The third annual University of Georgia Electric Mobility Summit convened last month in Athens, drawing over 250 participants from industry, government, and education to delve into the advancement of electric mobility in Georgia. The event, which took place April 23-24, explored the collaborative opportunities between educational institutions, industries and communities to support the demands of this growing sector and pave the way for the future of electric mobility in the state and beyond.
Hosted at the Classic Center, this year’s summit commenced with remarks from representatives from Georgia Network for Electric Mobility Founding Partners, including Georgia Power region director Tony Ferguson, Kia Georgia, Inc. president & CEO Stuart Countess, and Cox Automotive Mobility Solutions Group president Joe George. The event also featured keynote remarks delivered by Georgia Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols.
Additional speakers at the summit included:
- Emil Abdelshehid, Assistant Director, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
- Rhonda Allen, Chief Customer Experience Officer for MARTA
- Todd Allums, Director, Utility Relations & Strategic Programs, EnviroSpark Energy Solutions, Inc.
- Folashade Alao, Principal, Program Analyst, Transportation Planning Department, Atlanta Regional Commission
- Stephanie Armistead, Sustainability Lead, Chick-Fil-A Corporate Support Center
- Ashley Blackwell, Deputy Director, Electrification Coalition
- Bjorn Birgisson, Professor and Chair, School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering, University of Georgia
- Anna Chafin, President & CEO of Workforce, Savannah Economic Development Authority
- Dave Dennison, Vice President of Engineering at Archer Aviation
- Asher Dozier, E-Mobility Engagement Lead, UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government
- Justin Ellis, Program Manager / Operational Strategy and Impact Analysis, UGA Office of Sustainability
- Glenn Halliday, CEM, Electric Transportation, Georgia Power
- Andrew Heath, Deputy Chief Engineer, Georgia Department of Transportation
- Roberto Perdisci, Director, Institute for Cybersecurity and Privacy, Patty and D.R. Grimes Distinguished Professor of Computer Science, UGA School of Computing
- Jack Hu, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, UGA
- Sam Ham, Director Alternative Power, Yancey Bus Sales and Service
- Bob Hughes, Chief Wisdom Officer, Rowen Foundation
- Jeri Reichel, Sr Strategic Planning Director, Consumer Solutions, Cox Automotive
- Anastasia Klosterman, Zero Emissions Transportation Consultant, 1898 & Co. – Part of Burns & McDonnell
- Aaron Luque, Founder, CEO, and Board Chairman of EnviroSpark Energy Solutions
- Michael Oatridge, AMP Executive Director, The University of Alabama, Alabama Transportation Institute
- Allen Parrish, Interim VP, Research & Economic Development, The University of Alabama, Alabama Transportation Institute
- Roberto Perdisci, Director, Institute for Cybersecurity and Privacy, Patty and D.R. Grimes Distinguished Professor of Computer Science, UGA School of Computing
- Beatrice Shakal, Policy Planning Coordinator, Georgia Department of Transportation
- Christian Sigman, City Manager, City of Brookhaven
- Clay Walden, Executive Director, Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS), Mississippi State University
- Greg Wilson, Associate Director Workforce and Economic Development, Carl Vinson Institute of Government
- Lincoln Wood, Electrification Policy Manager, Southern Company
Immediately following the larger summit, the Georgia Network for Electric Mobility (GNEM) met to further discuss the outlook of electric mobility in the state. GNEM brings together industry, academia, government and communities to aid workforce development, economic development and research, taking special care to involve rural and underserved communities and small businesses.
The event was made possible thanks to the generosity of premier sponsors Georgia Power, Cox Automotive, and Kia Georgia, Inc.; leadership sponsor Jackson EMC; and partner sponsor Georgia Automobile Dealers Association. Save the date for the fourth annual Electric Mobility Summit which will take place on March 13, 2025.
View photos from the Electric Mobility Summit and the GNEM meeting.
