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The Change Maker

The Change Maker

Written by: The Change Maker
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The Change Maker is hosted by Deke Copenhaver. When Deke took over as mayor of his hometown of Augusta, Georgia, the city’s politics were broken and riven along racial lines. No group trusted any other group, so nothing got done.

From 2005 through 2014 Deke was a catalyst in helping to transform Augusta, attracting businesses to spur economic development, implementing social programs that impacted the lives of Augustans on a daily basis. He focused effort on communities that had been neglected for years.

No serving as the Principal of Copenhaver Consulting, Deke remains committed to being a Change Maker while helping others realize their potential to impact their communities for the better. For his work, he’s been recognized on multiple occasions by Georgia Trend Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Georgians.

Deke currently authors a monthly column on leadership published by the Georgia Municipal Association. Deke earned a BA in Political Science from Augusta College and is a graduate of Leadership Georgia and the Mayors’ Institute on City Design.

A passionate athlete, Deke has completed five Ironman 70.3s and several half marathons. He and his wife, Malisa, reside in Augusta with their dogs Sarah Bet, Buddy, and Johnny.

All rights reserved. Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Local Relief with Heather Hackett

    Local Relief with Heather Hackett
    Jan 5 2026

    Welcome to today's episode of the Change Maker Podcast. Join Deke as he talks with his guest, Heather Hackett. Heather is the founder and Executive Director of the Local Relief, a Florida-based 501(c)(3) and social platform build specifically for severe-weather disaster and recovery.

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    #ChangemakerPodcast #CareerGrowth #Leadership #FlexibleWork #HeatherHackett #DekeCopenhaver
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    55 mins
  • Responding to Crisis with Daniel Geraci

    Responding to Crisis with Daniel Geraci
    Dec 15 2025

    Welcome to today's episode of the Change Maker Podcast. Join Deke as he talks with his guest, Daniel Geraci. Daniel works for United in Crisis, whose mission is to develop, train, and equip networks of churches in cities across the world to effectively shepherd crisis survivors, meeting their long-term emotional, spiritual, and physical needs.

    🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

    Don’t miss this inspiring conversation! Subscribe to The Changemaker Podcast on your favorite podcast platforms.

    If you enjoyed this episode, give it a thumbs up, leave a comment, and share it with your community!

    #ChangemakerPodcast #CareerGrowth #Leadership #FlexibleWork #DanielGeraci #DekeCopenhaver
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    59 mins
  • The Human Equation with Bob Gossom

    The Human Equation with Bob Gossom
    Dec 8 2025

    Welcome to today's episode of the Change Maker Podcast. Join Deke as he talks with his guest, Bob Gossom. The LA writer Bob Gossom is known for his distinctive poetry and love of music, movies, books, hiking, body surfing, and tap dancing. His new projects are avidly anticipated by a band of fanatic and loyal followers, who appreciate his clarity of voice and the sophistication layered beneath it.

    🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

    Don’t miss this inspiring conversation! Subscribe to The Changemaker Podcast on your favorite podcast platforms.

    If you enjoyed this episode, give it a thumbs up, leave a comment, and share it with your community!

    #ChangemakerPodcast #CareerGrowth #Leadership #FlexibleWork #BobGossom #DekeCopenhaver
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    31 mins
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