Former President and CEO, GBPI

Taifa Smith Butler

Taifa Smith Butler is a former president and CEO of the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, where she led the GBPI team toward accomplishing the organization’s mission and vision to improve economic opportunity for all Georgians. She is a problem solver, tireless champion for equity, working families and investing early in children — Georgia’s greatest asset.

Over 20 Years of Experience

Strategy | Public Policy | Data Analysis

Taifa brings more than 20 years of experience in strategic communications, public policy research and data analysis in the public, nonprofit and private sectors. Prior to joining the GBPI team as deputy director in 2011, she served as the policy and communications director for Georgia Family Connection Partnership where she co-managed the Georgia KIDS COUNT project and monitored public policy and its impact on children, families and communities.

Taifa has served on various local, state and national committees and boards. She is member of Leadership Georgia Class of 2016 and is a Rockwood Leadership Institute Leading from the Inside Out Fellow, Class of 2017.

Taifa graduated from Mount Holyoke College and holds a master’s in public management and policy from the Heinz School of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University, with a concentration in economic development and financial management.

Recent Posts by Taifa

Capitol-1-696x392 Blog

Lawmakers Made Small Progress, Avoided Big Budget Mistakes

As Published in the AJC Former drug offenders and their families who struggle financially could get better access ...
Gardening-Father-Son-696x464 Budget and Taxes

Get education, health care right to build Georgia’s prosperity

This op-ed was first published by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Jan. 10, 2016. Education and health care spending amount ...
Wallet (1) Blog

Healthier State Revenues Provide Opportunities

The welcome news is state tax revenues are up about 9.4 percent during the first three months of ...
Family-Walk-Sunset-696x466 Blog

So Many Georgians Struggle, but it Doesn’t Have to be That Way

For the last 15 years or so, I’ve peered out across many crowded rooms filled to capacity with ...
GoldDome2 Author

GBPI Put its Stamp on 2015 Legislative Session

Georgia lawmakers left Atlanta early this month with significant accomplishments in hand and without approving some measures the ...
ChildrenBrothers-696x464 Author

Reality Check: Thankful We Have More in Common Than Cable News Makes Us Think

Last week I reminded my tween daughter about the golden rule – Treat others the way you want ...
ChildrenBrothers-696x464 Author

Taifa Butler: I Work at GBPI to Spotlight What’s Possible

This September marks my third anniversary as part of the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute (GBPI) team. I’m ...
ChildrenBrothers-696x464 Author

Making KIDS COUNT Every Year

“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its ...
Elderly Author

Keep Working Families Top of Mind for Georgia’s Future

A worker who earned $32,000 to $58,000 a year when the recession hit in 2007 was much more ...
CollegeStudents-696x466 Author

Starbucks’ Venti Plan to Advance Educational Opportunities

This week Starbucks gave me new appreciation for corporations that value employees and show it in meaningful ways. ...
Solar-696x522 Author

Purpose Vs Short-Term Profit: CVS’ Lesson for Georgia

Since the Great Recession, the public has given extra scrutiny to business interests and recognized that, left to ...
Mother-Child-Dawn-696x464 Author

Georgia Gets a Failing Grade for the Overall Well-being of Women

Once again, sigh, Georgia is among the worst in a new analysis that ranks states by how well ...

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