Technology Association of Georgia Selects Director of Economic and Community Resources

ATLANTA - August 3, 2010 - The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) has announced today that Chelsea Arkin has been hired as Director of Economic and Community Resources for the organization.

ATLANTA - The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) has announced today that Chelsea Arkin has been hired as Director of Economic and Community Resources for the organization. In this role, Arkin is responsible for producing the State of the Industry: Technology in Georgia Report. This report, which is supported by the Georgia Economic and Community Development Department (GDEcD), the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA), and the Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC), provides an in-depth analysis of factors critical to the continued success and growth of the Atlanta technology community. It will be released at the 2011 Georgia Technology Summit and presented throughout the year to strategic organizations.
Arkin is also responsible for executing TAG's Business Launch Competition, facilitating Leadership Council meetings, TAG Radio, the TAG Ambassadors program, developing White Papers, and TAG's Society Showcase, as well as several TAG societies, including the Business Process Management Society, the Customer Relationship Management Society, and the SmartGrid Society.

Arkin recently completed master's degrees in Public Policy and City and Regional Planning at Georgia Tech, with concentrations in Economic Development and Land and Community Development. While at Tech, she served as a research assistant for Professor Mike Dobbins, helping him complete his book, Urban Design and People, which was published in April of 2009. Also during graduate school, Arkin worked as a Research Assistant at Market Street Services, a private community and economic development consulting firm in Atlanta. At Market Street, her role involved conducting economic and community development research and analyses, and facilitating focus groups and interviews.

"We are thrilled to have Chelsea join our team. The experience and education she will bring to her projects and particularly to the State of the Industry Report, which is one of TAG's major contributions to support Georgia's economic development efforts, will be incredibly valuable," stated Melanie Brandt, TAG's Chief Operating Officer.

Prior to graduate school, Arkin worked for the nonprofit organization Hands on Network as a Project Management Coordinator for the Hands On Schools program. Among other tasks, she helped to launch the program, helped to manage, train, and oversee both corporate and community volunteers participating in projects across the country, and wrote and compiled a comprehensive toolkit in connection with its implementation. Arkin holds an A.B in The Growth and Structure of Cities from Bryn Mawr College, with minors in History of Art and American History.

About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)
TAG is a leading technology industry association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of the state's technology industry. TAG provides leadership in driving initiatives in the areas of policy, capital, education and giving, and also brings the technology community together through events, initiative programs and networking opportunities. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 27 special interest groups, or societies, including Women in Technology (WIT). Additionally, TAG's charitable arm, the TAG Education Collaborative, is focused on helping science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education initiatives thrive. For more information visit the TAG website at http://www.tagonline.org or TAG's community technology center and community technology network at http://www.TAGthink.com.