Stephen D. Dolinger, Ed.D
President                                                                                                           sdolinger(at)gpee.org

Joined the Partnership in 2002 as its president.  Served as the Superintendent of Schools for Fulton County for seven years prior to joining the Partnership.  Served in the Fairfax County, VA school system for 26 years before accepting the Fulton position.  He has an Ed.D from Vanderbilt University, an M.Ed. from George Mason University, and B.B.A. from Wake Forest University.  He currently serves on the Business LEADS cabinet for the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, and also the on the Board of Directors for several organizations  including: the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Voices for Georgia's Children, Communities In Schools and the Sandy Springs Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he has been appointed to the President’s Roundtable of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, the cabinet of the Georgia Children’s Health Alliance, and the state team of the College and Career Ready Policy Institute.

Diane Hopkins, CAE
Vice President
dhopkins(at)gpee.org

Joined the Partnership in 1992.  She has 30-plus years in non-profit management.  Prior to her Partnership service, she held positions with the Industrial Development Research Foundation, 1991-92, and the Business Council of Georgia, 1986-91.  She became a Certified Association Executive (CAE) in 1999.  She is a board member of the Georgia Society of Association Executives; a member of the American Society of Association Executives; a member of the Education and Worforce Development Committee of the Georgia Economic Developers Association; and  a member of College Access, Grant Leadership Team.  She holds a BS degree from the University of North Alabama and an MS degree from the University of Alabama.

Alice Ford
Administrative Assistant
aford(at)gpee.org 

Joined the Partnership in 1998.  She has 15-years administrative experience and has particular expertise in scheduling and travel planning and conference, meetings and other large event coordination. She earned an Associates Degree in Business Management from Georgia State University.

Bill Maddox
Communications Director
bmaddox(at)gpee.org 

Joined the Partnership in 2004 after serving seven years as the director, external communications with the Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter of the American Red Cross.  He has more than 30-years communications experience, much of that in public affairs assignments with the U.S. Army.  He holds a BS degree in communications from the University of Tennessee - Knoxville and is a member of the Atlanta chapter of the Public Relations Society of America as well as the Georgia School Public Relations Association.

Donna O'Neal
Next Generation School Project
doneal(at)mindspring.com

She has worked with the Partnership since 1990, leading the design and implementation of the Next Generation School Project - a research arm of the organization.  She has taught elementary and high school, and severely emotionally dsiturbed students in a psychoeducational program.  She served as Preschool Handicapped Consultant for the Georgia Department of Education and Director of Communications for the Georgia School Boards Association before founding Advancing Education, Inc. in 1998.  She holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, an MEd in Special Education and a BS degree in Home Economics Education all from the University of Georgia.

Jane Simpson
Development Director
jsimpson(at)gpee.org

Joined the Partnership in February 2004.  She brings more than 25 years of fund raising experience to the position, 16 years of that seeking funds for education, including for The Children's School and Kennesaw State University.  She holds a BA degree in English and art history from Converse College.

Susan Walker
Policy and Research Director
swalker(at)gpee.org 

Ms. Walker officially joined the Partnership in 2007 after previously serving as Research Associate, Learning-centered Leadership Program, with the Southern Regional Education Board in Atlanta.  Prior to that she served in the Office of Strategic Research and Analysis with the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, and served as a graduate assistant researching, writing and editing journal articles on issues pertaining to Human Resource Development.  She holds a B.A. degree in English and Women's Studies (minor in French) from Emory University, and a M.S. degree in Urban Policy Studies from Georgia State University.  After leaving Emory she taught 12th grade English at McAllen (Texas) High School as a Teach for America classroom teacher.

Dorie Griggs
Annual Bus Trip Coordinator
dgriggs(at)gpee.org

Ms. Griggs has worked with the Partnership since 2004, coordinating the logistics for the organization's Annual Bus Trip Across Georgia.  Prior to joining the Partnership as a consultant she served as the communications manager for Faith And The City.  In that capacity she handled media relations and produced the award winning cable TV program Faith And The City Forum: Interfaith Dialogue on Civic Issues shown on Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasting.  She has held a variety of public relations and marketing positions in the hospitality industry as well as college and professional sports.  She holds a master of divinity degree from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, and a B.A. in speech communications/theater arts from the University of Richmond.