Meet Our FCDA Team
Niki Knox Vanderslice most recently was the Executive Director of Business Development and External Affairs for the Technical College System of Georgia’s Quick Start program. In this role, She served as a liaison to external local, regional and state economic development entities in business recruitment efforts, and supported continuous improvement initiatives to maximize the professional effectiveness of the statewide technical college vice presidents of economic development in serving new, expanding and existing companies in their service delivery areas.
Niki holds an Associate of Arts degree from ABAC, a B.A. in Business Administration from Georgia Southwestern State University and a Master’s in Organizational Development and Leadership from Saint Joseph’s University. Prior to joining the Technical College System of Georgia, Niki served as Director of Governmental Relations for the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.
Niki began her 15-year-long career in economic development working with local communities, including serving as the Department of Community Affairs’ Office of Downtown Development Regional Representative for regions 1, 2 and 4, and also as the Downtown Development Director for Valdosta and Douglas. Niki has also served as Senior Community Development Consultant for Georgia EMC, where she was responsible for providing economic development assistance to communities across Georgia on behalf of the 42 Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs). Her responsibilities included leading and facilitating various projects, including adult and youth leadership programs, team building, and motivational training. She also organized retreats and strategic planning sessions for chambers of commerce, statewide associations and development authority boards.
A Georgia native, Niki is a member of the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) Foundation Board and Alumni Association, Board Member for the Georgia Economic Developers Association, and past president of the Georgia Downtown Association. She is also a 2010 graduate of Leadership Georgia and graduate of Leadership Lowndes and New Century Leaders (Coffee County). She and her husband, Ed and their daughter, reside in Fayette County.
Joan Young is an economic development professional with more than twenty-five years’ experience in planning and program management, domestic and international business development, research and development of new markets, and coordination and participation in domestic and international business outreach activities.
Joan’s experience includes community and economic development at the local, regional, and state level. She has been active in a variety of economic development groups including serving as a past Chairman of the Georgia Economic Developers Association’s (GEDA) Natural Resources and Environment Committee, past member of the GEDA Board of Directors, and former Vice Chairman of West Central Technical College.
Joan has served in a variety of capacities including Community Development Director, City of Fitzgerald, Georgia, President of the Haralson County Georgia Chamber of Commerce and Executive Director of the Haralson County Georgia Development Authority. She served as the Economic Developer for the City of Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish, through the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Vice President, Business Development of Integra Water, a private water and wastewater utility and as Director of Business Development, Louisiana Economic Development. Joan returned to Georgia as Principal, Joan Young Consulting, providing economic development consulting services to communities and businesses.
