Laurie Ott
​Executive Director
Georgia Higher Education Healthcare Initiative

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 Laurie Ott is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Georgia Higher Education
Healthcare Initiative, leading regional efforts to train and retain physicians and nurses
by leveraging and identifying resources for Georgia’s healthcare workforce.

 

From 2011 to January 2024, she held multiple executive roles at University Health Care System
(now Piedmont Augusta), including leading Development, HR, Community Services,
and Women’s Services—successfully spearheading partnerships to dramatically expand nursing graduates and directing nurse hiring during the pandemic.

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Previously, she co-founded the CSRA Wounded Warrior Care Project (now a national program, America’s Warrior Partnership) and spent 15 years as a news anchor and investigative reporter at WRDW in Augusta and KTVH in Helena, MT. She has earned two Commander’s Awards for Public Service from the US Army, an Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative reporting, and multiple journalism and community service honors.