Ten employees selected for eighth cohort of Women’s Staff Leadership Institute

A new cohort of women staff members has been selected to participate in the Women’s Staff Leadership Institute for 2025.

The program was launched in 2017 by UGA University Human Resources and has run annually since its inception. It aligned with the Women’s Leadership Initiative launched in 2015 by the Office of the President and the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. Juanita Hicks, vice president of human resources, and Stacy Jones, associate vice president of public service and outreach, serve as co-executive sponsors for the new cohort.

“Empowering our staff through leadership development is vital to our collective success,” said Hicks. “With each new cohort, we demonstrate our commitment to fostering an environment where members can refine their leadership skills, cultivate meaningful connections and contribute to a culture of excellence within the university.”

The Women’s Staff Leadership Institute is administered through University Human Resources’ Learning and Development and facilitated by Emily Saunders, a public service faculty member in the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development, a unit of UGA Public Service and Outreach.

The 2025 cohort begins April 29 and runs through November, with participants meeting monthly for workshops and discussions.

The members of the 2025 cohort are:

Ruchika Bansal, director of finance and administration, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resource. Bansal began her career at UGA as a senior accountant in 2014. As the financial and human resources manager for the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, she oversees the school’s financial and human resource operations. She provides strategic and operational fiscal management across all activities of the Warnell School ranging from personnel to capital projects, including budget forecasting, budget planning and development, and monthly and annual financial reporting.

Leslie Colvin, senior director for integrated marketing and brand strategy, Division of Marketing and Communications. Colvin assumed her current role in October 2022 after joining the university’s marketing and communications team in 2017. She leads brand marketing efforts across traditional and digital media to help elevate UGA’s national reputation. Colvin manages a team of editors, copywriters, data analysts, content strategists, web developers and social media strategists, working collaboratively to shape and share the university’s story. She also oversees the brand and digital strategy budget and directs advertising efforts that deliver impactful, results-driven campaigns.

KT Cooke, director of sales and event management, University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel. Cooke has served in her current role at the Georgia Center, a public service and outreach unit, since 2021, providing strategic leadership in large-scale event planning and premium hospitality services. In this role, she leads the Sales and Event Management team, ensuring exceptional client experiences and operational excellence. As a member of the Georgia Center’s Executive Council, she plays a key role in strategic planning, budget oversight and policy development. Additionally, she directs the Hospitality and Food Industry Management Internship Program, offering students hands-on experience across various sectors of the hospitality industry.

Lori C. Crawford, director of Engagement, Leadership, and Service, Division of Student Affairs. Crawford joined the university in 2017 and leads a dynamic team of professionals in the Department of Engagement, Leadership, and Service in the Division of Student Affairs. The department is responsible for registration and support for nearly 900 student organizations, hosting more than 200 events and student activities annually, facilitating student leadership development, and curating community engagement and service opportunities to enrich the student experience. Additionally, Crawford also serves as advisor to the Student Government Association.

Donna C. Francis, director of human resources, Auxiliary Services. As the human resources director for Auxiliary Services, Francis oversees all of the division’s human resources operations, including recruitment, employee relations, payroll and compensation, while leading a team of human resources professionals. Francis’ expertise is in performance management, talent acquisition, employee/labor relations and inclusive environments. Francis began working at UGA in 2022.

Ashley Johnson, associate director, Immigration Services, Office of Global Engagement. Johnson specializes in international student support, immigration advising and administrative leadership. Currently serving as the associate director and international student and scholar advisor in the Office of Global Engagement, she guides international students, faculty and academic departments through the U.S. academic immigration system. Johnson’s time at UGA began in April 2010, and she remains committed to enhancing the global education experience, marked by policy implementation, comprehensive training programs and student-centered initiatives.

Shayla S. Lee, director of information management, Office of Academic Programs, Mary Frances Early College of Education. Lee has been serving the UGA community since 2002. She provides support for the college’s academic programs; manages the college’s information, assessment and evaluation systems; leads several projects; and performs other services for the college and the Office of Academic Programs, including tracking and monitoring endorsement certificate students, distributing and verifying college requirements for graduation and certification, notarizing documents, generating reports, and assisting students and school district partners with the endorsement, certification and upgrade process.

Kathy Ortstadt, senior executive director of development, Office of Development and Alumni Relations, Terry College of Business. In her role, Ortstadt leads the Terry College of Business Development and Alumni Relations team and also leads UGA’s Office of Principal Gifts, which focuses on philanthropic gifts of more than $1 million to UGA. Ortstadt joined the University of Georgia’s Office of Development Relations as the senior director of development and alumni relations in the Terry College of Business in 2019.

Heather Skyler, director of communications, Office of the Vice President for Instruction. In her role, Skyler advances the university’s strategic vision through compelling storytelling and effective communication strategies. Skyler began working at the University of Georgia in 2018 when she stepped into the role of managing editor for UGA’s Division of Marketing and Communications. Before beginning her career at UGA, she taught writing at several institutions and was a lead editor and writer for a variety of publications.

Lisa Wilson, senior operations manager, University Research Animal Resources, Office of the Vice President for Research. Wilson began working at UGA in February 2002 as an animal care technician. She was named senior operations manager in 2021. In that role, she manages 16 animal facilities, overseeing large-scale projects, opening new facilities, inventory management, budgeting and human resources responsibilities, among other duties.