Erin Andews chosen among 2019 Young Gamechangers

ALBANY — Walton County and the city of Monroe are the next community targeted for evaluation by the Young Gamechangers group. And an Albany native, Erin Andrews, is part of the 50-member team chosen for the project.

A third of the Gamechangers, who work to assess and develop solutions to local issues, are from Monroe and Walton County.

“The GeorgiaForward organization works to advocate and implement the (team’s) plans,” Andrews said. “They’re a nonprofit. They will work with that community to help make sure that those plans move forward in a certain priority. … I think that this is a great thing for our state, a great thing to bring everybody together, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

The Gamechangers recently completed a project and announced their findings and suggestions related to Albany and Dougherty County.

Andrews said the group will take a tour of Monroe and Walton County at the end of January, and meet with public officials and community stakeholders before coming up with recommendations for the area. While Andrews said she has no prior experience in the area, the Young Gamechangers “want outsiders to come, too, so there can be a (different) perspective coming in.”

“Every community has struggles and challenges,” Andrews said. “I think it’s good to step outside of the Albany community because I think there’s a lot of negativity — it’s like a cloud, sometimes, over Albany — so I want to go see what another community is facing, try to see what they’re trying to do and work with them.

“That was why this really drew me in. I want to learn how to make a difference and not just be that person that sits back and complains.”

To help address Monroe and Walton County’s challenges, Andrews said her background in marketing and working with the SOWEGA Council on Aging makes her a good fit for the group.

“One of my largest strengths is my enthusiasm,” Andrews said. “I think that when I come into a place, I can see the really bright spots, maybe where some people have gotten exhausted, maybe where people have tried ideas that haven’t worked, maybe putting a new spin on those ideas, maybe a whole new strategy.”

Another strong suit Andrews listed was that she loves working and strategizing with groups. Asked if a 50-person team was the largest she’d worked with, Andrews responded that it would “be a growth experience” for her.

“I think it would be one of the larger projects because it is taking on the scope of a city and a county,” she said. “So I would say that this is going to be intense and challenging.”

More information about Young Gamechangers, including previous years’ recommendations, is available at GeorgiaForward.org.