ATLANTA — GeorgiaForward recently selected Demetrius McBride as one of the 49 promising professionals to serve the organization’s 2025 Young Gamechangers (YG) program. YG is a unique leadership action program hosted by GeorgiaForward, a non-profit organization administrated by the Georgia Municipal Association. Young Gamechangers brings professionals from across the state to work on the persistent challenges of one Georgia community.
In 2025, the City of Athens and Clarke County will host the Young Gamechangers. Local leaders have finalized their four “Challenge Questions” that the 2025 cohort will be charged to answer during the eight months focused on Athens, developing specific, actionable recommendations for the community. These questions focus on community impact, the town-gown relationship, economic disparity, and regional growth.
“Each year, our Young Gamechangers, through the energy and innovation of our state’s best minds, help improve our cities and counties,” said Amir Farokhi, chair of GeorgiaForward’s board of directors. “This year, we are excited and grateful to partner with Athens-Clarke County. Great ideas come from all over Georgia, and we cannot wait to see our Young Gamechangers in action.”
Demetrius McBride, 39, is one of the 49 Gamechangers selected for the 2025 GeorgiaForward Young Gamechangers class. An educator and community advocate, he teaches the Financial Services Pathway in the CTAE department at Shaw High School in Columbus, Georgia. McBride currently serves as Director of Education and Chaplain for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Delta Iota Lambda Chapter, and as the Advocacy Chair for the Urban League of the River Valley Young Professionals. He will graduate this year with an Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Workforce Education from the University of Georgia. McBride brings a deep commitment to youth mentorship, civic engagement, and community leadership to this year’s cohort, proudly representing the Muscogee County School District.
“I am honored to be part of this year’s Young Gamechangers cohort and to collaborate with a diverse group of passionate leaders committed to making a difference in Athens-Clarke County,” McBride said. “My father always reminded me that ‘a workman must always carry his tools,’ and my mother taught me to ‘bloom wherever you are planted.’ As I step into this opportunity, I carry their wisdom with me—alongside my favorite verse, Proverbs 3:5: ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.’ I’m looking forward to growing, serving, and learning with this inspiring team.”
“Athens has always thrived on innovation and creative energy, so we are delighted to host the Young Gamechangers here in 2025. This is a group that I know will contribute enhanced vitality to Athens and the entire state of Georgia,” said Mayor Kelly Girtz of the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government.
The 2025 cohort of Gamechangers will meet for the first time in Athens on April 23rd, and their work will culminate with a community presentation of their findings and recommendations on Thursday, November 6th. The Gamechangers are accomplished professionals aged 40 and under from across the state who wish to make an impact through civic engagement, economic development, and community partnerships. A third of the class is from the Athens-Clark County area, another third is from the metro Atlanta region, and the remaining third are from greater Georgia.
Previous Young Gamechangers Host Communities are Columbus-Muscogee County, Americus-Sumter County, Dublin-Laurens County, Douglasville-Douglas County, Augusta-Richmond County, LaGrange-Troup County, Milledgeville-Baldwin County, Albany-Dougherty County, Monroe-Walton County, Dalton-Whitfield County, Columbus-Muscogee County, and Valdosta-Lowndes County.
About GeorgiaForward: GeorgiaForward is a convener, connector, and unifier. We exist to unite our state, strengthen communities, and create a talent pipeline within Georgia.
GeorgiaForward engages young professionals with leaders in civics, industry, government, academia, and the media to find a common vision for Georgia. The nonprofit organization, which is administered by the Georgia Municipal Association, accomplishes this by creating an environment in which vision and pragmatism can overcome political deadlock, fostering communication and goodwill among Georgia’s stakeholders, and seeking innovative solutions to Georgia’s biggest challenges. To learn more about GeorgiaForward visit georgiaforward.org.
About the Georgia Municipal Association: Based in Atlanta, GMA is a voluntary, non-profit organization that provides legislative advocacy, educational, employee benefit and consulting services to all of Georgia’s 537 cities. GMA anticipates and influences the forces shaping Georgia’s cities and to provide leadership, tools and services that assist municipal governments in becoming more innovative, effective and responsive. Created in 1933, the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) is the only state organization that represents municipal governments in Georgia. For more information, visit www.gacities.com.
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