ROCKDALE COUNTY PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Nov. 5, 2024

Rockdale County Commissioner Doreen Williams Recognized For Academic Achievement In Lifelong Learning Academy

ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. – The Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG or Georgia’s Counties) awarded county officials with certificates for completing requirements in the ACCG Lifelong Learning Academy. Recipients were presented with their achievement certificates during the 2024 ACCG Legislative Leadership Conference at The Classic Center in Athens-Clarke County. Williams was honored for successfully completing the Citizen Engagement Economic specialty track requirements in the Lifelong Learning Academy.

ACCG and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia have collaborated for more than two decades to provide county officials with supplemental training and educational tools in the Lifelong Learning Academy. With abundant courses from which they may choose, every county official has a tailor-made learning experience that allows them to excel in specific areas of expertise.

“The Lifelong Learning Academy is critical to educating county officials about the challenges they may encounter in public service,” said Dave Wills, ACCG Director. “County leaders who prioritize furthering their education are better equipped to address those challenges and are assets to their communities. I commend Williams for her unwavering dedication to understanding her community.”

The Lifelong Learning Academy was created with input from county commissioners who identified courses based on the issues and decision-making challenges regularly faced by county officials. To ensure the course requirements and curriculum remain relevant and engaging, the ACCG Lifelong Learning Committee – comprised of county commissioners and staff from both ACCG and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia – meet regularly to review and adjust accordingly. Through this collaborative approach, the Lifelong Learning Academy has been successful in equipping county officials with the necessary skills to meet the needs of their constituents.

“The coursework offered by ACCG in the Lifelong Learning Academy covers a broad range of topics relative to the job of being a county commissioner,” said Commissioner Williams. “I have found the classes to be very professional and informative. In a number of different areas, including criminal justice and mental health, finance and revenue, arts and culture, economic development, and more, the instruction has helped me understand Rockdale County’s issues more clearly and given me ideas for solutions.”

ACCG is Georgia’s county association and works on behalf of county officials and their communities by providing public policy and legislative advocacy, leadership development, civic and community engagement initiatives, insurance and retirement programs that specialize in local government needs and other cost-saving programs. Formed in 1914 when county officials came together to help fund the state’s first highway department, ACCG today serves as a catalyst for advancing Georgia’s counties. For more information, visit www.accg.org.