Concepts will build upon each other, so participation in all classes is recommended. Weekly topics are as follows:
Session 1: AI Overview & Prompting Practice
Session 2: Managing Risk in Using AI
Session 3: Taking Control of AI: Automating Tasks and more
Learn to personalize AI for your business by improving your prompts, developing AI agents to automate tasks, and developing internal guidelines around AI use. Attendees are encouraged to bring their computers to experiment.

Thursday, January 22, 2026
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Thursday, January 29, 2026
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Thursday, February 5, 2026
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM



Nema Etheridge is the area director of the UGA SBDC in Albany. She joined the UGA SBDC with more than 15 years experience working with Georgia small businesses. Prior to joining the SBDC, she served as the marketing director for a Georgia-based coffee company that serves customers in wholesale, e-commerce and brick-and-mortar settings. She has worked in a variety of roles in small business, gaining experience in branding, communications, digital marketing, restaurant hospitality and management, sales, and strategic planning. She is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier Atlanta, is fluent in French and speaks conversational Spanish.

Tonita McKnight is a Georgia native with roots in North and Southwest GA. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Spelman College with a major in Theater. She has held various positions in personal banking, property management, program management, grant administration and economic development.
She has worked with Albany Community Together, Inc. for the last nine years, where she helped entrepreneurs in Southwest Georgia with coaching, connections and access to capital. She is a certified Economic Development Finance Professional through NDC and a certified Business Incubator Manager through InBIA.
This program is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and is supported by federal taxpayer funds. By registering, you certify that you are legally authorized to receive services funded by U.S. taxpayer dollars, in accordance with applicable federal law and regulations.
All programs are open to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance.
The UGA SBDC is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
All SBDC services are provided in a nondiscriminatory way to all legal residents and citizens in the United States. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance.
The UGA SBDC is an accredited member of America’s SBDC.
The University of Georgia
Small Business Development Center
382 East Broad Street
Athens, GA 30602-5412
P: (706) 542-2762