Demmler Selected for Leadership Georgia

A local resident will be among those going through this year’s Leadership Georgia class.

St. Matthias Episcopal Church Rector The Very Reverend Mary Demmler has been chosen for this year’s Leadership Georgia class.

Demmler said she is honored to have been chosen in what is a very competitive process.

She said this was her third time applying for the statewide class.

According to Demmler, it is the statewide version of the local Leadership Toccoa-Stephens County program.

“It includes looking at what your leadership profile is, what your personality as a leader is and how to develop that and cultivate it,” said Demmler. “Similar to the Stephens County class and leadership program, you might do a program on education, one on government.”

Both Demmler and her husband, Derek, graduated from the Leadership Toccoa-Stephens County class.

She said her husband will also be a part of the statewide class with her.

“One of the really cool things about Leadership Georgia is once one spouse is accepted, the other spouse is automatically a part of that class and it not just expected, but required that your spouse attend with you because your spouse becomes a graduate of the program,” said Demmler.

Demmler’s parents have been through Leadership Georgia, as has her brother and his wife.

She said it is a great opportunity to travel the state and meet many different people.

“All of the meetings are in different locations across the state so you are getting to see this beautiful, amazing state,” said Demmler. “We get to travel around the state and meet other leaders in the state and see what they are up to. It is a great networking opportunity. We are very excited to represent Toccoa and Stephens County.”

The class meets five times throughout the course of the year.

Demmler has been the rector at St. Matthias since 2009, while her husband is a teacher at Stephens County High School.

Both have also been active through the years in numerous civic organizations.

Leadership Georgia started in 1972 and since then, more than 3,000 people have participated in the classes.