The Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP), a unified organization advancing the interests of businesses while fueling economic and community growth, is pleased to announce the promotion of Audrie Burkett to Senior Vice President of Strategy and Operations. Burkett is well-known throughout the Evansville Region for her work as part of the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana where she most recently served as the Vice President & Chief Operating Officer. Joining the Coalition in 2015, she provided administrative oversight and led two significant initiatives: Southwest Indiana’s Regional Cities Initiative dispersing $42 million for quality of place initiatives and the Coalition’s public policy work championing increased internet access for those living in rural areas.
In her new role with E-REP, she will continue to apply her command of economic and community development strategy to position the Evansville Region for success. Serving on the E-REP leadership team, with co-CEO’s Tara Barney and Greg Wathen, Burkett will guide the team of 26 subject matter professionals providing counsel and technical assistance in talent development, innovation, entrepreneurship, public policy, and the complex alignment of public and private horse-power that is delivering the quality of place energy transforming the Evansville Region.
Making the announcement, Burkett’s long-time mentor and boss, Greg Wathen said, “We’re excited to fully recognize the talent that Audrie brings to E-REP as she is a thoughtful strategic thinker and her value has been demonstrated in countless ways over the past year. It also reflects our strong desire to identify and promote talent within the organization.”
Most recently, Burkett has been a key contributor to the successful alignment of the three organizations that comprise E-REP and has added responsibilities for overseeing all aspects of the merger, both internal and external. Her new role leading strategy and operations will position E-REP to fulfill its commitment to regional stakeholders to deliver impactful and measurable services to businesses and communities while also building a stronger Evansville region.
“I am lucky that my everyday professional life revolves around strengthening my hometown community, said Burkett. “Thinking about the future vision for our region in its simplest terms, when our children are able to make the choice where to live, we should be working hard now to make that decision an easy one.”
Burkett is a Purdue Boilermaker with a B.S. in Agricultural Communications and honed her project management and peer leadership skills with a four-year stint at Angie’s List where she worked alongside the co-founder and CMO during a period of extraordinary growth. In 2020, she was recognized as a Mitch Daniels Leadership Fellow, a prestigious two-year program designed to catalyze passionate Hoosiers to invest in Indiana.
“It has been my honor to get to know Audrie Burkett over these past three years. Her promotion is well-earned and is the beginning of a bright future for E-REP, our stakeholders, and members. I have every confidence that under her leadership the Evansville Region and Indiana are in great hands. Her personal commitment will strengthen the Evansville region’s innovation resources, create new opportunities for companies to scale, and accelerate our journey to advance regional prosperity and global relevance,” said Tara Barney, E-REP co-CEO.
A Posey County native, Burkett boomeranged back to Southwest Indiana in 2015 and resides in the Evansville region with her husband and daughter. Outside of E-REP, Burkett is an integral part of her family’s small business, a dental practice located on Evansville’s Westside. Burkett has served on the board of directors for the Art’s Council of Southwest Indiana and Vanderburgh County Fair.