NASPAA accreditation logo

The Public Administration Community Advisory Committee (PACAC) lends continuing support to the MPA and DPA programs at VSU. The committee consists of managers drawn from federal, state, and local agencies and not-for-profit organizations. Members of the PACAC provide invaluable assistance in a variety of areas, including providing internships, employment opportunities for MPA and DPA graduates, and curriculum advice.

MPA Advisory Board

 Peter Pyrzenski photo

Pete Pyrzenski

Pete Pyrzenski currently works as a Member Services Consultant for the Georgia Municipal Association.  Prior to that, he served as City Manager for the City of Tifton where he oversaw nine departments, 131 full time employees, 72 contracted employees and a $49.5 million dollar budget with three enterprise funds.  He was also City Manager in Commerce, GA and Waycross, GA and Public Works Director for the City of Valdosta.  He has held positions such as Project Director for ESG Operations and General Manager for Republic Services. He has extensive experience in both the public and private sector and has worked in all levels of an organization in his career.

aileen harris

Aileen Harris

Aileen Harris serves as the training manager for the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA), a voluntary, non-profit organization that provides legislative advocacy, educational, employee benefit and technical consulting services to its 537 member cities. Her primary responsibilities are overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute. The training institute is a 70+ class continuing education program that annually helps more than 3,500 Georgia city officials enhance their knowledge and skills in municipal-related matters.

Aileen also organizes educational programs for the GMA-affiliated Metro Atlanta Mayors Association, a cooperative alliance of the mayors of 70 cities in the 10-county metro Atlanta. She also coordinates an annual conference for Georgia government communicators.

Aileen previously worked in GMA’s Marketing and Communications Department, where her duties included managing the organization’s monthly publication, managing the 200-member Government Communicators Group, writing articles for print and online, providing public relations services to the Georgia Cities Foundation, and organizing the annual political rally for the Georgia Rides to the Capitol event, a 10-year annual event that was instrumental in helping to se­cure the adoption of a statewide Complete Streets policy and raising the profile of bicycle issues in Georgia.

Earlier in her career, Aileen worked as a newspaper reporter and managing editor for weekly newspapers and co-founded and published an online news outlet that was a finalist for DeKalb County’s Innovative Business Award.

Aileen currently serves on the board of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development and has previously served on the boards of the Greater Lithonia Chamber of Commerce and the South DeKalb Business Association.
Mary-beth-brownlee

Mary Beth Brownlee

Mary Beth Brownlee serves as a member of the County Consulting Services team with the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG). Serving ACCG’s members since 2019, Mary Beth supports all of Georgia’s 159 counties on issues related to community and economic development, planning for growth, broadband deployment, strategic planning, general facilitation, and leadership development.

Mary Beth previously served as the Executive Director of the One Sumter Economic Development Foundation, Inc. In that position, Mary Beth worked to collaborative with the One Sumter Board of Directors and other strategic community partners throughout Sumter County to implement the goals and priorities of One Sumter’s Business Action Plan in four key areas: Economic Development, Workforce Development, Marketing and Communications, and Transportation. With over 100 donors, Mary Beth primary role was to invest the Foundation’s $2.2 Million to further economic development priorities around broadband capacity and fiber connectivity, education and workforce development, leadership development, downtown revitalization, crime and public safety, marketing, and transportation, among others.

Mary Beth previously served as a Public Service Assistant at the University of Georgia’s J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development—a Public Service and Outreach Unit of UGA. In that role, Mary Beth worked to develop, design and deliver community leadership programs to communities throughout Georgia, working with both rural and urban counties to identify and address significant growth challenges. Through that work, Mary Beth managed a pilot project of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development called GeorgiaLEADS.  Partnering with nine pilot communities and two, multi-county regions throughout Georgia, Mary Beth provided the leadership and oversight of GeorgiaLEADS—managing both the planning, design and assessment process of the statewide initiative, while also coordinating the relevant expertise of Fanning’s diverse faculty to respond to each community’s unique leadership development needs and challenges. Mary Beth continues to support the GeorgiaLEADS initiative by serving on the Board of Directors of the 21-County regional leadership development program, South GeorgiaLEADS.

Prior to joining the faculty at Fanning, Mary Beth served as the Economic Development Director for the City of Perry, joining the City in 2012. Working with community entities to develop and implement a strategic vision for the City of Perry in terms of economic development, Mary Beth actively worked to fulfill the role of liaison between the City and its economic development partners throughout Houston County, launching key priorities for the City including the Perry Main Street Program, Perry’s participation in the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing, the Annual New Year’s Eve Buzzard Drop, the Perry Master Plan, the City of Perry’s Strategic Plan, and the Perry Leadership Institute, in partnership with the Perry Area Chamber of Commerce.

She also served UGA through her work with the Archway Partnership in both Glynn and Pulaski Counties, working with community partners to develop a program of work around key community priorities, such as leadership development, economic development, community health, planning for quality growth, and service delivery.

Holding a Master of Public Administration (MPA) with a concentration in Urban Management and Policy from University of North Carolina at Charlotte and an AB in Political Science from the University of Georgia, Mary Beth was presented with the 2019 Leadership Award from Sumter County Schools and was named the 2013 Business Woman of the Year by the Perry Area Chamber of Commerce. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Academy for Economic Development, University of Georgia’s Center for Housing and Community Research, South GeorgiaLEADS, and the One Sumter Economic Development Foundation. Mary Beth is also a member of the Fox Theatre Institute’s Preservation Planning Grant Review Committee for preservation projects statewide.
kimberly_hobbs.jpeg

KIMBERLY HOBBS

Kimberly Hobbs has worked for the Southern Georgia Regional Commission for over 27 years. Having begun her career there as public relations coordinator, Kimberly transitioned to community and economic development 20 years ago, initially serving as a grants specialist and becoming Director in July 2016. During her tenure in community and economic development, Kimberly managed over 60 grant projects totaling more than $58 million and benefitting thousands of people throughout southern Georgia.

In July 2022, Kimberly was promoted to Deputy Executive Director of Governmental Services, overseeing not only community and economic development, but also the planning, transportation, and GIS divisions. Following the announcement of the SGRC’s executive director’s retirement, the Council unanimously appointed Kimberly as successor in June of last year. She assumed the role of executive director on January 2, 2024.

Kimberly holds both a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and a Master of Public Administration from Valdosta State University. She is a certified Economic Development Finance Professional through the National Development Council, a Georgia Certified Economic Developer, and is a graduate of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development as well as South Georgia LEADS. Also, Kimberly was recently elected to the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) Board of Directors for the 2024-2026 term, representing the Southeast Region on the 66-member Board.

She has one daughter, SaraBeth, who is an art consultant and photographer living in Erie, PA. Also, Kimberly is a dog mom to two doodles, Brinkley and Tucker.

SID WALKER

Sid Walker is an Urban Planner with the City of Americus, Georgia, where his work focuses on community development, urban planning, redevelopment, public engagement, and strategic communications. He earned his Master of Public Administration from Valdosta State University and holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science/Pre-Law with a minor in Sociology from Georgia Southwestern State University. Walker is a member of the 2026–2027 South GeorgiaLEADS Regional Leadership Initiative and is actively involved in civic and community leadership throughout Southwest Georgia. His professional interests include local government, economic and community development, public policy, and strengthening partnerships that create opportunities for communities across South Georgia.

LEETAVIOUS MAINES

Leetavious “LT” Maines, originally from Thomaston, Georgia, serves as an Area Officer for Housing and Residence Life at Valdosta State University. He is committed to enhancing the student experience through servant leadership, intentional relationship-building, and student development. In his role, Maines supports residential communities and staff while helping connect students to the resources, relationships, and opportunities that contribute to their success, personal growth, and progress toward graduation.
Maines earned a Bachelor of Science in Political Science, with a minor in Communication Studies and a certificate in Communication in the Workplace, from the University of West Georgia. He is currently pursuing a Master of Public Administration at Valdosta State University with a concentration in Public Sector Management.
His professional and civic experiences reflect an interest in public service, government, education, and community development. Maines previously served as a Government Relations Intern with the University System of Georgia, where he gained experience in legislative research, policy analysis, and governmental affairs. He also completed an externship with the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce, further expanding his exposure to community and economic development.
Maines is particularly interested in the intersection of public administration and higher education and believes colleges and universities have an important responsibility to support students not only in earning a degree, but also in developing the skills, experiences, and confidence necessary to succeed beyond graduation. His professional interests include higher education administration, public sector leadership, government relations, workforce and career readiness, student success, and community engagement.
Grounded in servant leadership, Maines is passionate about building relationships, strengthening institutions, and creating environments that empower students, employees, and communities to grow and reach their full potential.

 

AMANDA PEACOCK

EMILY DAVENPORT

CARLA GERVIN

JACQUELINE SHOEMAKER

Jacqueline Shoemaker serves as Executive Director of the American Red Cross South-Central Georgia Chapter, where she leads initiatives focused on community engagement, organizational effectiveness, and collaborative problem-solving. With nearly four years of executive leadership experience, she works closely with diverse stakeholders, including local government, nonprofits, schools, healthcare organizations, and community leaders, to address regional needs and strengthen community resilience.

Throughout her career, Jacqueline has been committed to building partnerships that create meaningful opportunities for individuals and families. She has led cross-sector efforts that bring together educators, public agencies, businesses, and community organizations to improve access to resources, enhance preparedness, and foster long-term community well-being. Her work emphasizes strategic collaboration, inclusive leadership, and data-informed decision-making.

Jacqueline holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois. Her engineering background provides a systems-thinking perspective that supports innovation, continuous improvement, and effective governance. She is passionate about advancing educational excellence, strengthening community connections, and contributing to initiatives that prepare students for success in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

This blend of executive leadership, community engagement, and strategic planning makes Jacqueline well-suited to serve on and contribute to an academic board dedicated to student achievement and institutional excellence.