The J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development has recognized a faculty member, staff member and student for their work in promoting leadership development throughout Georgia.

At the May 22 meeting of the Fanning Institute Advisory Board, Matt Bishop, director of the Fanning Institute, presented the Sisson Community Leadership Development Award to Terence Johnson, Sandy Christopher and Brianna Yoder.

Through this award, the Fanning Institute recognizes outstanding work done each year by faculty, staff and graduate students engaged in community leadership programming in underserved communities around the state.

All three awardees will receive funding to pursue professional development and continuing education activities.

“Through their work each day, these three individuals have shown a commitment to working with communities and organizations across Georgia on their leadership development initiatives,” Bishop said. “It is my pleasure to recognize Terence, Sandy and Brianna for what they do on behalf of the University of Georgia and the Fanning Institute.”

Terence Johnson, public service faculty at the Fanning Institute since 2016, specializes in adult and youth leadership development for both communities and nonprofit organizations.

At the Fanning Institute, Johnson has played a vital role in helping to develop, design and deliver specific programs to help community leaders in both rural and metropolitan areas enhance their efforts to affect change.

“It is an honor to have my efforts acknowledged by this prestigious award,” Johnson said. “Leadership development in underserved communities is a huge undertaking. This award was the fuel I needed as I continue this important work.”

Sandy Christopher, assistant to the director at the institute since 2009, provides administrative and program support to the director and coordinates special projects at the institute.

She has worked on programs such as Locate South GeorgiaLEADS, the Vivian H. Fisher Public Service and Outreach Leadership Academy and the Maddox Leadership Institute.

“I appreciate Mr. Sisson’s commitment to the Fanning Institute’s work and its faculty and staff,” Christopher said. “I look forward to using this opportunity to broaden my skills in order to continue helping communities across the state.”

Brianna Yoder, a doctoral student in public administration, has worked on several projects with the institute’s youth and nonprofit faculty including conducting evaluations for the Education and Training Voucher (ETV) program, assisting the National Mentoring Partnership with connect young adults who are not in school or employed with jobs and mentors and helping develop strategic plans for nonprofit organizations.

“I am honored to have received this award,” Yoder says. “I’m going to use it to go to the major conference in my discipline. Being on the job market next fall, this conference is incredibly important for me to attend but I wouldn’t have been able to attend without this award. The conference is also going to be beneficial for my work with nonprofit organizations at the Fanning Institute.”

The award is made possible through the Dan Sisson Community Leadership Development Fund.

“None of this would be possible without the generosity of Dan Sisson, a member of our advisory board,” Bishop said. “We are grateful for his ongoing commitment to the institute’s work across Georgia both through this fund and through his service to our advisory board.”

Sisson has served on the advisory board since its inception in 2014 and created the Dan Sisson Community Leadership Development Fund in 2017.

“I have seen the importance of leadership education and community development firsthand, and it is my privilege to support the institute’s mission,” Sisson said.

Along with the monetary award, the institute recognizes Sisson Award winners through a permanent wall display at the J.W. Fanning Building on the UGA campus.