Our Leadership

Lizann Roberts has focused her professional career on developing and implementing initiatives designed to improve health outcomes. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in health education with leadership certifications from Georgetown University’s Center for Transformational Leadership and The Center for Creative Leadership. As a public health professional with over 30 years of experience, she is a seasoned facilitator, workshop leader and coalition geek. Prior to serving nonprofits, Roberts was a faculty member of two academic institutions; created employee development and health management programs for large, multi-site organizations; and designed comprehensive health improvement programs for two large health care systems. Most recently Roberts focused her career on developing public-private endeavors to improve overall community well-being. She worked with former Mayor Otis Johnson to launch Healthy Savannah and currently serves as the executive director of the Coastal Georgia Indicators Coalition in Savannah. Roberts currently serves on the board for Inspire Savannah (TEDx), is a WomenHeart Champion, and served on the boards of Healthy Savannah, Junior League of Savannah, Pioneering Healthy Communities Team, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, SANE Task Force, The Children’s Development Board of St. Joseph’s Candler Health System, and The Women’s Health Board of Memorial Health.

Vira Salzburn is program director for safety and resilience programs at Chatham County Safety Net Planning Council. As a Ukrainian-American and a world traveler, Salzburn recognizes the importance of overcoming cultural barriers and connecting with others for making a meaningful difference on personal, organizational and community levels. She earned a Master of Science in Management, Organizational Behavior and Leadership from Troy University and a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree in Humanities from Auburn University at Montgomery. She is a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® with Project Management Institute (PMI) and completed the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Learning System program through Georgia Southern University. Salzburn is a Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) Teacher, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) Master Trainer, SafeTALK Trainer, Certified Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness (TSM) and Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TSY) Instructor. She completed teacher training in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Community Resiliency Model (CRM)®. She is a certified group fitness trainer and group yoga instructor with Athletics and Fitness Association of America and is also trained in the Search Inside Yourself program of Google Leadership Institute and Trauma Informed Coaching.

Maureen McFadden is a licensed clinical social worker and founder of McFadden Therapy and Consulting where she is creating a trauma informed and trauma responsive community and providing therapy to teenagers and adults. Over the course of her 26-year career in social work, McFadden spent 18 years working in child protective services in Washington, DC and Savannah, Ga. McFadden has overseen multiple mental health programs for uninsured and underinsured adults and children. 
 
Previously, she worked as an adjunct professor for The Catholic University of America and also served as county director in Chatham County for the Department of Family and Children Services. McFadden was drawn to working with children and families after volunteering as a basketball coach for girls in elementary school and junior high.

Molly Lieberman is the founder and executive director of Loop It Up Savannah, a community arts and enrichment non-profit which provides art, STEAM, yoga and mindfulness, gardening, cooking, and other enrichment workshops and experiences to children and families throughout Chatham County  in coastal Georgia. Loop It Up programs give young people opportunities to explore and express who they are, both as individuals and members of a community as well as fostering strong relationships, and building sustainable and interconnected communities where everyday needs are met with creativity and confidence. Lieberman earned a bachelor's degree from Savannah College of Art and Design.

Chrissy has 20 years of experience working in the community with churches and nonprofits. She is originally from West Virginia and has a bachelor's degree in music education and a master’s degree in theology. She is a certified trainer of the Community Resiliency Model and an ordained United Methodist clergyperson. She currently serves as an Americorps Vista working with Resilient Coastal Georgia and its partners.  She is also on the Clergy Mental Health Task Force with the United Methodist Church in Georgia and helps to improve mental health outcomes in churches and nonprofits through trainings and workshops. Chrissy enjoys spending time with her husband, two kids, three cats and a dog.

Tara Jones is an engaged community health advocate with multiple organizations in the Savannah, GA region, an area she has called home her entire life. Currently, she is the Wellness Programming and Administration lead for Chatham County Safety Net Planning Council and Project Coordinator with Coastal Georgia Indicators Coalition (CGIC). She facilitates programs in resilience (Savannah Police Department, Chatham EMS, City of Savannah, Savanah Chatham County Public School System, and other organizations), contributes to grant applications, designs wellness programs for government and other organizations, performs data evaluation and report writing, and many other roles. Tara holds multiple accreditations and certifications including Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Behavior Change Specialist, and Certified Nutrition Coach. She has been trained in the Community Resiliency Model, Mindful Self Compassion, and Trauma Informed Weightlifting. She is in the process of obtaining her 200-hour yoga teacher certificate. Tara holds a Bachelor of Health Science Degree from Georgia Southern University with a concentration in Health Promotion and Education and a Master of Public Health from Liberty University. Her most important and fulfilling role is being a mother to a teenage daughter.

Dr. Kimberly Vess serves as the senior associate dean for Student Experience at the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine in Fayetteville, NC. She previously served as associate dean  and a professor of psychiatry and health behavior at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University. She is passionate about students, community resilience, and diversity and inclusion as evidenced by her creation and implementation of courses in cultural competence and health disparities at two institutions. Dr.Vess currently serves as the Principal Investigator of an $1.2M grant for Resilient Communities East Georgia and Resilient Teens. 
 
Dr. Vess has produced an abundance of scholarly activity, resulting in the publication of five textbooks, numerous book chapters, and over a dozen peer-reviewed publications. She co-authored a textbook about cultural competence after noticing a shortage of information on the subject. Additionally, she has given over 50 invited, refereed presentations and procured grant funding. She serves on boards at the local, state, and national level including the Resilient Georgia advisory board, Good Neighbor Ministries board in the Harrisburg neighborhood of Augusta, the University of Georgia Camp Kesem chapter, the Pink Pumpkin Party, Junior League, National Academic Advising Association, Association for Counselor Educators and Supervisors, National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the Ronald McDonald House.

Julie K. Miller joined the Georgia Family Connection Partnership staff in January 2019 as a regional manager for 14 counties in the Augusta area. In that capacity, she provides technical assistance to the Family Connection collaboratives in those counties around board governance, strategic planning, data and evaluation, partner engagement, program implementation and training. Prior to that, she served as the Family Connection Coordinator for Columbia County for 15 years, where she leveraged more than $10 million for programs and services. She has a master’s degree in public administration, a bachelor’s degree in journalism, and an associate degree in fine arts. She spent 18 years as a reporter and editor for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Julie is a certified trainer for Connections Matter, Stewards of Children, Bridges Out of Poverty and an equity facilitator for GAFCP and has served on several non-profit boards.

Originally from South Bend, Indiana, Melissa moved to Orlando, FL, where she attended the University of Central Florida. After graduating with her Ph.D., she accepted her first position as an Assistant Professor at Lakeland College in Wisconsin. Next, she moved to Tennessee, where she was a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Memphis Lambuth Campus, before moving to Augusta University.

She is currently an Assistant Professor at Augusta University in the Department of Social Sciences. Her subject matter expertise is in violent crime, specifically preventing and reacting to childhood victimization. In addition, she has spent 12 years researching childhood sexual abuse, physical abuse, lethality, injury prevention, and reactionary measures, including building resiliency and trauma-informed care.
She is thrilled to be in a position that allows her to integrate her passion for research, desire to help her community, and love for teaching. She is grateful for the networking opportunities in the Augusta region and connecting with so many people in the area who have the same drive that she does to make the community safer and healthier for children.

She is married to an amazing partner who is supportive of the challenges that come with her position. Together, they have two fourteen-year-old rescue cats, Whizzer and Snowflake. In their spare time, they enjoy being outdoors. One of Melissa’s favorite things is to explore new areas and wineries. Her husband loves to fish on the lake, but she enjoys reading while on the boat. They also enjoy hiking and working together on upcycling furniture, remodeling activities, and gardening projects.

Caitlyn is the Prevention Services Director for Child Enrichment Inc. She has a Master of Social Work from the University of South Carolina, did a two-year internship with Child Enrichment, and has been an employee since 2016. Caitlyn conducts Forensic Interviews with children and teenagers, supervises interns, and leads the Child Abuse Prevention efforts at Child Enrichment Inc. In her spare time, Caitlyn enjoys taking care of her indoor and outdoor plants and traveling with her family. 

April Hartman serves as the Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and holds the position of Associate Professor at the Medical College of Georgia. She is affiliated with the Department of Pediatrics, specializing in General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
 

In addition to her academic role, April Hartman assumes multiple responsibilities. She holds the prestigious Hahn Endowed Chair in Pediatrics and serves as the Division Chief for Pediatrics in General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

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A dedicated advocate and pediatrician, April is deeply passionate about fostering the conditions that enable children to thrive. Her commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is evident through her role as Vice Chair, reflecting her dedication to creating an inclusive and supportive environment within her academic and medical community.

Kari Viola-Brooke is the Executive Director of Child Enrichment and began her career there in August 2012. Child Enrichment has the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), Child Advocacy Center and Prevent Child Abuse Council for nine counties in the Greater Augusta area. Kari is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor. She is on the faculty for ChildFirst Georgia and trains new interviewers across the state on how to conduct forensic interviews. In her spare time she is usually doing weekend 5k’s with her wife or triathlons.

Jill Vanderhoek is director of the Community Partnership, the Family Connections collaborative for Macon-Bibb County which is the convening and collaborative organization of Macon. Community Partnership aims to bring partners together to work on important issues collaboratively to improve outcomes for families, children and communities. Vanderhoek also co-leads the Resilient Middle Georgia project, a multicounty initiative to help build a resilient and trauma informed community in various sectors across Middle Georgia. The focus of this work is to provide training and education on understanding the impact of trauma, adversity and adverse childhood experiences on individuals and communities and work towards systemic changes.

As Director of Workforce Strategy & Initiatives, Dr. Andrea Meyer Stinson leads the National Mental Health Workforce Acceleration Collaborative Program. She is dedicated to growing and strengthening Georgia’s workforce of licensed mental health professionals, while simultaneously identifying barriers, facilitators and solutions related to Georgia licensure and workforce shortages. She was co-founder of Resilient Middle Georgia where she helped to build awareness about Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences (PACEs) and increasing trauma informed practices across a 14-county area. Dr. Meyer Stinson has worked therapeutically with children, couples, families, and communities since 2001. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and an American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) Approved Supervisor. With more than two decades of experience working in academia, she has taught undergraduate, graduate, and medical students as a professor in Mercer University’s School of Medicine in the Master of Family Therapy program. She is past president for the Georgia Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (GAMFT) and a former board member for Resilient Georgia. She earned her Ph.D. from Florida State University, a master’s degree from Purdue University, and two bachelor's degrees from the University of Georgia. 

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Amanda Juarez joined Resilient Middle Georgia in June 2022 as a project coordinator on contract with Macon-Bibb Area Community Partnership. Amanda coordinates Resilient Middle Georgia’s daily operations, rural collaboration, awareness and outreach, and grant requirements. A graduate of Middle Georgia State University, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. While in school, Amanda collaborated with several local agencies to promote mental health awareness, focus on trauma-informed care, and to build resilience and healthy coping skills within the community. She is a member of the Society for Community Research and Action (SCRA), a member of the alliance for the Macon Mental Health Matters initiative, and is part of the Community Engagement, Education, and Outreach workgroup for One Safe Place Macon.

Debra has worked with Resilient Middle Georgia through Americorps for the last 2 years. Her main role is community outreach where she works to spread the word about the RMG coalition’s mission, education and training, and programming. When she’s not working, you can find her at home spending time with her fur-babies or working in her garden. She is also a passionate advocate for sharing the importance of service animals in communities.   

Darice Oppong is the Coalition Coordinator for Resilient Middle Georgia and she is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Organizational Leadership at Mercer University. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Public Health from Mercer University in 2019. Over the past four years, Darice has been deeply engaged with various community groups and initiatives, including Live Well Twiggs, Resilient Middle Georgia, and A.G.A.P.E. Campus Ministry, where she and her husband serve as Campus Leaders. Alongside her community involvement, Darice operates Judah David Creations, a crochet shop on Etsy named in honor of their son. Additionally, she shares her passion for music by teaching piano lessons to students of all ages. Post-graduation, Darice aims to leverage her diverse experiences to support organizations in creating strategies for transformation, enhancing operational efficiency, and establishing robust systems. In her free time, she cherishes moments with her husband, friends, and family.

Sarah McKinney serves as president and CEO of the Athens Area Community Foundation. Previously, she held positions at the University of Georgia, Georgia 4-H Foundation and the Athens Community Council on Aging. Sarah holds a Bachelor’s of Social Work from the University of Georgia, a Certificate of Gerontology from Kennesaw State University, a Certificate of Leadership from the University of Dayton, and Certificates of Basic and Advanced Nonprofit Financial Management from Duquesne University’s Nonprofit Leadership Institute. A proud member of the Rotary Club of Athens, 2017-2018 LEAD Athens class, and Leadership Georgia of 2019, McKinney loves an opportunity to grow her brain. In her personal time, she enjoys serving through Rotary, Athens Church, and FFA.  

Meredith Lysaught is the project manager on contract with the Athens Area Community Foundation to coordinate the Resilient Northeast Georgia fund. Lysaught joined the Resilient Northeast Georgia project as the community foundation’s intern. Since graduating, she has transitioned into the role of full-time project manager on the grant. She also has prior experience as an evaluation assistant contracted on the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities’ State Opioid Response grant, working on both the media campaign and the Sources of Strength program. A graduate of the University of Georgia’s College of Public Health, Lysaught holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion, with an emphasis on prevention and community-based public health. 

Sonya inspires, encourages and motivates groups to bring about positive change for children, families and communities.  She provides technical assistance to counties in northeast Georgia and is recognized around the state as a leader in Family and Community Engagement.  As a Regional Manager with Georgia Family Connection Partnership, she provides training in strategic planning, board development, facilitation, equity and inclusion, finance and family/community/stakeholder engagement for communities across the state as they strive to change the blueprint to improve outcomes for children and families.  Sonya has over 20 years of experience in working to improve communities in various roles in law enforcement, chamber of commerce, civic organizations and the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing.  She is a certified Trainer in Bridges Out of Poverty, Parent Café, and serves as the Team Leader for Race, Equity and Inclusion Team with GaFCP. Ms. Hope is a Catalyst with the Home Training Institute and an Equity Facilitation Fellow with Create Schools through the Atlanta Public School System which provides the privilege of engaging in Crucial Conversations across the globe.  She also serves on the Strengthening Families Georgia Leadership Team.  Ms. Hope earned her BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Argosy University in Atlanta. She holds several Race, Equity and Inclusion Certifications through The National Equity Project, Cornell University and The School Reform Initiative. 

Grace Bagwell arrived at the University of Georgia in 2007 for a Master of Public Administration program and currently serves as an assistant professor in the College of Public Health. Additionally, she is the Assistant Dean for Outreach, Engagement, and Equity for the Institute of Gerontology and contribute to UGA's Obesity Initiative.

Her recognitions include being a TEDxUGA speaker in 2019, receiving the Professor of the Year award in 2014, and serving as a Faculty Mentor for the Fels Institute of Government Policy Challenge. Grace also leads the Athens Wellbeing Project, where she works closely with our Resilient Northeast Georgia coalition to collaborate with community stakeholders to inform local public policy with data. 

LaDonna Collins, serves as executive director of the Rome Floyd County Commission on Children and Youth, a local nonprofit with 33 years of experience in being one of the most trusted organizations in the community that provides community resources in the likes of funding, information dissemination, creative thinking and community collaboration. Collins oversees the operations of an organization who seeks to see the Rome & Floyd County Community THRIVE. Over the past three years, she has led the Commission into new strides through organization rebranding and strategic modeling. She is now, with the help of the RFCCCY Board of Directors, spearheading major calculated shifts for transforming community collaboration from a functional focus to an enabler of innovation for the community. Previously, Collins served as the local director of a GED Program for 16 to 24-year-olds at Georgia Northwestern Technical College, a middle and high school teacher, a public health educator and emergency preparedness training coordinator and an afterschool director. She is founder and co-owner of Pinnacle Developmental Services, which provides her the opportunity to mentor and provide life coaching to youth from all walks of life. She holds a degree in health science from Columbus State University and is a certified health education specialist.

Gabrielle Stewart, BA is a technical assistance provider focused on incorporating best practices in equity, diversity in technical assistance to non-profit and community organizations.  She guides organizations and collaborative entities in strategic planning, implementation, and evaluation, utilizing sound governance practices and adjusting systems to be poverty- and/or trauma-competent. As a practitioner of Trust-Based Relational Intervention, she combines a 17-year history of non-profit leadership with a deep understanding of race-equity, relationship building and collective impact strategies to assist organizations in incorporating the voice of all stakeholders in decision-making. Her passion is leveraging her experience to help organizations improve life outcomes for children impacted by trauma, breaking cycles of generational poverty. Her collective impact experience includes work with the Georgia Family Connection Partnership, the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power and Potential (GCAPP) Second Change Homes Network, the Public Private Partnership to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (GCAPP’s P3), The Atlanta Girl Serving Agencies Collaborative, the Fulton Co. Council on Youth and Family, and the Cobb Community Collaborative. Her experience is coupled with formal training from the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development, the Georgia Center for Nonprofits, United Way Worldwide, board service and volunteerism.

Jacqueline Elwarner is the Coordinator for Pickens County Family Connection.  She has been the Coordinator for the organization since September 2014.  Prior to this position, Ms. Elwarner has worked with various social service agencies and  organizations over the past 25 years  including Pickens County DFCS, Appalachian CASA, the North Georgia Mountain Crisis Network and the Appalachian Family Law Information Center.  Jacqueline is a member of the Rotary Club of Jasper, and she also serves on several different committees  and boards in the community including the Attendance Protocol committee for Pickens County Schools, the Adult Education Advisory Board for Chattahoochee Technical College, and the Chamber of Commerce Youth  Leadership steering committee.  Jacqueline has a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University. Jacqueline has 2 daughters, Jordan, who is a Junior at the University of Georgia and Paige, who is a Junior at Pickens County High School.  

Laura Beth Newsom, Coordinator for Walker County Family Connection, has served the Collaborative since July 2019.  Prior to this position, Mrs. Newsom worked with the Walker County School System as a Family Engagement Coordinator.  With a passion for fostering positive outcomes for children and families, Laura Beth is a member of many civic organizations and serves on several different committees and boards in the community including the Truancy Treatment Team for Walker County Schools, the Walker County Chamber of Commerce Executive Board, and various school council committees.  In addition to serving as a leader in her community, Ms. Newsom serves as the Chair for the Georgia Family Connection Peer-to-Peer Network in NW Georgia. Laura Beth is a Walker County native and resides in the county with her husband, TJ, and their two son’s, Matthew (a college senior at Lee University)  and Micah (a high-school junior at LaFayette High School.  She enjoys traveling spending time outdoors with her family.  

Ben Moser began his role as President and CEO of the United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley in August of 2019. Before that, Ben served as the Director of Major Gifts for the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County and held several positions at the United Way of Forsyth County (NC). After receiving his JD in 2004, Ben practiced law in New York City for 7 years before returning to NC and beginning his career with United Way. Ben graduated with a BA in History from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a devoted Tar Heel fan. Ben lives in Columbus with his wife Stephanie and son Jackson (10).
 

Pam Romero is the Vice President of Community Schools United with United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley where she leads the educational equity work of the agency through implementation of The Basics Chattahoochee Valley, Community Schools United, and Resilient Chattahoochee Valley. Pam is a Harlem, NYC native that traveled down south for school (Jacksonville University), and fell for the southern hospitality; making Columbus, GA her home. She has worked in and around Community Schools for over 10 years, in youth serving agencies for over 20 years, and is a proud product of a Community School.  

Pam was named the 2022 Young Leader of the Year for the East Alabama Chamber of Commerce, and the Sigma Beta Leader of the Year at the 2023 John R. Lewis "Good Trouble" Scholarship Brunch. Most recently, Pam was elected Co-Chair of the National United Way Learning Community with the Institute for Educational Leadership and Coalition for Community Schools. 

Pam is a Connections Matter trainer, certified group fitness instructor, and Supermom to a toddler and teenager. She enjoys the arts, traveling, and saving the world! 

Sidney Houck serves as the Director of Community Schools United with United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley. Houck has had the opportunity to serve many communities across the nation, including in Alaska, Colorado and Maryland. Houck’s passion to help create communities where children and families thrive has grown with each new opportunity to immerse herself in a unique region. After settling in Georgia, she graduated from Troy University with her Master of Social Work, actively serves as a court appointed special advocate and is a spirited children’s book enthusiast that enjoys spending her free time with her two dogs.  

Imani serves as The Manager of The Basics and Resilient Chattahoochee Valley at United Way of The Chattahoochee Valley. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Spelman College and a Master’s in Public Administration from Columbus State University. Prior to joining United Way, Imani served as a museum educator at The Columbus Museum via community outreach where she heavily focused on arts integration and bridging gaps between the museum and underserved communities. Additionally, Imani facilitated and managed two large programs dedicated to enhancing social emotional learning through arts integration, one in partnership with the Muscogee County School Districts Pre-k program and the other with the Department of Juvenile Justice and three of its detention center sites. With a passion for fostering strong community connections and meaningful relationships, Imani looks forward to facilitating resiliency training and advocating for a mentally healthy Chattahoochee Valley.   

As president and chief executive officer of United Way of Southwest Georgia, Shaunae Motley leads the effort to strengthen communities and make a difference in the lives of neighbors across 13 counties in the southwest Georgia region. She is a nationally recognized leader who brings a wealth of experience in visioning, strategic planning, community engagement, and capacity building with a variety of organizations and communities. Prior to joining United Way, Motley served as director of programs of Quest For Change where she developed leadership that transformed the organization from two employees serving 150 students, to a staff of 12 employees serving over 1,300 youth and families annually. Before that, Motley served as COOfor Future Foundation where she helped grow the once grassroots organization from a fledgling entity to a multi-million dollar, nationally recognized nonprofit. She has nearly 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. A recent graduate of GeorgiaForward's 2018 Young Gamechangers class in Albany/Dougherty County, Motley studied public relations at Georgia Southern University and also holds a graduate certificate in business excellence from Columbia Business School. She was recognized as a 2019 American Express NGen Fellow, Rural Leader Magazine's Top Four "40 Under 40" in 2016, and has earned several other awards and recognition for her leadership in the nonprofit industry.

Philip Gentry joined the United Way of Southwest Georgia in October 2021. He supports several special initiatives that contribute to United Way’s mission, vision, and annual goals and objectives. Prior to serving United Way, Gentry served as special programs manager with the Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Alabama A&M University. He received a Master of Public Administration from the University of Illinois – Springfield, as well as a graduate certificate in community planning. He is currently working toward a Master in Health Administration through Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

David joined the Vashti Center with 40 years of experience in behavioral health. He came to Vashti from the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) where he served as the Director of Public Affairs. He previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of the South Georgia Community Service Board/Behavioral Health Services of South Georgia. In addition, he served as the Acting Director of Regional Operations, Regional Coordinator, and Administrator of Southwestern State Hospital/Bainbridge State Hospital for the Georgia Department of Human Resources and DBHDD. He also served as the Assistant Secretary for Substance Abuse and Mental Health for The Florida Department of Children and Families. Sofferin received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from The Florida State University and a Master of Arts degree in Psychology from The University of West Florida in Pensacola.

Alex graduated from Florida State University in 2015 with a Bachelors in Hospitality & Event Management. Alex’s interest in mental health awareness, child advocacy, and non-profits landed her at The Vashti Center where all of her passions are met. Alex is the Director of Outreach & Training at the Vashti Center, and serves as the Resilient SWGA coalition leader. Alex is a trained facilitator for multiple professional learning opportunities that cover topics such as Adverse Childhood Experiences, Trauma-Informed Care, Child Sexual Abuse Prevention, Suicide Prevention, and Resiliency and has helped to effectively train over 2,000 community members since August of 2020.

Quan Grant is an individual who is deeply passionate about the fields of mental health, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and trauma-informed care. She brings her enthusiasm and dedication to her role as Vashti Center’s Community Training Manager and Co-lead for Resilient SWGA (Thomasville).

Having experienced the impact of mental health and trauma firsthand, Quan understands the critical importance of addressing these issues with compassion and understanding. She believes in the power of trauma-informed care to create a safe and supportive environment for individuals who have experienced adversity.

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In her role at Vashti, Quan is dedicated to providing impactful training and resources to communities in order to raise awareness about ACEs and trauma, and to promote trauma-informed care practices. She is committed to empowering individuals and organizations with the tools they need to support those affected by trauma.

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Quan obtained her B.S. in Business from Columbia Southern University and her M.S. in Management and Leadership from Western Governors University. She enjoys spending time with her 9-year-old daughter, Aleeyah, and cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs!! GO DAWGS!!!

Erin Alford is the Community Outreach Coordinator for the Vashti Center in Thomasville, Georgia. She is a recent graduate from the University of Georgia with earning her bachelors in Political Science. She is also working on her masters in Public Administration at Georgia College and State University. She has experience working at the state government level as a Senate Aide and a Legislative assistant for two Georgia State Senators. After earning her master’s she would like to take on the role of becoming a policy analyst for a nonprofit that advocates for children and women’s rights. 

Kamini is the newest addition of the leadership team here at Vashti, having joined in November 2022.  Kamini holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey and a Master’s in Educational Psychology from New Jersey City University. She has spent the past 33 years working with children with developmental disabilities and mental health in their homes, in foster care and in the community across New Jersey, Florida and Georgia. Kamini was the previous Director of Community Based Services-South for Elks Aidmore Inc., a foster care agency, managing the Valdosta and Savannah locations. Through the different agencies she has worked with the ultimate goal has been the same, to help create a stable foundation for children so they can grow and thrive. 

Angel Young is an Atlanta native and currently serves as the project director for the Aligning Community Systems for Resilience Initiative (ACSRI) for GCAPP (Georgia Adolescent of Power and Potential), a statewide agency whose mission is to improve the overall health and well-being of young people in Georgia to ensure a more powerful future for us all. Throughout her career, Young has worked in various capacities serving youth and families within the nonprofit sector and state sector. Previously, she served as a project director for various teenage pregnancy prevention programs, a family therapist for Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice, and worked as a graduation coach for Communities in Schools of Atlanta. Young was also a recipient in 2017 for Rural Leaders 40 under 40 and was honored for her work with families and youth within the Southwest Georgia region. Young holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Georgia State University and earned a Master of Education with a specialization of educational management from Strayer University. 

Jevon Gibson is the senior advisor for Community Health Solutions (CHS). He is an experienced public health and social innovation strategist with over 20 years of professional experience designing, developing and implementing public health and social innovation efforts. Gibson’s passion for solving complex health and social issues has allowed him to lead national, statewide and local efforts to scale public health and social innovation efforts. His professional experience includes serving as director of the office of infectious diseases and director of screening and treatment with the Georgia Department of Public Health; director of coordinated youth services with the Clayton County Board of Health and; program manager for the CDC's National Center for Workplace Excellence in HIV prevention. He currently serves as CEO of the Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority.  Gibson earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Hampton University and a master’s degree in urban studies/public administration from Old Dominion University. 

Kamala is an evaluator, certified facilitator and the Director of Evaluation and Research for the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power and Potential (GCAPP). At GCAPP, Kamala oversees the design and implementation of evaluation projects to determine the impact of GCAPP activities on the health and well-being of over 60,000 youth in Georgia. Prior to GCAPP, she lived abroad for nearly a decade and conducted social justice and evaluation projects out of Latin America, Asia, and Africa for the United Nations, MasterCard Foundation, and Save the Children amongst other organizations. Through these experiences Kamala has learned to work across varying identities and values systems, lean into uncertainty, and elevate the voices of youth from different racial and ethnic groups.  She channels culturally responsive and participatory evaluation approaches in measuring the effectiveness of the ACSRI-Truth of our Trauma program in Clayton County

Accomplished consultant and visionary leader with a proven ability to deliver impressive results working with non-profit clients to set and achieve measurable public policy goals. Skilled in Public Affairs, Community Outreach and Engagement, Project Management, Grassroots Organizing and Advocacy Training. Strong professional with a Masters Degree in Social Work (M.S.W.) from the University of Georgia. 

Michael Armstrong, PhD, serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power & Potential (GCAPP) where he gets to lead a remarkable team of public health, program evaluation, health communications, and youth development leaders. Dr. Armstrong is a community psychologist with over twenty-five years of experience in nonprofit leadership, applied research, adolescent development, public health, and community development. Having served in a range of leadership positions throughout his career, he has strengthened, grown, and deepened the impact of each organization he has served.  He has applied the principles of adaptive leadership and results-based accountability to transform teams and cultivate cultures of trust and accountability.  Dr. Armstrong’s work in evaluation, research and strategic learning has led to program enhancements, continuous quality improvement, and systems change in the Out of School Time field, Georgia's public health system and within multiple non-profit organizations. 
 
Before joining GCAPP as COO, he spent 10 years with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta where he led operations & programs, led the establishment of an outcome-based management system, the improvement of program quality and positive youth outcomes, the development of a social and emotional framework for programs, and the design of inclusive practices for strategic planning.  Dr. Armstrong serves on multiple boards, councils, and committees, all dedicated to supporting the healthy development of youth and children throughout Georgia.  

As the President and CEO of the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power & Potential (GCAPP), Ronald McNeill leads a premier statewide adolescent health organization with the primary focus of improving the overall well-being of young people in Georgia. Annually, GCAPP serves over 70,000 young people through partnerships with school districts, public health entities, and community-based organizations to empower youth to make healthy choices and achieve their full potential. Ronald joined GCAPP in August 2018 after serving 16 years in senior executive and consulting positions for the nation’s largest youth development organization – Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). He has 20 years of experience in association management, advocacy, fundraising, government affairs, business administration, and community relations for youth development organizations and higher education entities serving millions of young people annually in urban neighborhoods, rural communities, public housing units, public school-based sites, Native American lands, and youth centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. Most recently, Ronald is leading GCAPP to accomplish the most forward-looking strategic plan to improve health outcomes for youth in its 27-year history. Over the next five years, Impact 2025: Advancing Adolescent Health will deliver on critical onjectives as the organization continues to improve the health and well-being of youth in Georgia. Guided by the mission, internal processes, organizational capacity, and financial sustainability, GCAPP will serve and impact 360,000 youth, 200,000 parents, and 15,000 youth-serving professionals, and expand into 80 counties through 100 new partnerships.
 

Prior to joining GCAPP, McNeill served as Chief Development Officer for Boys & Girls Club of Collier County (BGCCC) and Director of Government Relations for Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) working to garner public and private revenue to support youth development programs in 13 states by customizing strategies for annual, capital, endowment, and government funding campaigns as well as public-private partnership and youth advocacy initiatives. Ronald also served as Executive Director of the Independent College Fund of North Carolina (ICFNC) leading an annual fundraising campaign to support student scholarships and enrichment programs at the 36 independent colleges and universities throughout the state. Ronald began his career in North Carolina and served in various positions with Boys & Girls Clubs as a youth development, operations, and nonprofit management professional.
 

Ronald holds a Bachelor of Science degree from East Carolina University, a Master of Public Administration degree from North Carolina Central University and is pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration degree from Georgia State University. He and his wife Nicole have two daughters, Ashley and Mackayla and live in Tyrone, GA.

I have over 15 years of experience working in the non-profit field, youth/community development and education. Currently, Im working as a Long-Term Substitute Teacher at Futon County Public Schools. I work with the school staff and parent to encourage positive student behavior while establishing a structured learning environment.  
 
Previously, I was the Community Developer at Summit County Community Partnership, where I provided the community with information about drug and alcohol trends as well as creating presentations and marketing strategies.  
 
When I’m not on the job, I am a motivational speaker, Grief Recovery facilitator and serve in the youth ministry at my church. I have been married for over 10 years with three wonderful kids and two grandchildren. 

Roshanga "Shay" Peoples serves as the Project Coordinator for Community Health Solutions. She has over 20 years of experience in community service and working with youth. Shay is the Assistant Director for the i Rock Youth Mentorship Program at the Rock Church of Atlanta and a Character Coach for Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  She has also served as the PTSA President and on various other school council boards. Before joining Community Health Solutions, Shay worked as an Admissions Counselor and a Branch Manager for more than 14 years combined.

 Shay earned a Bachelor's in Human Services and a Master’s in Higher Education with a Specialization in Educational Leadership. She has a passion for connecting youth and families to opportunities and resources within their community.Her ultimate goal is to be a servant leader and help heal communities through effective outreach and connections. Shay resides in Clayton, County with her teenage son. 

Irene Barton was named the executive director of the Cobb Collaborative in September 2018 after serving as the organization’s Resource Manager since July 2017. Using the collective impact model, the Collaborative convenes community stakeholders to improve outcomes for children and families in Cobb County and is the local presence for the Georgia Family Connection Partnership. As executive director, Barton has diversified the Collaborative’s funding streams, doubled its membership roster, and hired a full-time program manager and a communications director. Prior to joining the Collaborative, Barton worked in the financial services industry and held numerous volunteer leadership positions with Georgia PTA at the local, district and state level and served on several nonprofit boards. In 2022, she was named a Woman of Achievement by LiveSafe Resources. Barton was selected as a member of the 2021 Regional Leadership Institute Class and was an Education Policy Fellow for the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education in 2016-17. She is an alumna of the Cobb Chamber’s Honorary Commanders program. 

Born and raised in Kennesaw, Georgia, Kaitlyn is no stranger to the diverse and flourishing communities of Cobb County. Kaitlyn joined the Collaborative in 2021 as a Vote Your Voice intern, bringing nonpartisan voter education and registration efforts to underserved communities in Cobb. After learning the ins and outs of what makes the Cobb Collaborative tick, she quickly moved from intern to Program Coordinator to Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Kennesaw State University, a Master’s Degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, and previous experience in human resources and organizational development, she aims to use her knowledge to cultivate intentional partnerships to strengthen the communities right here in Cobb. Her education and background developed her skills as a social justice practitioner, giving her the insight to strategically focus on initiatives that advance support for our communities with a lens of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Outside of serving her community, you can find Kaitlyn spending time outdoors with her partner and their dog, relaxing with some yoga, trying a new hobby, and listening to her favorite podcasts on NPR. 

Lesleigh received her bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from the University of Georgia and has experience in human services. She also has a background working with diverse populations, ranging from the elderly to children. Lesleigh says, “I really just love working with and for people. I hope to use my background and passion for serving others to cultivate genuine partnerships around the community for the overall betterment of Cobb county.” Outside of work, she loves to travel, relax in nature, try new food and spend time with loved ones.

Michael Smith is president and CEO of Greater Valdosta United Way. Prior to serving the organization, he worked in his family business operating Smitty’s Package Stores in Valdosta and Lake Park. Working in retail provided him with many experiences to work and interact with people from all walks of life. At Greater Valdosta United Way, Smith leads the organization’s efforts to serve five counties, along with 19 agency partners, to improve people's lives by mobilizing the caring power of the community. A native of Valdosta, Smith earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Valdosta State University.

Susan is originally from Statesboro, Georgia. She has lived in Valdosta since 2004 and is a proud mother of 3 beautiful children. Susan attended Valdosta State University for her undergraduate and Master’s Degree in Sociology. Susan has spent a lot of time in the community over the years and has developed a profound love for this community and a desire to see it grow and prosper. 

Renée Byrd-Lewis serves as president and CEO of the Gwinnett Coalition, an organization dedicated to leading systems change to address Gwinnett County’s most complex social issues. Nearly three decades of private and public sector experience fuels a diverse portfolio of capabilities in community development, social responsibility, and communications. Her previous roles include vice president of advancement and strategic communications at Georgia Gwinnett College, director of community relations at Cisco Systems and Scientific Atlanta, and senior consultant for nonprofits seeking to increase organizational capacity. 
 
A Gwinnett County resident since 1995, Byrd-Lewis is an engaged leader with deep community knowledge. She is a past board chair of Leadership Gwinnett Foundation and serves as a board member of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and Gwinnett Medical Center Foundation. She earned a master’s degree from Georgia State University and dual bachelor’s degrees in psychology and sociology from Emory University. She resides in Buford, Ga. with her husband and two sons.

Teresa Raetz serves as COO of the Gwinnett Coalition. Her professional and academic interests include servant leadership, organizational culture, stress and coping, and wellness. Previously, she served as a higher education consultant and served in leadership capacities in the Oklahoma College Student Personnel Association, Georgia College Personnel Association, ACPA: College Educators International, and the Association of College and University Policy Administrators. 
 
She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Oklahoma State University, her Ph.D. in student affairs administration from the University of Georgia, and worked in higher education for 25 years. She moved to Lawrenceville in 2002, serving in roles as director of student affairs for extended campuses for the University of Georgia and director of policy analysis for Georgia Gwinnett College. Raetz’s volunteer activities include Rainbow Village, North Gwinnett Co-op, Adopt-a-Highway, Girl Scouts, and Scouts BSA. She served as a board member for Covenant Counseling and Family Resource Center.

Kamesha Walker serves as the community health program manager for the Gwinnett Coalition where she leads initiatives and programs that build capacity and improve community health in Gwinnett County. Walker earned a Bachelor’s of Biology from Spelman College and a Master of Public Health from Mercer University. She is an experienced clinic manager and public health professional with a strong background in patient care management, program management, grant writing, and community outreach. Walker is passionate about positively impacting hospital and health care program development.

Jennifer Hibbard lives and works in Gwinnett County as a licensed professional counselor and the CEO at View Point Health where she has served in a variety of capacities for nearly two decades, including intake clinician, center director, director of quality assurance, vice president of programs and COO. She has broad experience working with adults, children and adolescents with mental health and substance abuse issues. Hibbard serves on the board of directors for the Gwinnett Coalition and is a member and serves on the board of the Rotary Club of Gwinnett County as a past president. She is assistant governor for Rotary District 6910 and is a graduate of Leadership Gwinnett and the National Council for Behavioral Health Executive Leadership program. She currently serves as the management team chair for Leadership Gwinnett. 
 
She earned her Master of Professional Counseling from Southwest Texas State University and Bachelor’s of Psychology from the University of Texas in Austin. Her career began while volunteering as a counselor for the Williamson County Juvenile Academy, a residential alternative facility associated with the Texas Youth Correctional system. Hibbard is also a National Certified Counselor of the NBCC, and a member of the American Counselors Association. She lives in Snellville with her husband and two children, as well as three cats and two dogs.

Jessica Andrews-Wilson is executive director of GUIDE, Inc, a  youth development and substance abuse prevention organization. She has volunteered and worked in various capacities with community mobilization, youth development and substance abuse prevention since beginning her work at the Georgia Teen Institute (GTI) in 1993 as a representative from Brookwood High School. She moved up through the organizations, and during her more than two decades at GUIDE, she has secured and maintained crucial partnerships including those with the Governor’s Office for Children and Families, various Family Connection collaboratives and a number of small prevention and youth development agencies She was also instrumental in the partnership that created the Georgia Afterschool and Youth Development Conference and directed the ASYD Conferences in 2013 and 2014. The partnerships she has fostered have led to more than 75 workshops, trainings and events being conducted by GUIDE annually.
 
Andrews-Wilson is an Internationally Certified Prevention Specialist through the Prevention Credentialing Consortium of Georgia, serves on the board of directors and regularly trains others in the Core Courses required by the organization. In 2012, she received the Ray Avant Excellence in Prevention Award from the Georgia Office of Prevention Services and Programs for her contributions to the field. Andrews-Wilson earned a Master of Science in organizational development and leadership from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Graydon Yatabe received a BSc from Georgia State University in Community Nutrition and Dietetics and a Master of Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He has been a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist since 1993. He retired in 2022 after more than 27 years as an officer of the United States Public Health Service, located in two federal agencies, the Indian Health Service, where he developed, led, and provided clinical and public health nutrition, health promotion, diabetes, and tobacco control services in various tribal communities across the US, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, providing leadership on policy and program planning activities and advising and assisting state and community-based programs, national partners, and various health organizations on public health issues and practices.  He has been both a staff dietitian with the UNC Employee Wellness Program and Assistant to the Director of the UNC Student Wellness Resource Center, and has previously worked as a clinical dietitian in Atlanta at Grady Memorial Hospital and the Shephard Center. His personal professional interests include food and nutrition security, environmental and policy influences on health and obesity, how mass media affects food choices, and sports and vegetarian nutrition issues. He is an avid cyclist, and loves hiking and geocaching. He lives in Lawrenceville with his wife Latha and is blessed with two wonderful children. 

Aviva Berman is a senior innovation manager for Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement (ARCHI). Her areas of expertise include population health, health care strategy and community engagement. She has significant experience in grant implementation and evaluation at both the city and state levels. Berman supports ARCHI as a health systems strategist as part of the organization’s Invert the Burden initiative by further developing a Community Resource Hub and bolstering the partner network to address social determinants of health in the Atlanta area. By promoting care coordination and upstream, cross-sector work, Berman is working to improve practices to support critical clinical to community linkages. She received her Bachelor’s of Arts in Anthropology from George Washington University and her Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management from Columbia University.

Jeffrey M. Smythe is the Executive Director of ARCHI (the Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement).  ARCHI collaborates to solve health inequities in metro Atlanta and invert the burden off of the vulnerable individual in health distress, engaging a broad network of partners to sustainably change the system.
 
He has dedicated his career to the alleviation of human suffering, poverty, isolation, and inequities and to organizations that make a transformative impact in such areas. During his nearly 30 years of nonprofit leadership, his work has ranged from housing, homeless and hunger alleviation to aging services, from HIV services to international development, from refugee and foster family support to youth development and mental health.
 
In his most recent leadership role with HOPE Atlanta, Jeff led an unsheltered-to-hotel-to-housed triage case management process in partnership with ARCHI, Partners for HOME and other partners, that successfully and permanently housed more than 500 individuals amidst the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also led the securing of the highly coveted Bezos Day One Fund grant ($2.5M) in recognition of the organization’s impact and innovation around family homelessness solutions.

Janelle joined the United Way of Coastal Georgia in 2016, following a career as a school psychologist, specializing in children on the autism spectrum. She holds Master of Education (M.Ed.) and Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degrees in School Psychology from Georgia State University. As the Director of Community Impact for United Way, Janelle leads efforts to strengthen the community by bringing together people, organizations, and resources to address the most critical issues facing residents of southeast Georgia. She currently leads the Resilient Communities of Southeast Georgia initiative, a collaborative of local stakeholders dedicated to raising awareness of the harmful effects of trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and creating a more resilient southeast Georgia region. Janelle also leads the community-based disaster coordination and response organization, VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) of Coastal Georgia. 

I’ve spent my entire career serving nonprofits and Coastal Coalition for Children is one of five organizations where I’ve served as the chief executive. Most of my experience has been with human service organizations including those serving children with disabilities and domestic violence programs. I also have an animal welfare background and spent 2013 to 2017 in Shreveport, La., where I was the President/CEO of the largest chimpanzee sanctuary in the world, known as Chimp Haven. When I retired from Chimp Haven in 2017 and we moved here, I really thought my retirement would stick. It didn’t! I knew I wanted another opportunity to give back to my community. When I learned that Coastal Coalition was looking for an executive director, it was simply a no-brainer. I’ve only accepted positions where the mission is compelling, and one that speaks to me. Coastal Coalition for Children checked all those boxes. I know we are making a difference in the lives of so many parents, grandparents and children. This is work worth doing. 

Allison Ashe came to Wellroot in 2020 as a proven nonprofit leader, communicator and fundraising professional to lead the organization in launching a bold, new strategic plan. Ashe has significant experience in youth and family programs, working with youth aging out of foster care, and independent living. She has expertise in the impact of trauma and generational poverty. Ashe formerly led strategic initiatives and built the largest volunteer program in the national Covenant House network. She enjoys working collaboratively with staff, state, corporate and individual donors, board members and volunteers. Ashe earned a master’s degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and has served in chaplaincy roles. She gravitated to nonprofit service as a manifestation of her commitment to Christ. She is a member of Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church and a long-time volunteer with Warrick Dunn’s Home for the Holidays program, which aids single mothers in achieving their dream of home ownership. 

Christina Lennon is Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Wellroot Family Services. With over two decades of nonprofit management experience, she previously served as executive director of the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, a nonprofit that provides vision and hearing services to Georgians in need before spending several years as a consultant with Coxe Curry and Associates. In 2019 she joined the Wellroot team to design and implement their continuum of Family Preservation Services. Lennon enjoys investing in the next generation of nonprofit leaders by teaching Policy Leadership at Georgia State University and created and teaches the fundraising certificate program at Emory University's continuing education. Her work has been recognized by many, including the Georgia Center for Nonprofits, who named her Georgia's Revolutionary Nonprofit leader. The Andrew Young School of Georgia State University awarded her the first Amanda Hyatt Fellowship and honored her as a distinguished alumnus.  In 2014 she was chosen as their keynote speaker for commencement ceremonies.  

Kelly Hogan is the Community Partnership and Training Manager at Wellroot Family Services. She has worked in healthcare and in behavioral health fields for the last ten years where she has honed her evidence-based research and writing skills. She has delivered high quality care in healthcare, human services, domestic violence and substance abuse settings. Her education includes a Master's Degree in Business Administration, a Bachelor's of Science in Human Services and an Associate's Degree in Pre-Nursing

Heather M. Flowers is a native of Waycross, Georgia. She attended and graduated from Waycross College (Associates of Applied Science Degree of Business Administration) in 2004. Ms. Flowers was employed with Georgia Department of Corrections, Probation Division in Waycross, Georgia from 1999 until 2004 in the Administrative/Accounting Department. After she graduated in May 2004, she promoted to Probation Officer where she went on to work with Specialized Cases which included Intensive Level Probationers and Sex Offenders. In March 2005, Ms. Flowers became the Department Director of Ware County Probation Office, then in June 2009 she took the position of Probation Officer with Satilla Probation Management Services. She worked her way up to Chief Probation Officer. In September 2015, Ms. Flowers went on to become the Fatherhood Agent with Georgia Department of Human Services, Division of Child Support Services. In August 2016, she was promoted to the Parental Accountability Court Coordinator with the Waycross Judicial Circuit. This was a new accountability court program to the Waycross Judicial Circuit. In July 2020, Ms. Flowers became the Legal Advocate with Magnolia House. She was then promoted to Family Justice Center Site Coordinator in November 2020. She began working with Resilient Georgia in December 2021 through the Waycross Area Resilient Georgia Partnership.  Ms. Flowers brings with her twenty plus years of experience with court services, victim services, offender services, and collaborating with community partners. During her professional career, she has been active in civic and community activities. She is currently a member of the Waycross Judicial Circuit Domestic Violence Task Force and Brantley County Sexual Violence Task Force. 

Michelle Girtman has been executive director of Magnolia House Domestic Violence Shelter in Waycross, Ga. for 25 years and the executive director for The Haven Domestic Violence Shelter and Sexual Assault Center in Valdosta, Georgia for 14 years. Girtman currently serves as a committee member on Georgia’s Child Abuse Services Board and Panel, which partners with Georgia’s child welfare system ensure efforts are made to preserve, support and strengthen families. In 2010, Governor Sonny Perdue appointed Girtman to the board of directors of the Governor’s Office for Children and Families, where she served for six years. In 2010, she was also appointed to the Georgia Commission on Family Violence by Governor Perdue and reappointed to the Commission in 2012 by Governor Nathan Deal. In 2012, Mrs. Girtman worked with the Lowndes County Board of Commissioner to build a new domestic violence shelter in Valdosta, Ga. and in 2014 worked with the city of Remerton, Ga. to build a sexual assault center. In 2020, Magnolia House was only one of three programs in Georgia to receive a grant from The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to create a family justice center for the Waycross Judicial Circuit. The center will partner with victim service agencies to provide an array of services to victims and their children needing services in domestic violence, sexual assault and victims of crime. Girtman attended Brunswick College and has a background in criminal justice which she uses to advocate for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.