LaTeekey AndrewsAs Director of Employee Availability at the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), LaTeekey Andrews is currently assessing the issues of absenteeism and the metrics to substantiate them. This assessment will provide valuable information in the development and implementation of a comprehensive Employee Availability Program. LaTeekey has over 17 years experience as a transit professional serving in various aspects of the organization, including Human Resources Recruiting Officer, Strategic Administrator for the Department of Operations, and Executive Level Administration. As a member of the management team of the Deputy General Manager, she served in various roles that provided organizational effectiveness. Her expertise focused on the assessment of operational initiatives, benchmarking data and recommending proactive solutions using strategic/tactical methods and key business indicators to build business cases for change and process improvement.

LaTeekey holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management and is certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR).

Mark BeatyDr. Mark Beaty is a senior partner in Milton Hall Surgical Associates based in Alpharetta where he practices Facial Plastic Surgery and Otolaryngology. In addition to clinical practice, Mark serves as President of the Medical Staff at Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital and Chairperson of Public Information for the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. A published author of numerous medical journal and periodical articles, he is a regular featured presenter at industry conferences and symposiums. Mark is an active participant in the Face to Face Domestic Violence program, providing services to victims of facial trauma from domestic abuse. Through community involvement and clinical practice, he strives to provide excellence in service, aesthetics and function.

Mark began his medical training at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. He then received residency training at the University of Iowa Department of Otolaryngology. Following residency, Mark completed fellowship training in Facial Plastic Surgery at Emory-affiliated Buckhead Facial Plastic Surgery.

Linda BlechingerLinda Blechinger serves as Mayor of the City of Auburn. She says, “I have four outstanding Council women and together with our citizens and staff we are accomplishing great things for our City and County.” Linda first served the City by chairing the newly-formed Parks and Recreation Commission. She then served on Auburns’ City Council. She is actively involved in the Barrow County Chamber of Commerce, Barrow County Mayors Association, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Partnership Gwinnett and Barrow Family Connections. She has also been appointed to the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) Board of Directors, Barrow County Governmental Affairs Board of Directors and North East Art Council Board of Directors.

During her time with the City of Auburn, Linda has worked hard to receive multiple certificates from the Georgia Municipal Association and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government.

John BonannoJohn Bonanno is Vice President of Residential Development for Crescent Resources, LLC for the Atlanta Region, responsible for the residential developments Sugarloaf Country Club and The River Club in Gwinnett County, and Watermark in Henry County. John began his career with the New York firm of Ralph George Mastromonaco Consulting Engineers, where he learned the basics of site development and worked on a variety of projects ranging from revitalization of downtown areas to townhouse and golf communities. He moved to Atlanta to work for Rochester & Associates, Inc., where he was responsible for the civil engineering of several large-scale master-planned communities. John worked briefly as Director of Engineering for Ryland Homes’ Washington, DC division, where he worked on the acquisition, planning and development of single-family and multi-family residential communities. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute, currently serving on the Residential Neighborhood Development Council; the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Gwinnett and the Council for Quality Growth.

John graduated from New York Institute of Technology with a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Technologies and earned an MBA from Brenau University. He became a registered Professional Engineer in 1996.

Beth BrownBeth Brown is the Director of Communications for the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG). As ACCG’s first Director of Communications, she is charged with coordinating ACCG’s communications network, which includes media relations, the website, Georgia County Government magazine and other publications as well as developing campaigns to raise awareness about county government and to promote civic engagement. Her responsibilities also include assisting with member outreach, supporting the legislative policy team and handling other special projects. Prior to joining ACCG in January 2009, she served as Director of Communications for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. In this position, her responsibilities included providing proactive public affairs counsel to the DNR management team, developing and implementing marketing and communications campaigns, working with the media and coordinating fundraising projects.

Beth is a graduate of the University of Georgia Henry W. Grady School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

LaChandra Butler BurksLaChandra Butler Burks currently serves as Chair of the Atlanta Public School Board (APS). She previously held the position of Chair of the APS Budget Commission where she was responsible for setting and overseeing the school system’s $645 million general fund operating budget. The approval of the budget led to maintaining the school system’s elementary school reforms, high school transformation and the start-up of two single-gender academies. LaChandra serves on the Board of Directors for the Atlanta Development Authority, Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., and The Atlanta Education Fund. She is the Deputy Director for the Atlanta Office of Enterprise Community Partners, a national non-profit organization that works strategically to see that all people have the opportunity for fit and affordable housing.

LaChandra holds a Bachelor’s degree and MBA from State University of West Georgia, (formerly West Georgia College.)

Renee Byrd-LewisAs Director of Community Relations for Cisco’s initiatives in the Atlanta region, Renee Byrd-Lewis is responsible for ensuring that the company is actively involved in social, quality of life, talent and business issues affecting the region. She serves to position Cisco as a strategic business partner and aggregator for community issues, bringing civic leaders, business leaders and subject matter experts together to discuss opportunities and topics of local importance. An active community leader, Renee serves as a charter member for the Georgia Gwinnett College Foundation Board of Trustees, Board member for Gwinnett Medical Center Foundation, Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia, United Way, Computers for Youth, and Leadership Gwinnett.

Renee received her undergraduate degree from Emory University, and a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Georgia State University.

Lisa CarterLisa Carter is the Assistant to the County Manager for Fulton County. She is a professional public administrator with a broad range of executive responsibilities and experience in local government. Currently, she serves as the County Manager’s liaison to key departments such as General Services, Finance and Purchasing, while managing the Budget, Internal Audit, and Board of Commissioners Agenda processes. She is adept at relating to constituent concerns from the community while managing the scarce allocation of resources. Her current responsibilities includes liaising with the Finance Department in helping to provide oversight for all matters related to the multi-billion dollar county budget. During her stint as the Director of Fulton County Parks and Recreation, she was responsible for helping Fulton County restore services following a drawdown of programs within a downsized department. Lisa holds a Bachelor’s degree in accounting and a MBA in Management.

Lenn ChandlerLenn Chandler is the Metro East Regional Manager for Georgia Power. He has been employed with the company for 23 years and has held various positions from Information Resources Analyst and Regional Comptroller, to Region Customer Service Manager and Assistant to the Executive Vice President. Lenn is past Chairman of the Meriwether County Chamber of Commerce and has also served on the Board of Directors for the Meriwether County Industrial Development Authority, the Board of Directors for the West Georgia Technical College and the Meriwether County Rotary Club. He is Chair-elect of the Flint River Council of Boy Scouts and is a member of the 2003 Leadership Georgia class.

Lenn is a graduate of The University of West Georgia with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Information Systems.

Amy DavisAmy Davis is the Support Services Agency Director for Cherokee County, where she has been employed for eight and a half years. Prior to her current position, she was employed by the City of Marietta as the Accounting Manager.

Amy attended Texas State University and received a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. She was designated as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) by the State of Alabama and later received a reciprocal license in the State of Georgia.

Fabian De RozarioFabian De Rozario launched GlobalConnect Enterprises, LLC, a consulting, training and coaching firm that helps organizations and individuals unleash the power of “connecting” by understanding and leveraging cultural distinctiveness. He has served in student services leadership, course instructor, and training facilitator roles at Northern Illinois University and at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He has also served as the Director of U.S. University Relations and Global Operations for the Golden Key International Honour Society. Fabian is active in Atlanta’s Asian community and is the co-founder of the Malaysian Association of Georgia. He currently serves on the Board of the award winning Atlanta chapter of the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) and volunteers for CultureConnect, a local non-profit that assists immigrant families.

Born and raised in Malaysia, he came to the U.S. in 1982 and completed his Bachelor’s degrees in Marketing and Management and Master’s degree in Parks and Recreation Administration at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.

Sonnet EdmondsAs Vice President and Assistant General Counsel – U.S. Assets and Commercial, Sonnet Edmonds provides legal support to Mirant’s U.S. assets and commercial operations. She oversees legal support for business unit contracting, environmental and permitting matters, trading and marketing operations, project development activities, and engineering, procurement and construction matters. Sonnet has been employed by Mirant since 1998 in a multitude of positions. Prior to Mirant, she served as Associate Attorney at Polsinelli, White, Vardeman and Shalton, PC, in Kansas City, MO and Brickfield, Burchette, and Ritts, PC, in Washington, D.C. Sonnet is involved in several membership organizations and associations including, Bars of the District of Columbia, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Kansas; Energy Bar Association; Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment; Association of Corporate Counsel; and Board Member and Treasurer for Cool Girls, Inc.

Sonnet received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Steven EstepSteven Estep is managing partner and co-founder of the law firm Cohen, Cooper, Estep & Whiteman in Atlanta. He began his career practicing law at Atlanta’s King & Spalding, where he was an associate and then partner in the tort litigation group. Steve focuses his national trial practice on business, securities, and tort litigation and has litigated cases in more than a dozen states. Two of his jury trials were featured in the National Law Journal as “notable wins” in the country. Steve has been voted by his peers each year since 2005 as a Georgia “Super Lawyer,” as published in Atlanta Magazine and The Journal of Law and Politics. He has worked on high profile matters ranging from the grounding of the Exxon Valdez to the death of NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt. Among his current matters is the litigation involving the ownership of the Atlanta Hawks, the Atlanta Thrashers, and Philips Arena. Steve represents numerous athletes and entertainers, including the musician Kid Rock.

After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree from Florida State University, he graduated from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law.

Zayra FosséZayra Fossé is an Executive Consultant with Affinity Group. Prior to Affinity Group, she was the Multicultural Marketing Director for Macy’s Central and in that role she encouraged the corporation to invest in the development of the Latino community. She began her career as a teacher and counselor and has worked closely with major minority organizations including the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) where she served as State Director and member of the National Board. In 2003, she met the needs of unifying her community by creating the Hispanic Professional Social, the premier monthly gathering of prominent community and corporate leaders in Atlanta. Zayra’s passion for equality in education has earned her appointments to state level policy committees including Governor Sonny Perdue’s Latino Commission. She has also served as a member of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative Committee and is a member of the United Way Cole’s Society. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Zayra earned a Bachelor’s degree at Georgia College and State University and a Master’s degree from Fort Valley State University.

Guy GriswoldGuy Griswold founded a public affairs firm now called Blue Ridge Strategies in 2002. As a principal in the firm, he provides governmental relations consulting as well as strategic public affairs advice. Prior to founding Blue Ridge Strategies, Guy spent 24 years with Procter & Gamble, most recently in charge of external affairs where he was responsible for legislative, regulatory and media relations. He has extensive experience representing industry in economic development and governmental matters. Guy is active with the Georgia Chamber of Commerce serving on the Board of Directors and as chair of the Taxation and Business Incentives Committee of the Governmental Affairs Council. He and his wife co-chaired the 2009 Hearts with Hope Ball for the Partnership Against Domestic Violence.

Guy is an engineering graduate of Georgia Tech.

Julin GuJulin Gu has been with the Bank of America as senior manager since 1998. He has over eleven years of experience in medical EDI data processing and related financial reporting systems. Overall, Julin is responsible for medical data warehouse design, development, and maintenance for two major medical accounting systems. Most recently, he led the team that developed and implemented the first OCR-EDI document management software for the PNC Bank and the Bank of America, which is now widely adopted by most U.S banks. Julin is an active member of the Association of Chinese Professionals (ACP) in Atlanta, Federal Association of Chinese Professionals in Southern USA (FACPSU), Georgia Association of Technology (GAT), and Project Management Institute (PMI). He currently serves as the president of ACP in Atlanta, and is the general secretary of the FACPSU.

Julin holds a Bachelor’s degree from Dalian Maritime University and a Master’s degree in Information Systems from Kennesaw State University.

Michael HalickiMichael Halicki is a Senior Associate with Ahmann, a consulting firm that focuses on the framing of public policy issues on behalf of nonprofit and government clients. He has a unique perspective on a complex array of public policy challenges facing the metro Atlanta region and the State of Georgia due to the variety of roles he has played over the past 14 years Michael’s clients include the Atlanta Committee for Progress, the Atlanta Regional Commission, the Transit Implementation Board and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Sustainability Division. Prior to this role, Michael served as spokesperson for two nonprofits, The Clean Air Campaign and the Georgia Conservancy, and one state government entity, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Air Protection Branch. In 2006, Michael was chosen by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of 40 “Up and Comers” Under 40.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in journalism from Indiana University and a Master’s in Public Administration from Georgia State University.

Jennifer HammondJennifer Hammond is Director of Alternative Transportation and the Transportation Management Association (TMA) Commuter Club for the Cumberland Community Improvement District (CID). She has been with the Cumberland CID since 1998 and works with area stakeholders to improve transportation and development conditions that support quality growth in the area. The CID is administered by the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce where Jen also serves as the Director of the Chamber’s Transportation Department. In this capacity, she assists with similar initiatives throughout Cobb County. Jen is a member of Atlanta’s Civic League, Association for Commuter Transportation, Society for Marketing Professional Services and the Sustainable Food Coalition. While in Philadelphia, she served as an Event Chair for the Community Design Collaborative, a volunteer-based community design center that provides pro bono preliminary design services to nonprofit organizations.

Jen graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelor’s degree in English and Rowan University with a Master’s degree in Writing.

Ann HanlonAs Chief Operating Officer for the North Fulton Community Improvement District (CID), Ann Hanlon is in charge of the organization’s daily operations, as well as its investment in transportation infrastructure. The CID has an operating budget of $1.3 million annually. Prior to joining the North Fulton CID, Ann served as the Project Manager for the Perimeter CIDs and as a Senior Program Specialist at the Atlanta Regional Commission. She began her career in the private sector, as a Research and Development Analyst with Press Ganey & Associates, a healthcare consulting firm in South Bend, Indiana. Ann is a graduate of the Leadership North Fulton class, a volunteer with the Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities and a member of the Junior League of Atlanta.

She received a Bachelor’s degree with a double major in Government and Computer Science from the University of Notre Dame and a Master’s degree in Management and Finance from Georgia State University.

Gerrian HawesGerrian Hawes is owner of Oliver Imprints Graphic Design Studio and Publisher of We Are Clayton Magazine, a publication that is driven by a desire to emphasize the positive aspects of Clayton County. Her years of work in a host of different technology environments along with over 10 years development of her company has made Gerrian an accomplished visual communications consultant, graphics designer and publisher. She believes that a large part of her success comes out of her emphasis on visual communication strategies that incorporate business branding and corporate identity. Gerrian has found that clients are happy when they can walk away with a seamless and unifying package—one that conveys to the public both the brilliance of their products and the superiority of their practices.

Gerrian is currently a board member of the Grassroots Leadership Institute and Keep Clayton County Beautiful. She is a Leadership Clayton Class 2009 – 2010 graduate and a member of the fundraising committee for the Alzheimer’s Service Center in Riverdale.

Sam HeatonSam Heaton is Chief of Cobb County’s Fire and Emergency Services Department. He leads the 682 personnel of the Department where he worked his way through the ranks of Firefighter, Engineer, Lieutenant, Captain, Battalion Chief and Deputy Chief of Response. Sam has commanded several emergency incidents throughout his career in the fire service. He worked in the Joint Operations Center during the G-8 Summit and as fire liaison during the National Disaster Medical System incident at Dobbins during the hurricane evacuations. Sam is the past District 7 Vice-President of the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs, Past Chair of the Metro Georgia Search and Rescue Executive Board, and a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Georgia State Firefighter’s Association, Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs, Georgia Mutual Aid Group and the Metro Atlanta Fire Chiefs Associations.

He is a state certified paramedic and has an Associate’s degree in Fire Science and a Bachelor’s degree in Public Safety Administration.

M. Hakim HilliardHakim Hilliard is a Partner with McKenna Long & Aldridge, where he concentrates his practice in state and local government law, specifically in the areas of land use and zoning, alcohol licensing and permitting, economic development incentives and procurement. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Criminal Justice Department of Georgia State University. Hakim has assisted in the development of a variety of projects such as mixed use communities, residential subdivisions, industrial parks, shopping centers, multi-family communities, quarries, nightclubs and other uses. Prior to joining McKenna Long & Aldridge, Hakim served as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Atlanta. He also staffed the Atlanta Board of Zoning Adjustment and Zoning Review Board and has served as the legal counsel and lobbyist for the City of Atlanta at the legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly. The Fulton County Daily Report recognized him in their 2004 listing of “40 Under 40” and also profiled him as a Rainmaker in June 2005. In addition, Hakim has been named to the Georgia Super Lawyers Rising Stars list. Hakim received a Bachelor’s from Morehouse College and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

Laura HughesLaura Hughes is Executive Vice President of Business Development for Piedmont Companies. She is responsible for identifying and evaluating engineering and construction opportunities for all divisions of Envision Engineering. Previously, Laura served as Vice President and Metro Atlanta Regional Manager for Jordan, Jones & Goulding. She is an active member of the Executive Committee for the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Atlanta District Council and on the ULI National Residential Neighborhood Development Council. She also serves on the Executive Committee of the Council for Quality Growth. She is a LEED accredited professional and a licensed Real Estate Broker in Georgia and Texas.

Laura received a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

Bucky JohnsonBucky Johnson is the Mayor of Norcross and an Atlanta native. Prior to taking office in Norcross, he was the Chair of the Music Department and Director of Bands at Georgia Tech. He was a successful high school band director prior to his Tech tenure and taught in the Governor’s Honors Program for two summers. Bucky has directed several other bands, including the Emory Jazz Ensemble and the DeKalb College Jazz Band, which performed at the Montreaux and North Sea Jazz Festivals. He founded and served as the Director of the Atlanta Olympic Band, which represented the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games and performed at many events, including Flag Arrival Ceremonies, President Clinton’s Inaugural Parade, and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Centennial Olympic Games. He and his wife founded and have owned Musical Endeavors, Inc. since 1983. Their company produces the Southern Star Music Festival.

Bucky serves on the Gwinnett Tech Foundation Board, the Partnership Gwinnett Implementation Committee, and the Gwinnett Arts Task Force. He is a member of the 2009 Class of Leadership Gwinnett. In 2003, Bucky was named Bandmaster of the Year by the Georgia Chapter of Phi Beta Mu.

Stacey JordanStacey Jordan is pursuing his interests in local government planning in the south metropolitan area of Atlanta and is employed by Henry County as Chief Planner. He has worked with local and regional leaders to complete the various duties that have been assigned to him while at Henry County, including drafting zoning ordinances, conditions of zoning, and administrative variances. Stacey continues to increase his expertise in public policy by pursuing higher education and becoming more involved in private consulting.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree with an Economics major from the University of Georgia and a Master’s of City and Regional Planning degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has also been designated a certified planner through the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).

Edward Klaas, IIEd Klaas is the Owner/Vice President – Business & Legal Affairs for Southern Sprinkler Systems, LLC, a full service irrigation company specializing in residential and commercial installations, repairs, upgrades, maintenance and consulting. His area of concentration is water in all its applications, particularly water efficiency. Prior to Southern Sprinklers, Ed served in the U.S. Navy and later worked for a number of multinational businesses and law firms, including Fornieles & del Carril law firm in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Ed is an EPA WaterSense Partner and is the former president of the Georgia Irrigation Association, past president of the Georgia Green Industry Association’s Irrigation & Water Division, and national chair of the Irrigation Association Contractor Common Interest Group, He is a member of the Metro Water District Chattahoochee Basin Advisory Council and board member of the Georgia Water Wise Council and Keep Roswell Beautiful.

Ed holds several irrigation certifications and his articles have appeared in various publications and trade journals on a variety of subjects from business ethics to the efficient use of water and other environmental issues.

Kathryn LawlerKathryn Lawler recently joined the Atlanta Regional Commission staff as part of the management team in the Director’s Office. She provides support to the different divisions of the agency including transportation, land use, environment, workforce, local government services and aging. Prior to ARC, she was a consultant specializing in strategic and community planning for the aging demographic. Working with nonprofit organizations, foundations and local governments, she helped communities develop comprehensive plans to meet housing, transportation, health and service needs of the rapidly growing older adult population. She was also the project manager for the Atlanta Region’s Lifelong Communities Charrette. From 2001 to 2002, she was a fellow at Harvard University’s Joint Center on Housing Studies. Her research focused on the development of health and housing policy to facilitate aging in the community and modernize long term care systems and her work has been cited in numerous publications including the Wall Street Journal, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Governing Magazine.

Kathryn received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Master’s degree from Harvard University.

Grace Lopez-WilliamsGrace Lopez-Williams is owner of one of the fastest growing Hispanic Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firms in Atlanta, Grace Williams CPA, PC. Before founding her firm, Grace developed her finance and accounting acumen through positions with Arthur Andersen. She was the first Latino member appointed by Governor Roy Barnes to the Workforce Investment Board. In 2004, Governor Sonny Perdue appointed Grace as the first Latino member of the Georgia State Board of Accountancy. In her newest appointment, Lopez-Williams helps regulate the practice of public accounting, set standards for accounting licensure and investigate and discipline unauthorized, negligent or incompetent practices. She is also the first Latino to serve on the Board of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce. On a more personal level, she has translated her successes into community advocacy through assisting many Hispanic small business owners in the metro Atlanta area. Among her many achievements, the Hispanic Business Magazine selected Williams among the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the United States in 2000.

Grace has been a CPA since 1989 and received a Bachelor’s in Accounting from the University of Puerto Rico and a MBA from Loyola University in New Orleans.

Dele LowmanDele Lowman serves as Assistant to the County Manager for Fulton County Government where she is responsible for oversight of Communications, Fulton Government Television (FGTV), Performance Management and Training. Additionally, she is responsible for day-to-day coordination with the Information Technology and Personnel Departments on behalf of the County Manager. Prior to joining Fulton County in 2008, Dele served as Special Assistant to the County Administrator and Strategic Initiatives Manager for Broward County Government, the second most populous county in Florida. She also held other positions with the State of Florida, including the Florida Commission on Human Relations and the Florida Sterling Council, a public/private partnership with the Executive Office of the Governor.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University and a MPA from Baruch College in New York City. She is a 2004 graduate of the National Urban Fellows program.

Dana MaineDana Maine is a partner with Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP and has a variety of experience representing corporate and governmental entities in the areas of civil rights land use and zoning. She served as an Assistant County Attorney with the DeKalb County Attorney’s Office before joining the firm. She has defended corporations and local governments in trial and appellate matters involving land use and zoning, law enforcement, civil right and tort litigation. Dana is a member of the Federal Bar Association, Defense Research Institute, Leadership Subcommittee of the Governmental Liability Committee, Georgia Defense Lawyers Association and American Bar Association.

She received a Bachelor’s degree from Agnes Scott College and a J.D. degree from Emory University, where she was a member of the Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal.

Nick MasinoNick Masino is the Vice President of Economic Development & Partnership Gwinnett at the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce. He oversees the business recruitment and retention efforts for Gwinnett as well as the implementation of the Partnership Gwinnett Strategy. In 2007, he ended his eighth year as one of Georgia’s youngest Mayors in the City of Suwanee. As Mayor, Nick was on the team that recruited two Google Data Centers to Georgia along with companies such as Motorola and Quality Technology Services. He also spearheaded the Suwanee Greenspace and Towncenter efforts that earned the City the title of Money Magazine’s 2007 number ten (10) Best Small Town in America. Nick was a member the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA), where he served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee, the Legislative Policy Committee, and as the immediate past chair of the Community Development Policy Committee. In 2005 and 2006, Nick led the Metro Atlanta Mayors Association as its president. He is a founding board member of the North Gwinnett Schools Foundation and is a member of the Gwinnett County Schools Superintendent’s Community Advisory Board and Board Member of Gwinnett County Schools Foundation.

Nick holds a Bachelor’s in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication from The Ohio State University.

Elizabeth “BJ” MathisElizabeth “BJ” Mathis is Chairman of the Henry County Board of Commissioners. She began her service as Henry County District Two Commissioner in January of 2005. After serving in various ministry positions for 14 years, and working with numerous faith-based agencies, she felt politics was simply another way to serve the people in the community. With her strong focus on families and conservation, BJ more than doubled the park land in her district while preserving an historic civil war battlefield that had been slated for development. Her desire to provide unique places for citizens to gather led to one of her district’s parks being ranked #5 among all parks in metro Atlanta by accessatlanta.com. In fact, the oversized playground surrounded by a kid-sized “highway” for bikes and trikes coupled with the only dog park in the county has made North Mt. Carmel Park one of the most popular destinations for Henry County’s families.

BJ has continued to work for Henry County’s families, helping to lead the fight against gang involvement among Henry County’s youth. Her push for the creation of an Economic Development Plan for Henry County paved the way for the County’s first Economic Summit out of which will come a vision for the community’s future.

Caryn McGarityCaryn McGarity is Executive Director of the Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau and Gwinnett Sports Commission. She is also leading The Strength in Arts initiative through Partnership Gwinnett that will be the umbrella organization for the countywide arts initiative. Caryn began her career in the Hospitality industry over 20 years ago, gaining a breadth of experience in convention services, catering, airline sales, resort sales, facility management and tourism. She is active as Past Chairman of the Gwinnett Council for the Arts; Organizer of Barefoot in the Park Fine Arts Festival; Board Member of Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful; Executive Committee Vice Chair for the Arts of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce; Steering Committee member for Partnership Gwinnett; and Committee Chair for Arts, Tourism and Recreation. Among her many accolades, Caryn was named in Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “The Power Book (09)” of top industry list makers.

Caryn is a graduate of the Public Assembly Facility Management School and has received the Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) certification through the International Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus.

John MoellerJohn Moeller has served as MUST Ministries Executive Director since 2001. Through his vision he has helped MUST grow into one of Georgia’s premier servant-leader organizations. John manages 50 employees across 3 counties and a $3.25 million annual operating budget (80%+ of which is raised directly from the local community.) Prior to MUST, he served as Pastor or Associate Pastor at several churches including, Lowell UMC in Carrollton, GA; New Haven UMC in Dalton, GA; Gates Chapel in Ellijay, GA; and Social Circle UMC in Social Circle, GA. John currently serves on the Cobb Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Marietta Kiwanis Board of Directors, NGC Missions Committee and Committee on Poverty, Techbridge Advisory Board, Georgia Center for Nonprofits CEO Central, and Kennesaw State University’s Wellstar School of Nursing Advisory Board. He has also been President of the Marietta Kiwanis Club and the Cobb Faith Partnership. In 2008, he was named by Georgia Trend Magazine as one of Georgia’s “40 under 40, Best and Brightest”.

John holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and a Master’s of Divinity from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology.

Terri MontagueTerri Montague is former President & CEO for Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., the entity ensuring the overall execution and implementation of Atlanta’s visionary BeltLine Project. Terri’s prior roles include President and COO at Enterprise Community Partners, a leading national provider of capital and expertise for affordable housing and community development. She was also a Principal at Lend Lease Real Estate Investments, a global institutional real estate investment advisor and manager. Over her 20+ year career, Terri has applied her passion for thriving and sustainable communities to a variety of innovative or transformative initiatives that advance industry thinking and practice in the areas of affordable housing, urban redevelopment, smart growth and sustainability, and strategic partnerships. She is a dedicated member of her community who gives time and expertise to faith-based and broader community involvement efforts.

Terri earned dual Master’s degrees in City Planning and in Real Estate Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Chicago.

Jann MooreJann Moore is an experienced consultant with 25 years of success working with business, government, and non-profit organizations. She has served as Assistant Director of Corporate Public Relations for the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company, as Senior Vice President of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, and President of International Business Partners, Inc. Jann formed her own consulting firm in 1994 and currently serves as a special assistant to Charles Bannister, Chairman of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners.

She began her career as Press Coordinator for Georgia Governor Joe Frank Harris after graduating from Georgia Southern University with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science.

John OrrJohn Orr has been with the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) since 1998, with the exception of 2000-2001 when he worked in the consulting industry. As Program Manager, he currently oversees the Transportation Planning Division’s long range planning section, focusing on maintenance of the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and coordinating other long-range planning activities. Prior to ARC, he was the Senior Planner in charge of long-range planning for the Athens-Clarke County Planning Department. In this role, he led the update of the long-range comprehensive plan, RTP, and planning support for Athens venues in the 1996 Olympic Games. John has also served as Senior Planner for the Albany-Dougherty Planning Commission, where he provided planning support during the recovery efforts from flooding associated with Tropical Storm Alberto. John graduated from the University of Virginia’s College at Wise with a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Public Administration. He received a Master’s in Planning from the University of Tennessee. He has received the professional planner designation from the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).

Judy ParkerJudy Parker is the Media and Communications Director for CH2MHill OMI municipal services and currently serves the newly formed City of Sandy Springs. She has more than 15 years experience in developing and managing public relations departments and has worked for CH2M HILL OMI municipal services, three nationally recognized public school districts, a professional association and a television station. Judy has had direct accountability for developing, implementing and administering programs, services, policies and procedures affecting diverse communities and has an in-depth knowledge of research, human behavior and management. Her professional and civic affiliations include the Junior Leagues of Atlanta, Tacoma & Phoenix, City Club Leadership 2000, Public Relations Society of America and Georgia, National School Public Relations Association, Mississippi Association of Broadcasters, International Association of Business Communicators, Sales and Marketing Executives, Rotary International and various Chambers of Commerce.

Judy holds a MBA in Management and Marketing from City University, Bellevue, WA. She is internationally accredited in Public Relations by the Public Relations Society of America and is a federally certified emergency manager.

Billy PeppersBilly Peppers is Director of Economic Development Services for the City of Woodstock where he is building the city’s Main Street Program, implementing a Tax Allocation District and working on the city’s first Community Improvement District. Prior to his role with the City of Woodstock, he led the Woodstock Downtown Development Authority and Woodstock Area Conventions and Visitors Bureau Authority. Billy holds the distinction of being the youngest staff member of the State Senate in 2004, when he worked as an appropriations analyst and special projects coordinator for Senate Appropriations Chairman Jack Hill and managed the Senate Appropriations for DOT, DCA, DEcD, and twenty other state agencies. He serves on the Georgia Downtown Association Board of Directors and became one of a dozen certified Downtown Development Professionals by GDA in October 2008. Other organizations of involvement include the Boards of Directors for the Cherokee County Development Authority, Cherokee County Historical Society, Cherokee County DUI/Drug Court Foundation, Preservation Woodstock and Leadership Cherokee. Billy was named one of the “20 most influential Cherokee County residents under age 40” in 2009.

He attended the University of Georgia and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science.

Gerald Pouncey, Jr.Gerald Pouncey, Jr. is a senior partner with Morris, Manning and Martin, LLP where he heads the Environmental, Infrastructure and Land Use Practice. His primary focus is the acquisition, disposition and/or the redevelopment of properties with significant environmental impact, mergers, investments and financing related to such properties and the development and implementation of green energy technologies and strategies. Gerald has served as lead environmental counsel for the Atlantic Station project, the nation’s largest brownfield redevelopment; served as lead negotiator for locating the 400 million dollar Toyo Tire facility in Georgia; and served as environmental counsel to Jacoby Development in its acquisition of the former Ford Auto Assembly Plant in Hapeville. He served as a legislative appointee to the Commission formed to review reauthorization of Georgia’s Hazardous Waste Trust Fund and was the principal author of Georgia’s new brownfield legislation. He is also a Board Member of the North Georgia Water Management Plan and serves on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Gerald is a contributing author to the American Bar Association publication Brownfields, A Comprehensive Guide to Redeveloping Contaminated Properties.

Gerald received a Bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and J.D. from the University of Georgia.

Tom ReedTom Reed is currently President of DesirePath, LLC. From 1986 – 1998, he was with Electronic Liquid Fillers in LaPorte, Indiana, rising to become President, Partner and Co-Owner of a company known for its constant product and business innovation in a variety of fields, including super-high-purity industrial chemicals, bottled water and candle manufacturing. In 1995, Tom co-founded Fas-Pak, a contract packaging firm. Following the sale of those interests in 1999, he founded Candle-Pak, a contract manufacturer of candles that acquired Aspen Bay Candles in 2001. Tom has been civically engaged throughout his professional career, including serving on the boards of the LaPorte Hospital Foundation and the Chochran Mill Nature Center. He founded the Chattahoochee Hills Organizing Committee and the Chattahoochee Hills Civic Association, which researched and advocated for the foundation of the City of Chattahoochee Hills. Tom is also establishing a local farm co-op that will support the protection of the rural land of Chattahoochee Hills by encouraging economically viable, locally-focused farming activities.

Tom is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing.

Harry RiceHarry Rice is Vice President and Division Manager for PBS&J, a national engineering and planning firm. In his role he heads up a division that works on Transportation Planning projects throughout the southeast. He has been employed with PBS&J for 24 years. Prior to that employment he worked for other civil engineering consulting firms in Georgia, Florida and Alabama along with a short 3-year tenure with the City of Montgomery, Alabama. Harry is involved in the community in several ways including serving at the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce on the Public Policy Council and has volunteered the past 6 years with Leadership Gwinnett helping in several positions, the latest being Co-Chair for Infrastructure Day. He also represents PBS&J on the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s Transportation Committee. Harry volunteers as President of the Providence Christian Academy Athletic Booster Club.

He earned a Bachelor’s of Civil Engineering degree from Auburn University and a Master’s in Civil Engineering and a Master’s of City Planning with an emphasis on Transportation from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Violet RicksViolet Ricks the Executive Director of the City of Atlanta and Fulton County Recreation Authority. She is responsible for the oversight of agreements related to the Authority’s property interests, specifically: Turner Field; Philips Arena; Zoo Atlanta; John A. White Park; and the Olympic Cauldron. Prior to the Recreation Authority, she was Executive Director of the State Bar of Georgia Diversity Program, served as a Special Assistant Administrative Law Judge for the Office of State Administrative Hearings and as Pro Hac Vice Judge for the City Court of Atlanta. Violet is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, Georgia Supreme Court’s Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, a Fellow with the Georgia Bar Foundation, a member of the National Bar Association, a board member of Central Atlanta Progress, a member of Buckhead Cascade Links, Inc., a member of the Board of Trustees for Big Bethel A.M.E. Church and serves as a member of the Recycling and Material Management Stakeholders Group for Sustainable Atlanta.

Violet received a Bachelor’s degree from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and a J.D. from De Paul University’s College of Law in Chicago.

Conchita RobinsonConchita Robinson is founder and President of C Robinson Associates, Inc., a business and professional development consulting and coaching firm emphasizing Individual/Organizational Effectiveness, Cultural Transformation and Executive Search. Formerly a recruiter with Spencer Stuart, Conchita has broad experience recruiting general management, senior information systems and customer relationship management talent. She acquired extensive executive management experience over her 18-year career with IBM Corporation and was recognized for building the company’s fastest growing channel, known as ibm.com. Her service to the community includes participation with United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta Community Impact Council, Georgia Conservancy, Cool Girls, Inc. Advisory Council and United Way of America’s National Women’s Leadership Council. She is member of the South Fulton Chamber of Commerce. Conchita is a graduate of the 1996 Class of Leadership Atlanta and has attained an ICF Professional Coaching certification.

Conchita earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Newberry College in Newberry, South Carolina.

Gerald RossGerald Ross is Chief Engineer of the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). He is responsible for the Divisions of Planning, Data & Intermodal Development; Pre-construction; and Construction and Operations. Gerald began his career with GDOT as a Junior Engineer in the Office of Traffic Operations in 1982. He then went on to the Office of Urban Design and was promoted to Assistant State Urban Engineer in 1998 and Assistant to the Chief Engineer in 1999. Some of the major projects he has produced are: I-75/I-95/I-85 rural interstates (statewide), Kennedy Interchange in Cobb County, I-285 (top end 5th lane), Lithonia Industrial Boulevard and I-20 in DeKalb County, and South Fulton Parkway, and I-85 at SR316 in Gwinnett County. Gerald was selected for the position of State Road and Airport Design Engineer in 2002. In 2005, he was appointed Division Director of Planning, Data and Intermodal Development, which manages the statewide transportation planning process and the collection and sharing of transportation data. Gerald has served on the AASHTO Sub-Committee on Design and on the AASHTO Standing Committee on Planning.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Tennessee Tech University. Gerald is a registered Professional Engineer and completed the AASHTO sponsored National Transportation Leadership Program.

John SellJohn Sell is the Austell Area Manager for Georgia Power. In that role, he works with elected officials, community organizations, non-profit groups and government organizations as a representative for the company. He is responsible for customer service in southern Cobb, Douglas and Paulding counties and manages the operating headquarters in Austell. He joined Georgia Power as a company spokesperson in the corporate office and came to the electric utility company with 12 years of experience in newspapers and the public affairs field. He was the media relations manager at Georgia Power from 2001-2008. In that role he was the lead spokesperson for the company on a variety of issues and provided media relations support to Southern Company’s Washington D.C. governmental affairs office. Before joining Georgia Power, John was the editor/publisher of the Decatur-DeKalb News/Era, a weekly newspaper in DeKalb County. Prior to that, he served in the Republic of Panama as an active duty Army soldier and a civilian public affairs specialist.

John currently serves on the Board of Directors for MUST Ministries in Cobb County and the Empty Stocking Fund. Additionally, he serves on the Leadership Council for the American Cancer Society.

Casey SnyderCasey Snyder was assigned to the Gwinnett County Department of Financial Services as a Deputy Director in April of 2009. Prior to his current assignment he was an Assistant Fire Chief for the Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services. He began his career with Gwinnett County in 1989, as a firefighter/paramedic, and progressed through the ranks – holding positions from response to management. Casey’s additional professional experience includes assisting with the implementation of a performance measurement system and business planning for Gwinnett County.

Casey received a MBA from the University of Tennessee and a Bachelor’s degree in Management from Shorter College.

Michael StarlingMichael Starling is a Business Development Manager in the DeKalb County Office of Economic Development where he manages the Life Science Initiative. The Life Science Initiative is a partnership between DeKalb County and the Private Hospital Authority of DeKalb County to grow the healthcare and life science industry through strategic investments in laboratory facilities, education and workforce development programs and recruitment efforts. Michael is a member of Georgia Bio, the Georgia Economic Developers Association, Technology Association of Georgia and Leadership DeKalb. He is a founding member of the Innovation Crescent Regional Partnership, a coalition of more than a dozen counties focused on growing the life science industry in Georgia. Prior to joining DeKalb County, Michael worked for the Atlanta Regional Commission as a Senior Program Manager in the Government Services Division.

Michael earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of South Florida and has finished course work in the Master’s Program for Public Policy at Georgia State University.

Bruce StiftelBruce Stiftel, FAICP, is Professor of City and Regional Planning and Director of the City and Regional Planning Program at the Georgia Institute of Technology. His research concerns collaborative governance of environmental policy, methods for improving government agency bargaining and planning school advancement. He regularly teaches courses in planning theory, environmental analysis and planning dispute resolution. Bruce is former president of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, co-editor of the Journal of Planning Education and Research and founding chairperson of the Global Planning Education Association Network. He is now is editor of Planning Theory and is Chair of the Association of Collegiate School of Planning’s Committee on the Academy and the Profession.

Bruce is a graduate of the State University of New York at Stony Brook and of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Che WatkinsChe Watkins is Vice President of External Affairs at the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. Her responsibilities include building relationships with local government officials, metro area Chambers, regional and community non-profits, the faith community and corporate community affairs leaders. Che managed the Greater Grady Task Force, charged with developing recommendations to save Grady Hospital. She previously served as Relationship Manager in Wachovia’s Business Banking Group with a clientele focus on companies with $5 to $50 million in revenue. Prior to joining Wachovia, Che worked for Bank of America where she provided credit underwriting and relationship management for large local companies. She is heavily involved in the community, is a member of the Class of 2009 of Leadership Atlanta and was a participant in the 2009 LINK trip.

Che received a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Spelman College and a MBA in Finance and Accounting from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Gail WebbGail Webb is the University of Georgia Archway Professional for Clayton County. In this position, she helps promote community economic development; assists with the county’s unique, expressed needs; and provides leadership by partnering with other higher education institutions, state agencies and local communities. Previously, Gail was the Director of the Governor’s Mentor Protégé Program under the Governor’s Entrepreneur and Small Business Office, a unit of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). In this position, she managed the day-to-day activities of an organization that provided educational opportunities and resources to small, minority, and women business owners. Prior to joining GDEcD, she served as the Business Outreach Administrator for the Governor’s Small Business Center with the Department of Administrative Services. She was then promoted to Regional Outreach Manager with the Georgia Department of Economic Development. She has worked as a business development specialist for the Fulton County Business Incubator, a local technology-focused incubator, and was the President and CEO of Superior Sales and Service Company. Gail has held numerous management positions in banking, manufacturing and railroads.

She is a graduate of Southern Illinois University, where she majored in Communications and Journalism.