high-quality professional development and network-building opportunities for our members. Click here to learn more.
