2026 GARC Economic Development Conference

Below are the publications related to the 2026 GARC Economic Development Conference.

• Conference Agenda
• Speaker Bios
• Sponsors
• Presentations (Click names below to view presentations)
  • • Session 1 – Data Centers: What Communities Should Know Before the First Proposal: Gain a clear understanding of key considerations surrounding data center development, including infrastructure needs, power capacity, and community impacts, before projects reach your doorstep.
      • Brandon Ashley, Director, Business Development, Jackson EMC
      • Kelsi Austin, Business Development & Strategy Manager, Georgia Power Company
      • Celine Benoit, Principal Planner, Atlanta Regional Commission
    • Session 2 – Brownfields 101: Unlocking Hidden Redevelopment Opportunities: Learn the fundamentals of brownfields redevelopment, including cleanup processes,available resources, and how to turn underutilized properties into economic assets.
      
      • Sarah Heck, Ph.D., Director, Sponsored Projects and Community Systems, Center for Community Systems, New Jersey Institute of Technology
      • Stephanie Horwitz, Brownfield Coordinator, Response and Remediation Program, Georgia Environmental Protection Agency
        
    • Session 3 – Disaster Recovery Funding: Navigating Resources After the Storm: Explore available disaster recovery funding sources and strategies to help your community effectively access and deploy resources following a disaster.
      
      • Stephen Clark, State Hazard Mitigation Officer, Georgia Emergency Management Agency
      • Kathleen Tremblay, Program Director, CDBG-Disaster Recovery, Georgia Department of Community Affairs
      • Jonathan Corso, Georgia Economic Development Representative, US Economic Development Administration – Atlanta Regional Office
    • Session 4 – Housing as Economic Development: Strategies for Workforce Housing, Revitalization, and Funding Sources: Discover practical approaches and funding tools to address workforce housing challenges and to support economic growth and community revitalization.
      
      • Gina Webb, OneGeorgia Authority Director, Georgia Department of Community Affairs
      • Jessica Worthington, Director, Office of Community Housing Development, Georgia Department of Community Affairs
    • Session 5 – Economic Development in Action: Regional Success Stories: Learning from each other, hear practical examples of successful projects across thestate, and walk away with ideas and strategies you can apply in your own region.
      
      **NOTE: there is only one(1) presentation for this session. Click HERE for presentation.
      
      • • Greg Boike, Director, Planning and Public Administration, Middle Georgia Regional Commission
        • Tracie Hadaway, Director, Planning and Government Services, River Valley RegionalCommission
        • Lindsay Ray, Associate Director, Community and Economic Development, Southern Georgia Regional Commission
        • Beka Shiver, Economic Development Planner, Southwest Georgia Regional Commission
        • Laurin Yoder, Senior Project Manager, Georgia Mountains Regional Commission
        • Ethan Calhoun, Assistant Director, Regional Planning, Northwest Georgia Regional Commission
        • Keri Stevens, Economic Development Program Manager, Atlanta Regional Commission