08/03/2026
We see you, Julia Morrison! So grateful for all of the ways you serve not only Mercer, but also the greater community!
Leadership takes place in all seasons, as an ecosystem that requires everyone to play their part. When a community decides to keep showing up for itself, it doesn’t always look the way we expect it to.
Sometimes behind a well-known elected official is a city clerk making it happen, who knows exactly how to find a public record to increase citizen transparency. Or, a trial lawyer who’s seen success in the courtroom changes the face of his downtown. A local doctor takes a chance on becoming an entrepreneur to share solutions found while working with countless patients. A native Maconite goes from Central High School to nationwide news at a presidential center and library in Chicago. And they all recall the place where they began to grow.
In the microcosms of Macon and Central Georgia, change happens on new sidewalks and creative public library programs. There’s pride in preserving one’s home as much as breaking ground on new institutions.
The August/September Leadership Issue (on stands this week) celebrates people doing work across our region that helps us bloom.
Speaking of playing their part, inside you’ll meet (or learn anew) people who have taken on many roles onstage and off.
2026 Five Under 40 Young Leaders
Lauren Marshall, Vice President for Community Development, NewTown Macon
Colin Penndorf, Owner, Shape & Space Art Management Ocmulgee Artist Guild
Onica Schmidt, General Counsel and Chief Legal Affairs Officer, Middle GA State University
Julia Morrison, Executive Director, The Piedmont Grand Opera House Robins Financial Capitol Theatre, Mercer University
Melissa Rodriguez-McClain, Nonprofit Management | Community Engagement Coordinator, El Refugio
Turn these pages to read more about their work, lives, and causes that matter.
Explore leaders who make an impact at all ages and dive into pages about public transit, local government, the arts, preservation, and more.
We hope these stories leave you with a deeper appreciation for the people shaping Macon, often without much fanfare, and for the many ways leadership takes root.
Photo by Jessica Whitley