The Georgetown Project names Rob Dyer as new CEO

The Georgetown Project is welcoming Rob Dyer as its new CEO after long-time leader Leslie Janca announced her retirement earlier this month.  Mr. Dyer is currently the principal at Richarte High School.

The transition between the two will take place over the next few months, with plans for Mr. Dyer to fully step into the role this summer.

“A change in such seasoned leadership is both a challenge and an opportunity for an organization like The Georgetown Project,” said the nonprofit’s board chair Paul Boff. “However, we believe Rob is the right person to step into the role and lead The Georgetown Project into the future.”

Founded in 1997, The Georgetown Project aims to create a community “where no child is hungry, hurt, alone, or rejected, and where all children and youth believe they are loved, respected and treated with dignity,” according to its vision statement.

The community based nonprofit assists children and their support systems through programs such as the Bridges to Growth Parent Center, which provides services such as parenting classes, road to citizenship courses, enrichment activities for young children and ESL and Spanish classes, and the TGP Collaborative for Children and Youth, which is a community-wide collaboration bringing together public, private and nonprofit organizations working to help young people thrive.

Ms. Janca oversaw many programs and services during her career with The Georgetown Project, including the creation of the NEST Empowerment Center, which services at-risk and homeless GISD high school students by providing access to basic needs, homework help and both therapeutic and community-based resources, and the Summer Youth Employment Program, in which eligible high school students can participate in paid summer internships with local business partners. Other programs included Kid City and the After School Action Program (ASAP), both partnerships with the City of Georgetown and Georgetown ISD.

She believes her retirement will usher in a new chapter for the organization, and after a 37-year career in nonprofit management, she looks forward to spending more time with family, including her two preschool-aged grandsons.

“I feel really good about where we’ve come during my time here, and I’ve enjoyed the journey so much. Visioning the future will require fresh perspective and energy, and I feel good handing it off to Rob,” Ms. Janca said.

“I’ve known him for at least 20 years, and I feel like that was the final piece to fall into place for me to feel good about a transition. I’ve been here for almost the entire life of The Georgetown Project, and we wanted to find the right person to craft the next part of the story. We were fortunate to get that. I am proud of our Board for making a great choice.”

“Leslie has left her mark on The Georgetown Project, our community, and on the way nonprofits in Georgetown work together,” Mr. Boff said. “We will miss her terribly, but we are excited for her to be able to focus on her family in San Angelo.”