The University of Georgia has announced the selection of 10 faculty and academic leaders for its 2026 Advanced Leader Program class. The initiative aims to prepare participants for higher-level leadership roles within academia by offering them opportunities to learn from senior administrators, leadership development experts, and their peers throughout the year.
According to Benjamin C. Ayers, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at UGA, “The Advanced Leader Program reflects the University of Georgia’s commitment to empowering a new generation of higher education leaders. This year’s class of Fellows has made significant contributions to our institution and in their disciplines, and this program will equip them to make an even greater impact in the future.”
The selected fellows come from various departments across campus as well as the Office of Student Financial Aid. Their backgrounds range from research in entomology and forest health to art education, pharmacy practice, psychology, financial aid administration, children’s literature scholarship, veterinary medicine, English studies, and science education.
Participants include Gaelen Burke (entomology), Malissa Clark (psychology), Erin Dolan (biochemistry and molecular biology), Katie Ellis (veterinary medicine), Nancy Ferguson (student financial aid), Kamal J.K. Gandhi (forestry), Jennifer Graff (language and literacy education), Joseph Peragine (art), Roland Végső (English), and Lindsey Welch (pharmacy).
Each fellow brings extensive experience in their fields. For example, Malissa Clark is noted for her research on employee well-being and was recognized by Thinkers50 Radar list in 2024. Nancy Ferguson is among the first Certified Financial Aid Administrators nationally with over 27 years in higher education administration.
The program is administered by UGA’s Office of Faculty Affairs. Selection was based on nominations from deans, other senior administrators, or self-nominations.
