JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga. (Sept. 9, 2026) - The Georgia Education Advancement Council has announced the award recipients for 2026. The winners will be honored during GEAC's Annual Conference Awards Dinner on Tuesday, November 10 on Jekyll Island, Georgia.
"This year’s honorees exemplify the very best of higher education advancement in our state,” said GEAC President Frances Beussee of Kennesaw State University. “We are proud to recognize their outstanding commitment, innovative leadership and lasting contributions to our profession."
The 2026 award winners are:
- Overall University Institutional Excellence in Advancement: Georgia Institute of Technology
- Overall College Institutional Excellence in Advancement: Gordon State College
- Excellence in Advancement Services: Brantley Hobbs, Director of Applications and Integrations at the University of Georgia
- Excellence in Alumni Relations: Ava Edwards, Director of Alumni Relations at Georgia Southern University
- Excellence in Fundraising & Development: Hunter Peak, Development Officer at Georgia Southwestern State University
- Excellence in Marketing & Communications: Joshua Cornwall, Executive Director at Georgia Piedmont Technical College
- Outstanding Newcomer: Madison Snyder, Parent and Family Engagement Manager at Kennesaw State University
For conference attendees, the awards dinner is covered by registration. Additional guests may purchase tickets for the awards dinner at geac.org/annual-conference.
Georgia Institute of Technology, Overall University Institutional Excellence in Advancement
Georgia Tech’s advancement community achieved a record-setting year in fiscal 2026, raising more than $415 million, the largest fundraising year in Institute history and more than $100 million above its previous annual record. The achievement propelled Transforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech beyond its initial $2 billion goal with 18 months remaining in the campaign. Philanthropic support is expanding access through scholarships and fellowships, strengthening faculty excellence and research, supporting transformative campus projects, and creating new opportunities for industry and corporate partnerships.
The university’s advancement success reflects a broad, collaborative effort involving development professionals, academic leaders, faculty, alumni, corporate and foundation partners, communications teams, volunteers, students and Institute leadership. Together, these efforts have translated philanthropic support into opportunities for students, faculty, researchers and communities across Georgia and beyond.
The nominator said, “Yet the greater achievement is the advancement culture behind those results — one that connects philanthropy, alumni engagement, industry partnership, academic leadership, communications, and institutional priorities around a shared mission.”
This award is presented to institutions demonstrating outstanding achievement and commitment to the field of higher education advancement.
Gordon State College, Overall College Institutional Excellence in Advancement
Gordon State College’s Advancement team has demonstrated that institutional excellence can come from a small team willing to step beyond traditional roles and work collectively toward a shared purpose. The six-person team manages fundraising, donor relations, Foundation operations, scholarships, alumni engagement, grants, community outreach, marketing, special events and presidential initiatives. During the first six months of 2026, contributions totaled $442,944.49, an increase of approximately 68.6% over the same period in 2025, even as the number of donors declined.
The team has also navigated significant institutional transitions, including a presidential change, a CRM migration from Raiser’s Edge to Virtuous, staffing changes and the integration of Marketing into Advancement. At the same time, it has expanded community and alumni engagement through events and initiatives designed to strengthen Gordon State’s visibility and relationships throughout the surrounding community.
The nominator said, “Advancement has become more than an office within the institution. It is a connector; connecting donors to opportunities, alumni to their alma mater, the Foundation to the College, the community to campus, and institutional leadership to the people who believe in its mission.”
This award is presented to institutions demonstrating outstanding achievement and commitment to the field of higher education advancement.
Brantley Hobbs, Excellence in Advancement Services
Brantley Hobbs joined the University of Georgia’s Division of Development and Alumni Relations in 2019, bringing 25 years of technical experience to the university. As the primary systems lead for GAIL, UGA’s Blackbaud CRM and advancement system of record, he supports the technology infrastructure behind fundraising, prospect management, gift processing, donor engagement and reporting. Since 2023, he has also led DAR’s Application Development team, helping guide major technology initiatives and integrations across the university while developing talent and strengthening collaboration among advancement teams.
His nominator said, “Brantley describes his job as the ‘care and feeding’ of the systems that support our day-to-day efforts. Hundreds at UGA log into those systems to get their work done, and most of them have never heard his name. He has never once asked them to.”
This award honors higher education advancement professionals who have served at least five years in higher education and have distinguished themselves in the field of advancement services.
Ava Edwards, Excellence in Alumni Relations
Ava Edwards serves as Director of Alumni Relations at Georgia Southern University, where she has helped expand alumni engagement across a growing community of more than 162,000 alumni. Under her leadership, Georgia Southern has seen a 15% annual increase in event attendance in Fiscal Year 2026, while programs such as 40 Under 40, True Blue Tailgates, and the International Alumni Travel Program continue to create meaningful opportunities for alumni to connect with the university. Her leadership and innovation have earned recognition beyond Georgia Southern, including selection as one of Almabase’s 50 Champions in Advancement in 2025.
Her nominator said, “Ava exemplifies the very best of the alumni relations profession through her unwavering commitment to alumni engagement, innovative programming, strategic leadership, and dedication to advancing the mission of higher education through meaningful relationships.”
This award honors higher education advancement professionals who have served at least five years in higher education and have distinguished themselves in the field of alumni relations.
Hunter Peak, Excellence in Fundraising & Development
Hunter Peak joined Georgia Southwestern State University’s Advancement team in 2022 as a major gift officer, bringing more than 20 years of professional fundraising experience, including extensive experience with major gifts and comprehensive campaigns. As GSW’s only dedicated development officer, he has played a central role in identifying, cultivating and soliciting major gift prospects while helping lead the university into the public phase of its Rising Together, Shaping Futures comprehensive campaign. His work has contributed to record fundraising results, including a 33% increase in contributions in FY2026, a record 43 major gifts and a record 231 President’s Circle donors.
His nominator said, “A true champion for GSW, Hunter brings an infectious enthusiasm to his work and challenges all of us to dream bigger about what we can accomplish.”
This award honors higher education advancement professionals who have served at least five years in higher education and have distinguished themselves in the field of fundraising and development.
Joshua Cornwall, Excellence in Marketing & Communications
Joshua Cornwall serves as Executive Director at Georgia Piedmont Technical College, where he has led initiatives to strengthen the college’s brand, communications and engagement efforts. His work has included revamping the GPTC website, improving accessibility and navigation, developing a comprehensive library of branded marketing resources, implementing strategic email marketing and using data-driven strategies to improve engagement. He has also developed campaigns and communications supporting enrollment, workforce development, fundraising and community partnerships, while producing student, alumni, faculty and employer stories that highlight the college’s impact. His scholarship application training videos contributed to a 125% increase in Summer 2026 applications.
His nominator said, “[Joshua] strengthened brand consistency through standardized messaging, visual identity guidelines, and communication resources that empower departments to represent Georgia Piedmont Technical College with one unified voice.”
This award honors higher education advancement professionals who have served at least five years in higher education and have distinguished themselves in the field of marketing and communications.
Madison Snyder, Outstanding Newcomer
Madison Snyder serves as Parent and Family Engagement Manager at Kennesaw State University, where she created and developed a role focused on strengthening engagement with students and families. During her time at KSU, she revitalized the Leave a Legacy Commemorative Brick Program, growing annual sales from an average of 19 bricks to 316 in its first year and 385 the following year. She also launched the Parent and Family Grant Funding Program, which has generated more than $30,000 to support registered student organizations, and stepped into additional leadership responsibilities during a vacancy on the Annual Giving team.
Her nominator said, “While many new professionals spend their first years learning the institution, Madison immediately began shaping it.”
This award honors higher education advancement professionals who have served less than five years in higher education and have distinguished themselves through outstanding performance and commitment to their field.
Pictured are (top row, left to right) Brantley Hobbs, Ava Edwards, Hunter Peak, Joshua Cornwall, (bottom row) Gordon State College's advancement team, Madison Snyder, and the Georgia Institute of Technology's advancement team.