ATLANTA - GeorgiaChron -- GeorgiaForward has selected 50 promising young leaders to serve the organization's 2026 Young Gamechangers (YG) program. YG is a unique leadership action program hosted by GeorgiaForward, a non-profit organization administered by the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA). Young Gamechangers brings professionals from across the state to work on the persistent challenges of one Georgia community.

In 2026, the city of Hinesville and Liberty County will host the Young Gamechangers. Local leaders have finalized their four "Challenge Questions" that the 2026 cohort will be charged to answer during the eight months they will spend focused on the community, developing specific, actionable recommendations for the community.

"Each Young Gamechangers cohort represents the future of leadership in Georgia. This newest class brings together talented, passionate professionals who are committed to strengthening communities across our state. We are excited to see how their collaboration, creativity, and dedication will support meaningful solutions for the host community and serve as a model for community innovation statewide," said GeorgiaForward Board Chair Amir Farokhi.

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"Hosting the Young Gamechangers cohort is an exciting opportunity for Hinesville. The collaboration between community leaders, residents, and these talented young professionals will help us evaluate challenges, identify solutions, and strengthen our vision for the future," said Hinesville Mayor Karl Riles.

The 2026 cohort of Gamechangers will meet for the first time in Hinesville April 22, and their work will culminate with a community presentation of their findings and recommendations on October 29. The Gamechangers are accomplished professionals aged 40 and under from across the state who wish to make an impact through civic engagement, economic development, and community partnerships. A third of the class is from the Hinesville-Liberty County area, another third is from the metro Atlanta region, and the remaining third are from greater Georgia.

This year's cohort participants are: Airelle Peters, Alex Reed, Alfred Dixon, Amanda McManus, Anijah Jones, Arin Johnson, Atiyah Kennedy, Bruce James II, Cameron Riles, Candice Milsap-Eaton, Carissa Hendricks, Chad Nash, Curtis Coates, Dana Watson-Green, Danielle Jefferson, Delaney Lann, Desiree Riley, Donovan McKelvey, Elliott Wilson, Eric Jones, Hector Gutierrez, Henry Smith, Jared Guyer, Jerrel Baker, Jesse Branch, Jessica Lawrence, Joanna Jackson, Jordan Gilliard, Kendra Rolle,  Kendra Ivy, Kia Monique Jones, Kimberly Hardin, Markie Oge, Mercy Montgomery, Mikia Frazier, Mollie Bogle, Moses Tanyi, Queenie Brown, Rebekah Hollar, RenQuista Brooks, Samanta Grant, Sarah Balance, Shauntay Harris, Shirka Jordan, Tiffany Hill, Tyler Brewton,Tyrone Webb, Xandria Shields, Xavier Walker, Zach Thrift

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Previous Young Gamechangers Host Communities are Athens-Clarke County, Columbus-Muscogee County, Americus-Sumter County, Dublin-Laurens County, Douglasville-Douglas County, Augusta-Richmond County, LaGrange-Troup County, Milledgeville-Baldwin County, Albany-Dougherty County, Monroe-Walton County, Dalton-Whitfield County, Columbus-Muscogee County and Valdosta-Lowndes County.

For more information, visit http://www.georgiaforward.org