Oconee County resident Kate Patterson was announced tonight as the first director of the Watkinsville Downtown Development Authority.

Patterson, 43, is an experienced organizational executive, non-profit leader, has real estate experience, and most importantly a heart for service and small towns.

Patterson’s most recent experience includes time as a board member of Bethel Haven, Inc. and as a Governor’s appointee to the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Committee. She and her husband Alex are also deeply involved in Leadership Georgia, having been class members in 2011 and program chairs in 2015, allowing her to visit many Georgia communities and learning valuable lessons from those experiences.

Prior to relocating to Watkinsville, Patterson has experience as the director of the First Methodist Preschool in Valdosta, Ga. Earlier in her career she also worked for Athens Classic Properties.

Patterson has a degree in marketing from UGA’s Terry College of Business. She and her family reside in South Oconee County.

Watkinsville established its Downtown Development Authority earlier this year. Its board includes a variety of local leaders, including Councilwoman Christine Tucker (Chair), Paul Lancaster (Vice Chair), Cristi Donahue (Secretary), Robert Griffith (Treasurer), and members Dan Elder, Mellony Adkins, and Brock Toole. The WDDA will focus on the economic health of downtown Watkinsville.

Patterson was selected after an interview process involving Watkinsville Councilwoman and DDA Chair Tucker, City Manager Sharyn Dickerson, and various members of the WDDA board.