Rob Gordon

Director
UGA Archway Partnership
Athens, GA


Rob Gordon is the Director of the University of Georgia’s Archway Partnership. As Director, Rob leads a public service and outreach unit dedicated to helping communities address a wide range of self-identified community and economic development priorities. Through its work, the Archway Partnership serves communities across the state of Georgia, supports faculty research on important community-based issues, and provides students real-world learning opportunities.

Rob previously managed the Economic Development programs at UGA’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government where he led initiatives that included the Applied Demography Program, Tax and Expenditure Data Center, and Fiscal Analysis Program. He has provided education and technical assistance to the Georgia General Assembly, State of Georgia agencies and offices including the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget, Department of Economic Development and Department of Community Affairs, numerous local city and county governments, and various governmental authorities on a wide range of finance and economic and community development issues. More recently, Rob was First Vice President of Public Finance at Davenport & Company LLC where he provided financial advisory services to local governments, utilities, authorities, non-profits, and other governmental entities across the state of Georgia.

Prior to his appointment to UGA’s faculty, Rob practiced law for King & Spalding LLP in Atlanta, Georgia and then Troutman Sanders LLP in Richmond, Virginia, where he served as bond and underwriter's counsel for nearly $4 billion of tax-exempt and taxable financings.

In addition to serving as Director of the Archway Partnership, Rob holds Affiliated Faculty status in UGA’s School of Public and International Affairs where he teaches courses on public finance and economic development in the Masters of Public Administration Program.

Rob received his J.D. degree, with honors, from The George Washington University Law School and his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Georgia. Prior to attending law school, Rob served the U.S. Department of State as a Special Agent with the Diplomatic Security Service. His assignments included the San Francisco Field Office, the U.S. Embassy in Tirana, Albania, and the Secretary of State’s Protective Detail for Secretary Madeline K. Albright and Secretary Colin L. Powell.

Rob is a graduate of the Leadership Georgia class of 2013.