Messich recognized for distinguished achievement in public service and outreach
Kaitlin Messich has been honored with a Walter Barnard Hill Award for Distinguished Achievement in Public Service and Outreach. A UGA Institute of Government faculty member, Messich’s expertise in visual communication helps address challenges in the state and fosters economic development through design and creativity.
The Hill Award recognizes faculty and staff for contributions to improving the quality of life in Georgia and beyond. Messich was recognized at the 34th annual Public Service and Outreach Meeting and Awards Luncheon.
“Kaitlin has a deep passion to serve Georgia through her creative gifts and talents,” said Rob Gordon, director of the Institute of Government. “We are all proud of the work that she is doing to address challenges through design thinking and creativity, mentor young designers, and help governments be more effective in serving their citizens.”
Messich first joined UGA Public Service and Outreach as a graduate assistant, earning master’s degrees in historic preservation and fine arts while supporting downtown planning efforts at the Institute of Government through the Georgia Downtown Renaissance Partnership. Her essential role in the partnership led to a full-time position with the institute to establish the first community planning and design studio in 2013. There she helped broaden the partnership’s programs to include strategic visioning, planning, design and technical services.
She has worked in more than 70 communities through the partnership and its Renaissance Strategic Visioning and Planning (RSVP) process. In Gainesville, which went through the RSVP process in 2015, Messich’s visual designs were used by the city to communicate a bold vision for the downtown, eventually helping leaders attract more than $300 million in private investment and $25 million in public funding for new residential and commercial property and public spaces.
In 2018, Messich founded the Institute of Government’s first strategic branding program to help communities create brand identities to promote their assets and attract new investment. Modeled after RSVP, she utilizes a yearlong process of public engagement, research and input from the community to develop a comprehensive brand.
Community branding involves more than just creating an engaging font and a snappy tagline, according to Messich.
“Smart branding enhances what a community is trying to achieve, whether it’s tourism, economic development, or attracting more people to downtown and local events,” she said. “It’s really fun to see how much people love their communities, and branding brings that out.”
Since the program’s inception, Messich has helped 16 communities in Georgia and Tennessee create effective brand strategies, including the Copper Basin regional brand; Ducktown, Tennessee; Hawkinsville-Pulaski County; Athens, Tennessee; Washington County and its eight communities; Colquitt County; Monroe; Vidalia; Holly Springs; Hartwell; and ongoing work in Dooly County.
“In Monroe, Kaitlin’s leadership, creativity, and her ability to engage Monroe’s citizens were transformative. She created a cohesive brand identity for the city that permeates all aspects of civic life, from wayfinding signage and downtown murals to event marketing and even city garbage trucks,” said Sadie Krawczyk, former Monroe Economic Development director. “Her work went above and beyond the creation of a logo—it infused Monroe with a renewed sense of identity that continues to drive economic growth and foster community pride.”
The branding of Hawkinsville, an Archway Partnership community, led to the community’s request for an Experience Masterplan, combining branding and placemaking, in 2021. That spurred a revitalization of the middle Georgia community, generating a $500,000 grant from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to renovate Veterans Park, and a $4.5 million grant for downtown streetscape improvements. The city has seen an estimated 7,000% return on investment from the Hawkinsville branding.
Messich has extended the institute’s services into organizational branding. She has created brands for statewide programs such as the Georgia Clean Marina Program, the Georgia Downtown Association, the Georgia Placemaking Collaborative, 2Gen Academy, and the Georgia Children’s Cabinet.
Named art director for the institute’s design studio in 2024, Messich has overseen some of the institute’s highest profile design work. The Defense Communities Resilience Program benefitted from Messich’s expertise in ensuring effective visual communication and cohesive branding would resonate with both military and civilian stakeholders. She has led the studio in creating engaging outreach materials, facilitating community participation through compelling visuals and helping stakeholders visualize proposed projects with renderings and illustrations.
“Kaitlin’s work demonstrates her aptitude for understanding the specific needs and aspirations of the communities she serves, especially Georgia’s rural communities. She has a remarkable talent for listening to diverse stakeholders and translating their feedback into design solutions that resonate with and uplift the entire community,” said Laura Nipper, Homerville Main Street manager.
Since 1992, the Walter Barnard Hill Award has recognized distinguished achievement in public service and outreach by UGA faculty members and service professionals. Recipients contribute to the quality of life in Georgia or elsewhere above the usual accomplishments of a productive faculty member. The award is named in honor of Chancellor Walter Barnard Hill, who led the University of Georgia from 1899 until 1905. His desire for more university involvement in the state of Georgia and his application of these goals and ideas helped pave the way for a modern, public service-oriented university.