GeorgiaForward recently selected Gracie Preston Rigby as one of the 50 evolving professionals to serve the organization’s 2022 Young Gamechangers (YG) program. YG is a unique leadership action program hosted by GeorgiaForward, a non-profit organization administrated by the Georgia Municipal Association. Young Gamechangers brings professionals from across the state to work on the persistent challenges of one Georgia community.

In 2022, Dalton-Whitfield County will host the Young Gamechangers. Dalton leaders have finalized their four “Challenge Questions” that the 2022 cohort will be charged to answer through the six months they will spend developing specific, actionable recommendations for the community. These questions evolve around redevelopment, education, community engagement and more.

”We are delighted to return the Georgia Forward program to the communities of Georgia after a break due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said AJ Robinson, chair of GeorgiaForward’s board of directors.  This program has proven beneficial to every locale in which it has taken place, bringing new and fresh ideas to cities and counties across the State.  It is a premier leadership development opportunity which produces results on many levels.”

Gracie Preston Rigby, 29, is one of the 50 Gamechangers selected for this class. An integral leader in the Middle GA business community, she has worked alongside her family and contributed to the openings of Rigby’s Entertainment Complex, Rigby’s Water World, The Best Western Plus, and Gracie’s: A Rooftop Bar.

 “I am looking forward to working alongside like-minded Georgians from across the state and to creating a positive impact on Dalton-Whitfield County,” Rigby said. “I can’t wait to apply what I have learned through Leadership Robins and Georgia Academy for Economic Development.”

“We are thrilled that Dalton will be the first city north of Atlanta to host the Young Gamechangers program, and we look forward to showing them all that makes our community special,” said Allyson M. Coker, project manager for Believe Greater Dalton. “From the beauty of the Northwest Georgia mountains and the history of our great industry to the charm and diversity of our people, we can’t wait to showcase all that makes Dalton special. Dalton-Whitfield County has great momentum on so many fronts with exciting projects that are currently underway, and we look forward to this talented group of young professionals coming into our community to give us their perspective on how we are doing and how we can continue to make Dalton a more attractive place to live, work, and play.”

The 2022 cohort of Gamechangers will meet for the first time in the city of Dalton on April 27 and their work will culminate with a community presentation of their findings and recommendations in late September.

“The timing is perfect for the Young Gamechangers program to come to the city of Dalton to bring fresh ideas and perspectives as our community continues to grow and evolve,” said City Administrator Andrew Parker. “There are so many exciting projects taking place within the city over the next few years, and the Young Gamechangers will help us continue to think critically about how to best position the community for long term success.”

Previous Young Gamechangers Host Communities are Americus-Sumter County, Dublin-Laurens County, Douglasville-Douglas County, Augusta-Richmond County, LaGrange-Troup County, Milledgeville-Baldwin County, Albany-Dougherty County and Monroe-Walton County.