Athens-Clarke County Unified Government (ACCGov) Manager Blaine Williams has named Laura Welch to serve as Interim Human Resources Director as of February 9, 2024 while a national search takes place for the permanent position.

The current Human Resources Director in Athens-Clarke County, Jeff Hale, is leaving  to pursue a private sector opportunity. Hale has worked for the Human Resources Department since 2008 and was named director in 2017.

Welch has served as ACCGov’s Assistant Human Resources Director since 2017. She previously served as ACCGov’s Court Administrator for five years and also served as a Senior Management Analyst in the Auditor’s Office at two different times. She has also worked for the Chattooga County School System, Berry College, and at private companies in Washington, DC in defense and government relations areas.

The ACCGov Human Resources Department provides services for ACCGov related to hiring, wellness, retirement benefits, employment benefits, and other human resources functions for its 1800 full time employees, part-time employees, and 800 retirees. For more information, visit www.accgov.com/hr.