Holder began her new role this week as Director of Milledgeville Community Connections: Digital Bridges…Bringing People Together.

“Our goal is to use technology not to create a virtual community but to strengthen the Milledgeville community and improve the quality of life here,” Holder said. “I welcome the new opportunity to challenge my creativity and community spirit to help make Milledgeville continue to grow and prosper.”

Holder served as Georgia College student body president in 2000-2001. She earned both a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in public administration at Georgia College.

She was recognized a GCSU Outstanding Recent Alumni in 2009, a former member of the Georgia College Alumni Association Board of Directors, a Senior Georgia Downtown Development Professional, an Outstanding Student Leader in 2000, among other awards.

Holder’s experience and understanding of the community, her ability to engage and envision things beyond the status quo and her refreshing enthusiasm captured the directorship, said Digital Innovation Group Director Jim Wolfgang.

“Heather is in a position to facilitate . connections in the Milledgeville community,” Wolfgang said. “This project is like a dream facility, and Heather is an ‘imagineer.’ She has earned strong ties locally, statewide and nationally and has a sound reputation with those associations.”

Georgia College & State University and the Digital Innovation Group announced in December a $1.5 million grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to establish the Milledgeville Community Connections: Digital Bridges…Bringing People Together project.

The initiative will facilitate a community-owned effort to develop and implement ways technologies can improve residents’ lives at home, school and work.

The Digital Innovation Group housed at Georgia College will facilitate the Digital Bridges. But the community will identify local challenges and opportunities and then match digital technologies to address them.

Holder’s first step is to hold sessions with community leaders to identify challenges that digital technology can improve. A community advisory council will lead Digital Bridges along the path to improving education, health care and economic development.

For more information contact Heather Holder at (478) 445-1344.