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Partnership for Inclusive Innovation

Innovation, Opportunity and Shared Economic Success

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About

The Partnership for Inclusive Innovation is a public-private partnership that launched in 2020 to lead coordinated, statewide efforts to position Georgia as the Technology Capital of the East Coast.
Under the leadership of Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, board chair G.P. Bud Peterson and executive director Debra Lam, the organization guides efforts and pilot programs to help foster access, growth, entrepreneurship and innovation throughout the state, with the ultimate goal of achieving inclusive innovation throughout Georgia. The organization aspires to define Georgia’s entrepreneurial identity as a national leader in technology research, development and implementation.

State of Innovation

Georgia is a kaleidoscope of people, passions and products.

We have grit and creativity. We make movies, music and mechatronics. We are manufacturers, farmers, automakers, researchers, healthcare providers, aerospace engineers, educators and cyber experts. We are innovators. Watch us in action.

A collaborative, committed and inventive spirit pushes Georgia forward.

Dedicated Georgians want to work together to make a lasting impact, disrupt the status quo and create what’s next. And along their innovation journey, the state’s creators and makers have access to a vast array of assets, resources and opportunities.

Slide Industry Clusters Georgia's vibrant industry clusters span from agriculture and manufacturing to technology.

Slide Innovation Assets From incubators and entrepreneurial-degree programs to venture capital-backed startups, Georgia is home to a flourishing innovation scene. Explore More Here

Slide Recipe for Success "Georgia has all the key ingredients to be the leading tech and innovation hub on the East Coast, including world-class research universities, corporate innovation centers, a critical mass of startup activity and experienced talent to build on."

Blake Patton, Tech Square Ventures, Managing Partner

Success Stories

Georgia’s innovation story is written by dreamers and makers.

Here in Georgia, innovation knows no bounds – from advancements in precision agriculture to the launch of successful tech startups. Keep reading to learn more about how committed Georgians are shaking-it-up in the name of innovation.

Slide Harvesting Technology Since the late 1700s, the Paulks have sowed their souls into South Georgia. Today, sixth generation farmer Chris Paulk is carrying his family legacy forward as chief innovator, driving vertical integration and new product development for the mighty muscadine. Read the Full Story Here

Slide Cool Coding & Coworking Innovation ecosystems thrive when people convene to explore what’s possible. An architect by training, Eric Parker built a clubhouse like none you’ve ever imagined – a space that brings together people, cities and companies to fuel learning, big ideas and collaboration. Read the Full Story Here

Slide Doing Right by Doing Good Public innovation opens doors to solve some of the biggest challenges in society. A social worker turned social entrepreneur with an eye for disruptive technology did just that. Thea Ramirez embarked on a journey to transform the child welfare system. Read the Full Story Here

Innovation Challenge

We are committed to expanding access to innovation and opportunity so all Georgians can reach their full potential.

When one grows, we all grow. To achieve sustainable, inclusive innovation, Georgia must leverage resources in entrepreneurship and technology with a focus on under-served communities. A commitment to enhanced connectivity, talent retention and development, and access to capital will set us on a path of prosperity for all.

Slide Untapped Potential Awaits “We have yet to tap our full potential for growth. We can continue to position communities throughout Georgia for success by pairing them with the businesses and industries that can best leverage the unique skills and resources they have to offer. That starts with removing any obstacles standing in the way of growth. Ensuring we have the best policies, practices and processes in place is fundamental to spurring innovation in all communities across our state.”

Paul Bowers, Georgia Power Chairman, President & CEO

Innovation Roadmap

Big ideas lead the way for incredible impact.

The proposed recommendations provide a roadmap for future investments in Georgia’s innovation ecosystem. These big ideas will provide an essential foundation to enable all Georgians to participate, transform access and modes of innovating, and sustain our innovation economy for Georgia’s future generations.

Slide Foundational Recommendations Access to essential innovation building blocks, like connectivity and education.

arrow_rightEvery Georgian Connected
arrow_rightDigital Readiness in K-12 Education
arrow_rightPublic Open Data Platform
arrow_rightHealthcare Data Access for All

Slide Transformational Recommendations Engagement of a new generation of diverse entrepreneurs to catalyze growth and create a uniquely Georgian style and mode of innovation.

arrow_rightIntegrative Precision Agriculture Investments
arrow_rightFood Systems Advancements
arrow_rightVenture Capital Recruitment
arrow_rightTechnology Transfer and Commercialization
arrow_rightStatewide Entrepreneurial Support
arrow_rightVirtual Interactive Hub
arrow_right“Change the Narrative” Campaign

Slide Sustaining Recommendations Investment in strategic partnerships to ensure access to innovation opportunities for future generations.

arrow_rightLeadership and Funding Policy Equity
arrow_rightGrowth in Access to Early-Stage Capital
arrow_rightDevelopment of Innovation Mesh Network

Georgia Innovates Taskforce

Georgia’s future innovation story layers existing assets with new investments.

Launched in February 2020 by Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan, the Georgia Innovates Taskforce developed a statewide plan to engage Georgia’s existing innovation clusters while also creating new opportunities for equitable inclusion and technology acceleration.

More than 100 Georgians teamed up to advance a common vision.

A dozen Georgia business leaders and entrepreneurs came together to forge a plan to establish Georgia’s entrepreneurial identity as the Technology Capital of the East Coast, leading more than 100 Georgians across 11 subcommittees and working groups to develop actionable, sustainable and viable recommendations.

More than 170 recommendations were initially submitted, with an overarching goal to amplify and broaden access to the state’s innovation assets – emerging as a more innovative and prosperous Georgia for all citizens. Some of the recommendations and pilot programs, like Georgia Smart Cities, are already underway.

View the executive summary from the Georgia Innovates Taskforce presentation on July 20, 2020, for more on the research, discovery and review phases of the project.

View the full infographic.

Slide Guiding Principles Connectedness: Scale and magnify innovation by creating networks of access and opportunity

Talent: Nurture homegrown and attract world-class talent to fully unlock unmatched innovation potential

Diversity: Guarantee under-served Georgians' equitable access to resources and opportunities, particularly for underserved Georgians in rural and minority communities

Sustainability: Ensure future generations have the tools they need to continuously innovate

Identify: Leverage Georgia's distinct entrepreneurial successes and flair


Advisory Board

The Partnership for Inclusive Innovation will be guided by a board of established leaders throughout Georgia, including:

Raphael Bostic

President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
Raphael Bostic

President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta

Dr. Raphael W. Bostic took office June 5, 2017, as the 15th president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

From 2012 to 2017, Bostic was the Judith and John Bedrosian Chair in Governance and the Public Enterprise at the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California (USC). From 2009 to 2012, Bostic was the assistant secretary for policy development and research at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In that role, he was a principal adviser to the secretary on policy and research, helping the secretary and other principal staff make informed decisions on HUD policies and programs, as well as on budget and legislative proposals.

Bostic was born in New York City in 1966 and grew up in Delran, New Jersey. He graduated from Harvard University in 1987 with a combined major in economics and psychology. He earned his doctorate in economics from Stanford University in 1995.

He has previously served on many boards and advisory committees, including the California Community Reinvestment Corporation, Abode Communities, NeighborWorks, the National Community Stabilization Trust, the Urban Land Institute, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, the National Economic Association, and Freddie Mac.

Paul Bowers

Chairman, President, and CEO, Georgia Power
Paul Bowers

Chairman, President, and CEO, Georgia Power

Paul Bowers was named chairman, president and chief executive officer of Georgia Power, effective 2011. The company is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company, one of the nation’s leading energy providers.
Paul joined the Southern Company system at Gulf Power in 1979 and has held executive leadership positions at multiple subsidiaries.
Prior to his current position, he was chief financial officer of Southern Company, where he was rated by Institutional Investors magazine as one of the industry’s Top Three CFOs in America.
In 1998, Paul was elected president and CEO of South Western Electricity LLC (Southern Company’s former U.K. subsidiary), which he later transformed into Western Power Distribution (WPD), a distribution network company. In 2001, he was elected president of Southern Company Generation, where he was responsible for the company’s overall operational activities. He also served as CEO of Southern Power.
Paul serves on the boards of Nuclear Electric Insurance Ltd. (current chairman), Nuclear Energy Institute, AFLAC (lead director), Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta Committee for Progress, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Research Alliance, Lieutenant Governor’s Georgia Innovates Task Force and the Georgia Ports Authority. He is curator for the Georgia Historical Society. Paul is a past member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s Energy Policy Council and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.
For his professional achievements and his commitment to the well-being of the citizens of Georgia, Paul has received the American Jewish Committee’s National Human Relations Award and the Council for Quality Growth’s Four Pillar Award, and has been inducted into the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame. In 2018, Paul was inducted as a Georgia Trustee by the governor of Georgia for exemplifying the highest standard of “Not for Self, but for Others” in his life and career.
A Pensacola, Fla., native, Paul holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of West Florida and a master’s degree from Troy University. He is also a Harvard Business School AMP graduate.

Kevin Byrne

CEO, The University Financing Foundation Inc.
Kevin Byrne

CEO, The University Financing Foundation Inc.

As TUFF’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Kevin has achieved national recognition as a creative problem solver for institutions facing the traditional dilemma of insufficient capital resources.
He has pioneered TUFF’s non-traditional approach to public-private partnerships, real estate financing structures, and economic development initiatives for university research parks and innovation districts. His strength is the ability to translate complex real estate solutions into true resource-saving solutions for institutional executives and boards.
Kevin graduated with Honors from Furman University in 1991, where he currently sits on the Board of Trustees and chairs the Finance Committee. Upon graduation, he received the Wall Street Journal Student Achievement award, the highest honor given by faculty to a student in school’s Economics and Business Administration department. He later earned his MBA, with Honors, from the Wharton School of Business.
In 2012 and 2014, Kevin served as President of the Association of University Research Parks (AURP). He was appointed by Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor to the Georgia Public Private Partnership Guidelines Commission. He also serves on two Brookings Institution advisory committees – the Innovation District Initiative and the Bass Placemaking Initiative.
Kevin is Chairman of the Board of Young Life for Metro Atlanta, an Eagle Scout, and a member of the Board of Directors for the Atlanta Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He serves on the Board of Trustees of Whitefield Academy and chairs the Capital Campaign Steering Committee and Board Finance Committee. He is an avid golfer and little league baseball coach.

Reed Dulany III

Chairman and CEO, SeaPoint Complex
Reed Dulany III

Chairman and CEO, SeaPoint Complex

Mr. Dulany is the chairman and chief executive officer of Dulany Industries, Inc. Founded in 1897, Dulany Industries is one of the oldest privately owned and continuously operated industrial corporations in the United States with operations in Savannah, GA, Wilmington, NC, and Norfolk, VA. He is also a partner in Daniel Reed Hospitality which operates several hospitality related establishments in Savannah and Atlanta. Mr. Dulany’s other interests include timberland, conservation, and historic restoration projects. He serves on the Board of the Georgia Historical Society, the Chatham Club, the 200 Club, the Savannah Benevolent Association, the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, the Savannah Economic Development Authority, is a member of the Young Presidents Organization and is a strong supporter of The Savannah Classical Academy which he sees as not only a model for improving education in Savannah but also as a much broader platform for markedly improving his home city. He is a past board member of the Nature Conservancy’s Georgia corporate council, the Board of Trustees of the Telfair Museum of Art, and the Endowment Board of the Davenport House Museum. He was selected as one of Georgia Trend’s “40 under 40” in 2002. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in History. He lives in historic downtown Savannah with his wife Meredith and their two children.

Geoff Duncan

Lieutenant Governor of Georgia
Geoff Duncan

Lieutenant Governor of Georgia

"A former professional baseball player and successful entrepreneur, Geoff Duncan was elected Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor in November of 2018.

Geoff graduated from Chattahoochee High School in Alpharetta where he met his wife, Brooke. Geoff and Brooke both attended the Georgia Institute of Technology where Geoff was a scholarship pitcher. After a successful career at Georgia Tech, Geoff was drafted by the Florida Marlins’ organization. Geoff spent six seasons playing baseball in the minor leagues, advancing as high as AAA before a shoulder injury forced his retirement in the early 2000s.

After retiring from baseball, Geoff and his wife Brooke started a small marketing firm in their living room. The company experienced tremendous success which allowed Geoff and Brooke to sell the business and move on to multiple other entrepreneurial ventures. Geoff most recently served as the CEO of a health technology startup.

Geoff’s faith inspired him to a life of leadership and prompted his upstart run for political office. He was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2012. During his time in office he authored several important pieces of legislation. These include HB 749-The Cargo Theft Act, HB152-Michael’s Law and most recently SB258- the Rural Hospital Tax Credit.

Geoff and Brooke are married and have three sons: Parker (17), Bayler (13), and Ryder (9). Geoff has coached 23 different youth sports teams, and also leads a weekly bible study with his wife Brooke. The Duncans attend Browns Bridge Community Church, an affiliate of North Point Community Church."

Martin Flanagan

President and CEO, Invesco Ltd. USA
Martin Flanagan

President and CEO, Invesco Ltd. USA

Martin Flanagan has been a director and President and Chief Executive Officer of Invesco since 2005. He is also a trustee and vice-chairperson of the Invesco Funds, the company’s U.S. open- and closed-end funds. Flanagan joined Invesco from Franklin Resources, Inc., where he was president and co-chief executive officer from 2004 to 2005.

Previously, he held numerous positions of increasing responsibility at Franklin, including co-president, chief operating officer, chief financial officer and senior vice president from 1993 - 2003. Flanagan served as director, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Templeton, Galbraith & Hansberger, Ltd. before its acquisition by Franklin in 1992. Before joining Templeton in 1983, he worked with Arthur Andersen & Co.

Flanagan serves on the Board of Governors and as a member of the Executive Committee for the Investment Company Institute and is a former Chairperson of the association. He also serves as a member of the executive board at the SMU Cox School of Business and is involved in a number of civic activities in Atlanta. Flanagan is a CFA charter holder and a certified public accountant.

Flanagan earned a B.A. and B.B.A. from Southern Methodist University (SMU).

S. Jack Hu

Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, University of Georgia
S. Jack Hu

Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, University of Georgia

As the chief academic officer at the University of Georgia, the senior vice president and provost guides campus efforts in promoting excellence in teaching, research, and public service. Hu oversees instruction, research, public service and outreach, and information technology. The vice presidents of these four areas report to him, as do the deans of UGA’s 17 schools and colleges and the campus dean of the Augusta University/UGA Medical Partnership. The Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and the Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion and Strategic University Initiatives, as well as associate provosts for academic fiscal affairs, academic programs, faculty affairs, global engagement, the honors program, and the libraries, also report to him. Prior to joining UGA, Hu was vice president for research at the University of Michigan overseeing research, tech transfer and commercialization.

Paul Judge

Co-Founder & Executive Chairman, Pindrop, and Co-Founder & Partner, TechSquare
Paul Judge

Co-Founder & Executive Chairman, Pindrop, and Co-Founder & Partner, TechSquare

Dr. Paul Judge is an entrepreneur and investor based in Atlanta, Georgia. He has cofounded three companies that were acquired and has invested in over 60 tech-enabled companies. This economic development work has helped create over 1,000 jobs. He is currently Co-Founder & Partner of TechSquare Labs and Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of Pindrop. Pindrop’s voice security technology protects some of the largest financial institutions and enterprises in the world and has received over $200 million of venture capital funding. TechSquare Labs is a company building studio and venture fund based in Atlanta. Previously Judge was cofounder of Luma Home that was acquired by a Fortune 500 in 2018. Judge was also cofounder of Purewire, a web security company, that was acquired by Barracuda in 2008. Judge served as Chief Research Officer at Barracuda through its billion dollar IPO in 2013. Prior to this, Judge was Chief Technology Officer of CipherTrust, a leader in email security, that was acquired by Secure Computing for $270 million in 2006. Judge is the lead inventor on over 30 patents.
Judge has received many awards including being named to Fortune Magazine’s “40 Under 40” list, MIT’s Technology Review Magazine’s “Top 100 Innovators under 35,” Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “40 Under 40” list, Atlanta Business League’s Trailblazer Award, Black Enterprise’s “50 Most Powerful Players Under 40,” and InfoWorld’s “Top 25 CTOs.” Judge has served on the advisory board for Georgia Tech’s College of Engineering, Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), and Georgia Tech Information Security Center (GTISC). He is a member of the 2016 Class of Henry Crown Fellows and the Aspen Global Leadership Network at the Aspen Institute. Judge earned a B.S. from Morehouse College and a M.S. and Ph.D. from Georgia Tech in Computer Science.

Jana Kanyadan

Global CIO, Mohawk Industries
Jana Kanyadan

Global CIO, Mohawk Industries

Jana Kanyadan is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Senior Vice President of IT at Mohawk Industries, Inc. In this capacity, Jana is responsible for leveraging technology to achieve Mohawk’s strategic objectives and drive innovation across the global enterprise.

After earning graduate degrees in Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University, Jana spent the past two-decades growing his leadership skills in technology roles up to the CIO level. His career has been focused in the manufacturing sector, including time with leading global companies such as Cummins, Ingersoll-Rand, Eaton and Ecolab. Jana’s previous roles have included significant manufacturing, engineering and finance assignments; and, to further enhance his business acumen, he earned an MBA from Duke University.

Mohawk Industries, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production and sale of Always in Style floor covering products for residential and commercial markets globally.

Kenneth Meyer

CIO, Digital Channels & Innovation, Truist
Kenneth Meyer

CIO, Digital Channels & Innovation, Truist

Ken Meyer is the Divisional Chief Information Officer for Digital Channels & Innovation at Truist Financial Corporation. In this role, Meyer is responsible for all digital applications and integration, enterprise CRM, intelligent automation, mobile and online banking, open banking, internal APIs, marketing technology, emerging channels and innovation.

Prior to the merger of BB&T and SunTrust, Banks, Inc. in December 2019, Meyer was the Consumer Chief Technology Officer for SunTrust, responsible for the technology strategy, delivery, and support of SunTrust Mortgage, Retail Banking, and Private Wealth Management. Meyer also had responsibility for Marketing technology and enterprise-wide digital assets. Meyer was previously the Enterprise Solutions Chief Technology Officer for the bank, overseeing enterprise architecture, shared services delivery, governance and execution methodology, investment planning, strategy, and the financial oversight of SunTrust’s Enterprise Information Services (EIS) organization.

Meyer also held multiple positions in SunTrust’s Wholesale segment, most recently as Head of Wholesale Lending Operations, where he was responsible for supporting Small Business Banking, Commercial and Business Banking, Private Wealth Management, Equipment Finance, and Commercial Real Estate, Letters of Credit and Trade Services, Syndicated Loan Servicing, and the Lending Operations Back Office. Prior to that position, Meyer led the Wholesale Administration team, overseeing Wholesale Operations strategy and execution, mobilization of outsourcing initiatives and operational excellence. He worked closely with the Wholesale leadership team on strategic initiatives inclusive of process and technology enablement, location consolidation and targeted outsourcing.

Meyer joined SunTrust in December 2013 from Accenture, where he gained experience working with leading financial institutions, including four years supporting SunTrust. Other clients included Santander, Farmers Insurance, BB&T, Toyota Financial Services, Wachovia/Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Morgan Stanley. His industry experience has centered on retail and commercial banking clients, leading large transformation and business process design programs, and large system implementations.

Meyer currently serves on the board for the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) and FinTech Atlanta while also volunteering for TechBridge Atlanta and the United Way.

Meyer is a graduate of the University of Georgia and lives in Atlanta with his wife, Bridgette, and their four children, Oliver, Olivia, Nora and Stella.

Latham Saddler

Chief of Staff, Synovus
Latham Saddler

Chief of Staff, Synovus

Saddler joined Synovus in 2020 as Chief of Staff to the Chairman and CEO and is a member of the Executive Management Committee. He previously completed a White House Fellowship, where he served in the Office of American Innovation focusing on criminal justice reform, workforce development and artificial intelligence. He is also a Navy SEAL officer serving in the U.S. Navy Reserve. Saddler’s final active-duty Navy assignment was at the White House where he served as Director of Intelligence Programs on the National Security Council, which included the development, approval, and oversight of U.S. intelligence policy and special operations. During his eight-year active duty career, he served in numerous leadership roles and was deployed to various locations in the Middle East. Prior to joining the Navy, Saddler began his career with IBM Corporation selling hardware, software, and services to the financial sector in New York City.

Stephanie B. Tillman

Chief Legal Counsel, Flowers Foods, Inc.
Stephanie B. Tillman

Chief Legal Counsel, Flowers Foods, Inc.

Stephanie B. Tillman is chief legal counsel of Flowers Foods, Inc. and is responsible for the company’s legal, corporate governance, compliance, and governmental affairs.

Ms. Tillman joined Flowers in 1995 as a corporate attorney and was promoted in 1998 to associate general counsel, handling the legal needs of the company’s baked foods division and its subsidiary companies. In 2003, she advanced to vice president and associate general counsel of Flowers Foods and was promoted to vice president of compliance and assistant general counsel in 2010. Immediately prior to assuming her current role at the start of 2020, Ms. Tillman served as vice president, chief compliance officer and deputy general counsel.

Ms. Tillman is chairman of the board of TC Federal Bank, a community bank headquartered in Thomasville with a loan operations office in Savannah and branch operations in Tallahassee, Florida.

A member of the Georgia Bar Association, Ms. Tillman earned her juris doctorate from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1995 and an MBA from Thomas University. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Georgia.

Carol Tomé

CEO, UPS
Carol Tomé

CEO, UPS

Carol Tomé is the Chief Executive Officer of UPS. She is the 12th CEO in the 113-year history of the company.
Before joining UPS, Carol served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of The Home Depot, Inc., one of the world’s largest retailers. She joined the company in 1995 as Vice President and Treasurer.
Carol began her career as a commercial lender with United Bank of Denver (now Wells Fargo) and then spent several years as Director of Banking for Johns-Mansville Corporation. Prior to joining The Home Depot, Carol was Vice President and Treasurer of Riverwood International Corporation.
Carol serves as a trustee or board member for a number of organizations including Grady Hospital Foundation, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Sovos Brands and GIA Partners. She is also a member of The Committee of 200, The Buckhead Coalition, The Business Roundtable and The Business Council.
A native of Jackson, Wyoming, Carol holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Wyoming and a master’s degree in finance from the University of Denver.

Larry Williams

President and CEO, Technology Association of Georgia
Larry Williams

President and CEO, Technology Association of Georgia

Larry K. Williams | President and Chief Executive Officer Larry K. Williams is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) and has served in this role since October 2016. As part of Mr Williams responsibilities, he leads the NTSC (National Technology Security Coalition) and TAG Education Collaborative benefiting youth in STEM and technology development. A recognized leader in economic development, Mr. Williams brings more than 20 years of experience in international trade, finance, public and industrial policy and marketing. Throughout his career he has guided organizations connecting local and global initiatives and most recently, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Beacon Council Inc (one of 36 accredited economic development organizations in the nation). Williams' effort at the Beacon Council led Miami-Dade County to greater competitiveness. Prior to joining the Beacon Group, Williams shaped the vision for the Atlanta tech industry as Vice President of Technology Development at the Metro Atlanta Chamber. Mr. Williams has held similar roles including serving on Washington State Governor's Global Competitiveness Council, leading Washington State's Tourism Commission and Director of Operations of International Trade for the North Carolina Department of Commerce to name a few. In these roles, Mr. Williams honed his strategic and operational expertise and led economic development emphasizing innovation, international trade and sustainable policy. Resilient and battle tested, Williams has advised and worked alongside 5 US Governors and dozens of foreign officials. Mr. Williams stays actively connected to the community serving on a range of boards, including Lt Governor Geoff Duncan's Partnership for Inclusive Innovation, Atlanta CIO Advisory; TECNA, the Economic Development Board, City of Brookhaven, the Buckhead Club; FinTech Atlanta, Metro Atlanta Chamber and Venture of Atlanta. For many of these Mr. Williams is a founding member and establishing vision, purpose and governance for good. Williams graduated from the Darlington School (Rome, Georgia) and holds degrees from North Carolina State University.

Pat Wilson

Commissioner, Georgia Department of Economic Development
Pat Wilson

Commissioner, Georgia Department of Economic Development

Pat Wilson was appointed Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) in November 2016. As Commissioner, he leads the state agency responsible for creating jobs and investment opportunities in Georgia through business recruitment and expansion, small business growth, international trade and tourism, as well as the arts, film and music industries. Pat is responsible for leading the GDEcD team in planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. Under Governor Brian P. Kemp and Commissioner Wilson’s leadership, Georgia was named the No. 1 state in the nation in which to do business for the seventh consecutive year in a row by Site Selection and sixth year in a row by Area Development. GDEcD was also rated as the nation’s best state-level economic development organization by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) in 2017.
Mr. Wilson previously served as Chief Operating Officer of GDEcD from January 2011 until his appointment as Commissioner by former Governor Nathan Deal. As COO, he managed the daily operations of the agency, directed long-term strategy, managed the agency’s legislative priorities and served as the department’s liaison with the Georgia Congressional delegation and federal government partners. In addition, Pat served as Executive Director of the Georgia Allies.
Mr. Wilson joined GDEcD as Deputy Commissioner for Global Commerce in 2010. Prior to that, he served on the staff of Governor Sonny Perdue as the director of government affairs. In that position, he led efforts to promote Governor Perdue’s legislative agenda at the State Capitol and managed federal affairs for the state of Georgia. He previously served as director of federal affairs for the state, opening the Washington, D.C., office in 2005. There he worked to promote the state’s agenda with the U.S. Congress and federal agencies as the Governor’s representative to the Georgia congressional delegation.
Prior to his work in state government, Mr. Wilson was director of governmental affairs for Greenberg Traurig, LLP, in Washington. He served under the late Sen. Paul Coverdell and under then-Rep. Nathan Deal.
He is a Franklin Springs, Georgia, native, and holds an undergraduate degree in political science with a focus on international relations from the University of Georgia. He and his wife Melissa and their two children, Padgett and Carter, reside in Sandy Springs.

Our Team

G. P. “Bud” Peterson

Chair, Advisory Board, President Emeritus and Regents Professor, Georgia Tech
G. P. “Bud” Peterson

Chair, Advisory Board, President Emeritus and Regents Professor, Georgia Tech

G.P. “Bud” Peterson served as the 11th president of the Georgia Institute of Technology from April 1, 2009 to August 31, 2019. He led the campus wide development of a 25-year strategic plan, which has served as an important framework for many of the advancements and accomplishments during his tenure.
Before joining Georgia Tech, Peterson served as chancellor of the University of Colorado at Boulder.

A distinguished scientist, he was appointed in 2008 by President George W. Bush, and again in 2014 by President Barack Obama, to serve as a member of the National Science Board, which oversees the NSF and advises the President and Congress on national policy related to science and engineering research and education.

Peterson earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, a second bachelor's degree in mathematics, and a master's degree in engineering, all from Kansas State University. He earned a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University. He and his wife, Val, have four adult children, two of whom are Georgia Tech alumni, and three grandchildren.

Debra Lam

Executive Director, Partnership for Inclusive Innovation, Georgia Tech
Debra Lam

Executive Director, Partnership for Inclusive Innovation, Georgia Tech

Debra Lam is the Founding Executive Director for Partnership for Inclusive Innovation. This is a statewide public-private partnership committed to investing in innovative pilot projects. She also continues to lead smart communities and urban innovation work at Georgia Tech. She founded the Georgia Smart Community Challenge, the first state-wide effort in the nation that empowers communities of all sizes to become smarter. Prior to this, she served as Pittsburgh's first ever Chief of Innovation & Performance where she oversaw all technology, sustainability, performance and innovation functions of city government. She crafted the city's first strategic plan for innovation, Inclusive Innovation Roadmap. Prior to that, she was a management consultant at a global engineering and design firm, Arup. She has been the recipient of various awards, including one of the top 100 most influential people in digital government by Apolitcal. She has worked and lived in the United Kingdom, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. She is a graduate of Georgetown University and University of California, Berkeley, and serves on the boards of the MetroLab Network and Neighborhood Nexus.

Morgan Davis

Program Administrator
Morgan Davis

Program Administrator

Morgan Davis is working as Program Administrator for the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation. The Partnership was established in August of 2020 and aims to guide efforts and pilot programs to help foster access, growth, entrepreneurship and innovation throughout the state, with the ultimate goal of achieving inclusive innovation throughout Georgia. Prior to the Partnership, Morgan set up the first international office for Peachstate Hobby Distribution in Hong Kong. As General Manager she handled the day to day operations of the office. She loved her two years in Hong Kong and was able to take advantage of its location for travel.
Born and raised in Georgia, Morgan is excited to contribute to her state. She graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor of Science in Behavior and Health Sciences.

These leaders are united by their vision to advance Georgia and commitment to helping drive the long-term success of the organization.

 

Key Partners

Additionally, notable Georgia-based companies and institutions, including Georgia Tech, Jabian, Jackson Spalding, Georgia Power and Kilpatrick Townsend have provided counsel to the Georgia Innovates Taskforce and will continue to support the efforts of the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation.

 


Get Involved

Join the movement as Georgia becomes the Technology Capital of the East Coast.

To sign up for our mailing list, please complete this short form.
To learn more about how you can be a part of advancing this mission, email InclusiveInnovation@gatech.edu.
For media inquiries, please contact Brian Brodrick at bbrodrick@jacksonspalding.com.
Join the conversation on social media with #TechCapitalGA.

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InclusiveInnovation@gatech.edu