UEDA hosted a special post-summit, virtual discussion that featured the 2025 UEDA Awards of Excellence category leaders in the Talent, Innovation, and Place categories.
The Awards of Excellence are given in recognition of outstanding economic development initiatives, research, or accomplishments. Attendees will hear an in-depth perspective on the winning projects and have an opportunity for post-presentation discussion on implementing effective talent, innovation, and place-based initiatives.
Talent: North Carolina State University (Represented by Anna Mangum) – RuralWorks!
Innovation: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (Represented by Linda Ufland) – UTRGV Startup Week
Place: University of Georgia (Represented by Kaitlin Messich) – Community Branding Program: Place-Based Identity for Economic Growth
The virtual discussion was moderated by Jenny Mizutowicz, UEDA Board member at-large from the University of Texas at Dallas.
About the Speakers
Anna Mangum serves as the NC State Industry Expansion Solutions (IES) regional manager for south central region including Brunswick, Chatham, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Moore, New Hanover, Sampson and Wilson counties. Anna has a diverse private and public industry background in which she has worked with manufacturers, healthcare and government in support of economic development. Prior to her role as regional manager, Anna led North Carolina’s Sustainable Manufacturing Program, E3: Economy, Energy, Environment.
Linda Ufland is the Director of Entrepreneurship, Commercialization, and Innovation at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, where she provides strategic leadership at the Office of Workforce and Economic Development. Linda’s role is pivotal in managing the Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center (ECC), where her expertise in business incubation, entrepreneurial development, commercialization, and innovation comes to the forefront.
Kaitlin Messich is an Art Director in the Institute’s design studio, where she leads the award-winning Community Branding Program she created in 2019. Named to her position in 2024, she manages the design team in creative direction, specializing in community branding and placemaking that helps cities and counties across Georgia strategically leverage their unique assets to foster economic development, attract investment, enhance quality of life, and preserve a strong sense of place. Since joining the Institute in 2013, Kaitlin has led the creative direction for over 60 community projects, blending research-based strategy with graphic design. Her portfolio spans downtown master planning, brand identity systems, adaptive reuse concepts, and placemaking initiatives that translate vision into action.
