Monday, November 18, 2002

CONTACT: Suzanne Smalley, (706) 583-0917, SSMALLEY@fanning.uga.edu

J.W. FANNING INSTITUTE FOR LEADERSHIP APPOINTS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

ATHENS, Ga. — The J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership at the University of Georgia has appointed Robert (Rob) L. Williams associate director. The appointment was effective August 12.

Since 2000, Williams has been affiliated with UGA’s Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach and the Fanning Institute as a Senior Fanning Fellow. He has also served the university as coordinator of special projects for the Cooperative Extension Service and as associate director for communications at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education.

Williams is also a senior associate with Triangle Associates, a national consulting firm serving health care, higher education and foundations. He has more than 15 years of experience in the design, development and implementation of leadership development programs. He has been a trainer for the Center for Creative Leadership and was associate executive director of the Pew Center for the Health Professions. In 1981, he was selected as one of 50 W.K. Kellogg Foundation National Leadership Fellows. He has written on topics of leadership development, volunteer leaders and leadership assessment. He is the author or coauthor of five assessment instruments in leadership, trust and change. Williams has a bachelor’s degree in English and master’s degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and a Ph.D. in organizational and human development from the Fielding Institute in Santa Barbara, Calif.

"Dr. Williams brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to his new role at the Fanning Institute," said Fanning Institute Director David Mills. "He is an internationally recognized authority on leadership development and has management experience in both the public and private sector. For the past two years he has been a very important asset for the Institute. I am confident that as associate director, he will make an even greater contribution."

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