Athens, Ga. – Steve Dempsey, associate vice president in the office of the vice president for public service and outreach at the University of Georgia, has been named interim director of UGA’s Fanning Institute, effective July 1.
Dempsey will succeed Joe Whorton, who is retiring July 1 after a lengthy career at UGA.
“Joe has provided tremendous leadership and service throughout the university and the state,” said Jennifer Frum, vice president for public service and outreach. “He will be greatly missed.”
The Fanning Institute, a public service and outreach unit of the university, supports the educational, research and public service mission of the university by working in partnership with communities, organizations and leaders to address critical issues facing Georgia.
Dempsey formerly served as the assistant director of the Institute of Community and Area Development at UGA, a forerunner of the Fanning Institute. In that role, he focused on the implementation of the creative group problem-solving laboratory and participatory policy design. He has experience as a facilitator and with management consultation to state and local governments and recreation service delivery agencies on growth-management related issues.
While he is interim director of the Fanning Institute, Dempsey will continue to serve as associate vice president.
“We are fortunate to be able to call on Steve for this leadership role,” said Frum. “He brings many years of experience in public service to UGA and has an in-depth knowledge of Georgia’s communities. During the interim period, Steve will provide administrative leadership for new and continuing programs and projects currently being carried out by Fanning faculty and staff.”
Dempsey is expected to be Fanning’s interim director for six months, after which he will return to the vice president’s office. A national search is under way for a new director of Fanning.
For more information on the Fanning Institute, see http://www.fanning.uga.edu/.
