Darton State College has named Cynthia George as the interim Chief Advancement Officer and Executive Director of Institutional Advancement. George will start her new position today.

George who has been a staple in the community for many years, brings more than 20 years of experience in fund development and marketing to Darton State. In her new role, she will have oversight of advancement, alumni, public relations, and marketing efforts for the College.

“I am honored and excited to work with Darton State College. I’m anxious to help Darton continue building on the reputation we have in excelling academically, and to build a strong relationship with the communities we serve,” said Cynthia George.

Since 2011, George has owned and operated Artesian Consulting, LLC, which specializes in fund development, marketing, public relations, and community affairs. Prior to operating Artesian Consulting, she served nearly six years as the Vice President of Government Affairs and Strategic Planning for Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. In this role, she directed and implemented the strategic planning process for the hospital.  She was also responsible for developing the community giving policy and lobbying at the local, state, and national levels. She has also served as Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Planning, Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Director of Marketing at Phoebe Putney.

“Cynthia’s unique experience and executive leadership in strategic planning, fundraising, public relations and marketing, and community affairs could not come at a more critical time for Darton State College. Her extraordinary community leadership and experience will become increasingly important as we strengthen our fundraising efforts,” said interim President Dr. Jones.

A native of Southwest Georgia, George has served on many community boards. Last year she served as Chair of the Albany Chamber of Commerce.  She also chaired the Legislative Affairs Committee for the Chamber and co-founded Strive2Thrive, an anti-poverty initiative.  She is a member of the Dougherty County Rotary Club and serves on the Economic Development Commission.

George holds a bachelor’s degree in communications with a public relations concentration from Georgia Southern University.