Fayette County Assistant Chief Financial Officer Amanda Schoonover has looked to the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government as a trusted source for training throughout her career. When she advanced to her current role, she knew participating in the institute’s Public Finance Leadership Academy (PFLA) would be a smart move.

“I knew finance operations, but what I didn’t know was the management piece. PFLA has taught me how to take everything in my financial management toolbox and turn that information into something that makes sense to everyone else,” Schoonover said. “I use what I’ve learned in PFLA every day to do my job more effectively.”

Schoonover is one of 16 government finance professionals from across Georgia who recently graduated from PFLA. The graduates were recognized at a ceremony held at the UGA Gwinnett Campus this summer.

PFLA, provided by the UGA Institute of Government in collaboration with the Georgia Government Finance Officers Association (GGFOA), is designed to build leadership capacity in the public finance profession in Georgia. The program equips new and emerging public sector financial management leaders with the knowledge and skills they need to successfully manage and communicate at all levels of government.

Applications are open now through Sept. 1 for the next PFLA cohort, which will begin in October with a meeting in Athens.

“While technical skills are important in the public finance profession, so too are leadership skills. PFLA builds upon the foundations from our Level I and Level II Finance Officer certificate programs,” explained John Hulsey, the UGA Institute of Georgia faculty member who leads PFLA. “Our participants receive advanced training from both Institute of Government faculty and external government finance industry partners.”

Topics in the program include leadership and effective communication, local government structure, human resource management, economic development, preparing the annual comprehensive financial report and more. Plus, participants build close relationships with their colleagues in the cohort, creating a network they can call upon for advice and support.

“Moving into this leadership role has been a big jump, and there’s been a lot of things I needed to learn. PFLA really couldn’t have been a better program for me,” Schoonover said. “It was amazing how the timing worked out. I would go to class one week and then the very next week—or sometimes the very next day—something I learned would be immediately applicable at work.”

Schoonover points to the academy’s bonds class as an example, where she was surprised to discover that what she was learning in the classroom was immediately applicable to her county.

“I had a basic understanding of bonds already, but learning the details of how the process works was impactful. Fayette County was closing on $33.1 million in bonds the next day, and the class really boosted my comfort level,” she said.

Classes are taught in a hybrid format with meetings held online and in-person at UGA Gwinnett. Candidates eligible for the competitive program must have completed Level I and II Finance Officer certification or hold certain financial professional designations. GGFOA offers two scholarships for attendees.

“I was honored to go through PFLA as one of two GGFOA scholarship recipients. The partnership with GGFOA is so vital to the success of PFLA,” said Kevin Bush, finance director City of Carrollton. “We actually had some classmates who were not previously GGFOA members join as a result of the academy.  What a fabulous networking opportunity these programs provide government finance professionals!”

For more information and to apply for the next PFLA cohort, visit cviog.uga.edu/pfla.

2023-2024 Public Finance Leadership Academy Graduates

Kevin G. Bush, City of Carrollton

Tina L. Daniel, DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management

Cynthia L. Dean, Rabun County Board of Education

Tamara Ellison, DeKalb County Government

Calandra Fisher, DeKalb County School District

Matthew Hamby, City of Flowery Branch

Felecia Danette Heath, DeKalb County School District

Angelica Horton, DeKalb County School District

Miranda McDowell, Pickens County

Margaret Mesmer, City of St. Marys

ChaQuias Miller-Thornton, City of Pine Lake

Dr. Jason R. Moffitt, DeKalb County School District

Debbie Mooney, Jackson County Board of Commissioners

Amanda Schoonover, Fayette County Government

Sharon Smith, DeKalb County Government

Danielle H. Valentine, DeKalb County School District