Rusty Haygood has been named associate director of the Governmental Training, Education, and Development (GTED) Division at the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government.
“Rusty brings a distinguished record of executive leadership in state and local government that will be invaluable to advancing our mission of serving Georgia’s government officials,” said Rob Gordon, Institute of Government director. “His extensive background in navigating complex issues and his deep commitment to public service make him the ideal choice to lead our training and education efforts.”
As associate director, Haygood will oversee the division’s daily operations and strategy, managing a team of more than 35 faculty and staff. He is responsible for directing the Institute’s governmental training and education programs, including leadership development, financial management, and online certification programs for state and local government officials across Georgia. Additionally, he will manage contract and grant development while ensuring the division continues to meet the evolving needs of governments and their leaders throughout the state.
Haygood has more than 15 years of experience in the development and oversight of community and economic development financing programs.
Prior to joining the Institute of Government, Haygood served as Deputy Commissioner for the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA), providing executive leadership for the Community Development and Finance Division. In this role, he directed the daily operations of more than 100 professionals and oversaw the business processes and policies that implement the state’s community and economic development programs. His tenure at DCA included managing the transfer of the State Historic Preservation Office during the COVID-19 pandemic and serving as co-chair of Georgia’s Complete Count Committee for the 2020 Census.
Earlier in his career, Haygood served as the Economic Development Director for the Oconee County Board of Commissioners, where he led recruitment efforts that resulted in Caterpillar locating to the Athens-Oconee area. He also served as the Director of Public Administration for the Middle Georgia Regional Development Center, where he created grant applications that netted communities more than $40 million in state and federal funding and developed comprehensive plans for middle Georgia communities.
“The breadth of experiences I have tackled within my career has equipped me with unique perspectives on the challenges facing our state’s local and regional governments,” Haygood said. “I look forward to working with the Institute’s talented faculty and staff to deliver educational content that empowers our public officials and strengthens communities across Georgia.”
Haygood earned a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Georgia.