Leadership Southeast Georgia (LSEGA), the region’s premier professional development program, recently completed the second session of its 2025 cohort, focusing on community health, wellness, and public safety across McIntosh, Liberty, and Long counties.
The two-day session explored key issues affecting quality of life in the region — including access to rural healthcare, emergency response collaboration, poverty, food insecurity, and the evolving landscape of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
“The health of our communities is directly tied to public safety,” said Program Manager Leigh Smiley. “By understanding the interconnected systems that support wellness, we uncover more effective ways to serve and protect our neighbors.”
Hosted in Liberty County, the session began with opening remarks from Hinesville Mayor Karl Riles and Leah Poole, CEO of the Liberty County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Highlights included presentations from Hunter Army Airfield Garrison Command Sergeant Major Kieven Favor and Liberty County Sheriff Will Bowman, offering military and law enforcement perspectives on regional safety.
A hands-on community service project with Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) brought the session's mission to life. This project is was possible by the generosity of the Hinesville Rotary Club, the official sponsor of the SHP GA-Hinesville Chapter. Participants helped build beds for local children in need—an effort that sparked immediate action from class member Hannah Valentine, who is now working to launch an SHP chapter in her own hometown.
Session highlights also included:
- Wellness & Prevention – Sandy Wells, RN, of Liberty Regional Medical Center, shared heart-health data and local exercise and nutrition initiatives.
- Community Health & Poverty – A joint presentation from Stephanie Jones-Heath (CEO, Diversity Health) and Cheryl Woods (Chief Deputy Director, Coastal Community Health).
- ALICE Simulation – Leia Dedic, COO of United Way of the Coastal Empire led a simulation on the financial strain faced by working families living paycheck to paycheck.
- DEI Today – HunterMaclean attorney Wade Herring offered insights on the shifting conversation around diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
The session closed with a collaborative review and call to action, encouraging participants to bring ideas and initiatives back to their own communities.
“Each session inspires our class members to become agents of change,” said LSEGA Chairwoman Kendria Lee. “When they see the impact of local leadership firsthand, they leave more committed than ever to making a difference across our region. That’s the spirit of LSEGA.”
Leadership Southeast Georgia’s 2025 program is supported by the generous contributions of its sponsors, including Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, Evans General Contractors, Georgia Southern University, M.E. Sack Engineering, The Sack Company, Thomas & Hutton, Savannah Technical College, Georgia Power, HunterMaclean, Bouhan Falligant, Savannah Economic Development Authority, Savannah Area Chamber, Goodwill Southeast Georgia, Coleman Company, World Trade Center Savannah, Southeastern Bank, Bank of Newington, Cecilia Russo Marketing, Dabbs, Hickman, Hill & Cannon, and Hussey Gay Bell.
Local sponsors for the McIntosh, Liberty, and Long counties session included Georgia Power, Coldwell Banker, Liberty County Development Authority, Hinesville Area Board of Realtors, New American Funding, Strategic Biz Solutions, and Liberty County.
For more information about the Leadership Southeast Georgia program, visit lsega.com.