Board of Directors Archives

UGA names new alumni president, board members

July 27, 2023/by Elizabeth Elmore

The University of Georgia Alumni Association Board of Directors has elected its 78th president, C. Lee Zell (AB ’96), and approved eight new board members. Their terms began July 1.

Zell has been on the board since 2015 and succeeds Yvette K. Daniels (AB ’86, JD ’89), whose two-year term concluded June 30. As a national account executive for WBD Sports, the sports marketing and broadcast arm of Warner Bros. Discovery, Zell is responsible for national television and digital advertising sales and sponsorships for a portfolio of sports properties in the Southeast. That portfolio includes the NBA, MLB, NHL, NCAA March Madness, U.S. Soccer, Bleacher Report and House of Highlights.

“Lee is a spirited and supportive alumna who has been involved with our board of directors for eight years,” said Meredith Gurley Johnson (BSFCS ’00, MED ’16), executive director of alumni relations. “She is passionate and committed, and I cannot wait to continue working with her and our new board members as we seek to engage alumni in supporting UGA’s faculty, staff and students throughout the year.”

Zell is a Brunswick, Georgia, native, but now resides in Atlanta. She earned a bachelor’s degree from UGA in speech communications in 1996 and began her career with Turner Broadcasting soon after. She serves on the Washington Media Scholars Foundation Advisory Board, is a member of Leadership Georgia (Class of 2023), and is the vice president of the Chi Omega/University of Georgia House Corporation.

Alumni who joined the board on July 1 include:

Don Grimsley (BBA ’96, MBA ’99), President, Grimsley Enterprises, Inc. / BHHS Commercial Real Estate; Gainesville, Georgia
Jessica McClellan (AB ’00, JD ’03), Trial Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice; Potomac, Maryland
Jason Morris (BSA ’97), Regional President, Colony Bank; Ocilla, Georgia
Rachel Perry (BBA ’93), Chief Innovation Officer – Commercial Risk Solutions North America, Aon Risk Services; Mableton, Georgia
Matt Sawhill (BBA ’01), Principal, Sawhill Strategic Partners; Rome, Georgia
Bowen Shoemaker (ABJ ’06), Assistant United States Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice Middle District of Georgia; Macon, Georgia
Daniel Stewart (BSFCS ’05), President and Owner, Wier/Stewart; Augusta, Georgia
Andres Villegas (BSA ’98), President/CEO, Georgia Forestry Association and Georgia Forestry Foundation; Macon, Georgia

The executive board members who will serve alongside Zell include:

Corey Dortch (BSA ’03, MED ’05, PHD ’11), Vice President – Associate Dean – Evening MBA Program, Emory University; Marietta, Georgia
Todd Phinney (BBA ’88), Secretary – Business Consultant-Field Operations, Chick-fil-A, Inc.; Bishop, Georgia
Anne Beckwith (BBA ’90), Chapters Committee Chair – Community Volunteer; Atlanta, Georgia
Yvette K. Daniels (AB ’86, JD ’89), Immediate Past President – Deputy Director – Division Workforce Management, Georgia Department of Public Health; Stone Mountain, Georgia
Paton Faletti (BBA ’99), Signature Programs Committee Chair – President and CEO, NCM Associates; Atlanta, Georgia
Dominique Holloman (BS ’01, AB ’01, MED ’04, JD ’04), Nominating Committee Chair – Government Affairs Professional, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority; Atlanta, Georgia
Elliott Marsh (BSA ’02, MAL ’11), Student & Young Alumni Committee Chair – Financial Advisor, Edward Jones; Statesboro, Georgia
Raegan Tuff (PHD ’09), Affinity Committee Chair – Public Health Analyst, CDC; Lilburn, Georgia

The UGA Alumni Association Board of Directors works closely with UGA’s alumni relations staff to promote, support, and advance the programs and services that are offered to more than 355,000 living alumni around the world.

Board members who concluded their terms on the board on June 30 included:

Robert Watts (AB ’10), Atlanta, Georgia
Brian Dill (AB ’94, MBA ’19), Carrollton, Georgia
Jon Howell (BBA ’99, MBA ’17), Jefferson, Georgia
Eric Cohen (BSA ’00), Whigham, Georgia
Truitt Eavenson (BSAE ’83), Savannah, Georgia
Steve Horton (ABJ ’71, MED ’85), Athens, Georgia
Shondeana Morris (ABJ ’82), Atlanta, Georgia

View the full list of UGA Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Checking in with Alumni Board Member Chuck Kinnebrew

October 18, 2022/by Lily Fleenor

There’s a group of committed UGA alumni who dedicate their time, energy, and financial resources to bringing Bulldogs together year-round, worldwide, and lifelong. The UGA Alumni Board of Directors represents UGA’s diverse and passionate alumni family and strives to provide feedback, guidance and leadership as the university seeks to ensure that its graduates Never Bark Alone. Throughout the year, we’ll get to know these spirited graduates who hail from various backgrounds and are involved in all corners of campus.

Where do you live?
Smyrna, Georgia

Where do you work?
I am retired now, but I was the vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion at Floor and Décor.

When did you graduate from UGA?
I graduated with my Bachelor of Science in Education in 1975.

When did you join the alumni board?
This year – 2022!

How do you support UGA?
I am a member of the Georgia Bulldog Club, the Letterman’s Club, McGill Society, the Five, and the President’s Club. I also serve on the Lamar Dodd School of Art board of advisors.

If you had $1 million, what fund would you support on campus?
I would establish a scholarship endowment for the Black Alumni affinity group to support African American students.

What was your first job after graduation?
I served as the graduate assistant for the freshman football team and a first line supervisor.

What makes you most proud to be a Georgia Bulldog?
I am most proud of carrying on the legacy of being part of The Five, the first Black football players at UGA, and I am proud of graduating with my BSED.

What’s one story that stands out from your time as a UGA student?
My time as a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity stands out because it helped me to develop my philosophy of being an inclusive servant leader.

What were you involved in outside of the classroom as a student?
As a student, I was on the football team, in Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, and was a member of the Black Student Union

What was your favorite place to study as a student?
My room in McWhorter Hall, which unfortunately no longer exists.

Share a graduation memory.
My first grade teacher came to see me graduate from UGA.

What has been the most significant change to the physical campus since you were a student?
The athletic facilities have expanded exponentially since I graduated in the 1970s.

What is your favorite UGA tradition?
Hanging out with my fraternity brothers at the diamond.

Who is your most disliked athletic rival?
Alabama and Georgia Tech for sure.

What is your No. 1 tip to a fellow Georgia grad who has lost touch with their alma mater?
Come home and find a way to give back.

For more information about Chuck’s involvement within UGA—both on and off the football field—go check out this extensive profile we ran about him in 2021.

Checking in with Alumni Board Member Adam C. Johnson

August 24, 2022/by Lily Fleenor

There’s a group of committed UGA alumni who dedicate their time, energy, and financial resources to bringing Bulldogs together year-round, worldwide, and lifelong. The UGA Alumni Board of Directors represents UGA’s diverse and passionate alumni family and strives to provide feedback, guidance and leadership as the university seeks to ensure that its graduates Never Bark Alone. Throughout the year, we’ll get to know these spirited graduates who hail from various backgrounds and are involved in all corners of campus.

Where do you live?
Sandy Springs, Georgia

Where do you work?
Meta; I am a privacy program manager.

When did you graduate from UGA?
I graduated with my MBA in 2016.

When did you join the alumni board?
2021

How do you support UGA?
I serve on the Alumni Board’s Student and Young Alumni Engagement Committee and serve as the board’s liaison to the Young Alumni Leadership Council (YALC), of which I was a member from 2017 to 2020. I also support the Student Veterans Resource Center, which is a part of UGA’s Student Affairs division. In 2017, I was recognized among the university’s 40 Under 40 honorees.

If you had $1 million, what fund would you support on campus?
I would support the Let the Big Dawgs Eat Food Scholarship.

What was your first job after graduation?
After graduating from the United States Military Academy West Point, I served in the U.S. Army as an infantry officer in the 82nd Airborne Division.

What was your favorite class at UGA?
This is a tough question. I’m split between Dr. Marisa Pagnattaro’s Business Law class and Dr. John Turner’s Competitive Strategy class. Both have shaped my view of business, law, and strategy and impact my work in data privacy.

What makes you most proud to be a Georgia Bulldog?
I believe in the work that our university is doing for students and on behalf of our state. I’ve been part of dozens of conversations with UGA staff and alumni to help solve issues that students are encountering and have witnessed the positive outcome of the decisions made. Seeing staff and faculty pour themselves into students and support alumni has made an immense impression on me. Our university cares about others. That matters.

My family includes …
My beautiful wife Julia Johnson.

Adam and his wife Julia on their wedding day. Photo: Be the Light Photography

What were you involved in outside of the classroom as a student?
As a graduate assistant in the Student Veterans Resource Center, I advised the SVRC director on daily and long-term operations and consulted with several organizations to create marketing strategies and solutions for employment opportunities and initiatives that benefitted student veterans at UGA. It was awesome to be a small part of UGA’s efforts to support veterans.

What was your favorite place to study as a student?
The law library … but I had to conceal my calculator so I didn’t give away my status as an MBA student.

Where could you be found on a Friday night in college?
At Magnolias playing pool with my MBA classmates and PhD students.

What has been the most significant change to the physical campus since you were a student?
Terry’s Business Learning Community footprint is incredible. The new buildings are immense assets to the university that are clearly impacting students in a positive way.

What is your favorite UGA tradition?
Ringing the Chapel Bell after victories.

When you visit Athens, where do you grab a bite?
Mama’s Boy. The Georgia Peach French Toast is my to-go-to breakfast there. (Editor note: Mama’s Boy, which now has two locations in the Athens area and one in the horizon in Watkinsville, is an alumni-owned business.)

Who is your most disliked athletic rival?
Navy—the U.S. Naval Academy is West Point’s rival. My second least favorite opponent is Alabama.

What is your favorite alumni-owned business or product?
Dark chocolate and comfortable polo shirts are splendid, so Condor Chocolates and Onward Reserve.

Adam’s support across campus—including his commitment to supporting the Young Alumni Leadership Council and the Student Veterans Resource Center— embodies the spirit of UGA. We appreciate his unwavering dedication to his alma mater.

UGA Alumni Association welcomes new board and council members for 2022-2023

July 12, 2022/by Elizabeth Elmore

The University of Georgia Alumni Association has added nine alumni to its board of directors and 27 alumni to the leadership councils for the Black Alumni, Latino Alumni, Women of UGA, and Young Alumni affinity groups.

“These alumni volunteers are passionate about helping their fellow graduates sustain lifelong relationships with UGA,” said Meredith Gurley Johnson (BSFCS ’00, MED ’16), executive director of alumni relations. “I am so excited to work with each of them and to see them represent the perspectives of our diverse alumni population across the country.”

Alumni joining the board of directors July 1 include:

Rodney L. Brooks (MS ’03)
Beginning Farmer Regional Coordinator, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Leesburg, Georgia

Danelle Faust (BBA ’95)
Consulting Managing Director, Accenture
Deerfield, Illinois

Eddie Garrett (BSA ’06, MBA ’08)
Executive Vice President of Strategy, Current Global
Chicago, Illinois

Selby Hill (ABJ ’14)
Founding Partner / Director of Operations, Yonder Yoga
Atlanta, Georgia

Chuck Kinnebrew (BSED ’75)
Retired / Former VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Floor and Decor
Smyrna, Georgia

Christy Plott (BBA ’02)
Partner, American Tanning and Leather LLC
Griffin, Georgia

Ameet Shetty (BBA ’96)
Chief Data Officer, Pilot Flying J
Knoxville, Tennessee

Brian Stone (BSFR ’99, MFR ’01)
Director of Business Development, Forest Resource Consultants, Inc.
Macon, Georgia

Scott Williams (AB ’86)
Director of Multimedia Sales, SEC Network
Ellenwood, Georgia

The following alumni have joined the affinity group leadership councils to help build a community among specific alumni populations, including young alumni, women, Black alumni, and Latino alumni.

Black Alumni Leadership Council

Richard Bedgood (AB ’91)
Senior Instructor, CarMax
Mableton, Georgia

Cherise Brown (MBA ’18)
Senior Manager of Services Sourcing, Salesforce
Lithonia, Georgia

Rodd Cargill (BBA ’10)
Neuroscience Senior Sales Specialist, Johnson and Johnson
Johns Creek, Georgia

Willie R. Mazyck Jr. (BEEd ’04, MEd ’06, MBA ’14)
Global Head of Talent Development, Danaher Corporation
Powder Springs, Georgia

Tinisha Parker (BEEd ’00, EdS ’07)
Executive Director of Student Services, Gwinnett Public Schools
Lawrenceville, Georgia

Candace M. Stanciel (AB ’02, MPA ’11)
Principal and Founder, The Common Good Agency
Atlanta, Georgia

Donjanea Fletcher Williams (ABJ ’00)
Evaluation Coordinator, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Newnan, Georgia

Tangela M. Williams (BBA ’89)
First Vice President of Capital Adequacy Management, Truist Bank
Atlanta, Georgia

Current council member Jacinta Smith began her one-year term as president of the Black Alumni Leadership Council on July 1.

Latino Alumni Leadership Council

Wilheem Perez (BBA ’21)
Vice President, Compliance Business Control Manager, Citibank
Kennesaw, Georgia

Christopher Perlera (AB ’07)
Founder and Principal, Critical Point Consulting LLC
Chamblee, Georgia

Jasmin Severino (AB ’13, AB’13)
Associate, Chamberlain Hrdlicka
Atlanta, Georgia

Leopoldo Vargas (AB ’19)
Regional Outreach Coordinator for Northeast Georgia, Office of U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff
Fayetteville, Georgia

The Latino Alumni Council will continue to operate under the leadership of President Juan Mencias, who was recognized with the UGA Young Alumni Award in April.

Women of UGA Leadership Council

Odufa Aburime (BBA ’02)
IT Clinical Business Analyst, Georgia Dept. of Behavioral Health and Development Disabilities
Decatur, Georgia

Shontel Cargill (BS ’10)
Regional Clinical Director, Thriveworks
Johns Creek, Georgia

Tunisia Finch Cornelius (BA ’04)
Owner and M.D., Divine Dermatology and Aesthetics
Atlanta, Georgia

Nicole R. Ingram (AB ’02)
Director of Programs and Special Initiatives, Emory University
Ellenwood, Georgia

Victoria Inman (ABJ ’08)
Director of Client Success, Jabian Consulting
Marietta, Georgia

Anna Wrigley Miller (AB ’14)
Public Service Faculty, Carl Vinson Institute of Government—University of Georgia
Watkinsville, Georgia

Karson A. Pennington (AB ’20, AB ’20, MA ’20)
Doctoral Candidate, University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

Mandy Rodgers (AB ’08, ABJ ’08)
Founder and CEO, Mandy Kay Marketing
Atlanta, Georgia

Current council member Brandie Park began her one-year term as president of the Women of UGA Leadership Council on July 1.

Young Alumni Leadership Council

Jay Butler (AB ’10)
Flight Attendant, Frontier Airlines
Johns Creek, Georgia

Melissa Crane (BBA ’18, MA ’19)
Associate Brand Manager, Newell Brands
Atlanta, Georgia

Jessica Davis (AB ’21, AB ’21)
Juris Doctor Candidate and Clinical Legal Fellow, University of Georgia School of Law
Athens, Georgia

Nash Davis (BBA ’19)
Sales Executive, AssuredPartners
Statesboro, Georgia

Bailey Dryden (AB ’20)
Juris Doctor Candidate, Georgia State University College of Law
Smyrna, Georgia

Ammishaddai Grand-Jean (AB ’19, AB ’19, MPA ’20)
General Manager, RAS Medical Solution
Jonesboro, Georgia

Cameron Keen (AB ’18, AB ’18, JD ’21)
Law Clerk to Justice Charles J. Bethel, Supreme Court of Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia

Christie Moore (AB ’10, AB ’10)
President and CEO, Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce
Valdosta, Georgia

Current council member Maranie Brown began her one-year term as president of the Young Alumni Leadership Council on July 1.

To view the full list of UGA Alumni Association board members, visit alumni.uga.edu/board-of-directors. To view the member roster for each affinity group leadership council, visit alumni.uga.edu/networks.

Checking in with Alumni Board Member Kevin Abernethy

February 1, 2022/by Elizabeth Elmore

There’s a group of committed UGA alumni who dedicate their time, energy, and financial resources to bringing Bulldogs together year-round, worldwide, and lifelong. The UGA Alumni Board of Directors represents UGA’s diverse and passionate alumni family and strives to provide feedback, guidance and leadership as the university seeks to ensure that its graduates Never Bark Alone. Throughout the year, we’ll get to know these spirited graduates who hail from various backgrounds and are involved in all corners of campus.

Name:

Kevin Abernethy

I live in:

Macon, Georgia

Degree:

1999 – Political Science (UGA)

My current job:

Chief of the Civil Division in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia

Kevin was named a 2013 Fulton County Daily Report 40 Under 40 Legal Star on the Rise.

I joined the alumni board in:

2020

Ways I support UGA:

I serve on the UGA Alumni Board of Directors, the UGA School of Public and International Affairs Alumni Board of Directors, and the UGA Vice President of Student Affairs Advisor Board.
I fund a Student Government Association Scholarship
I mentor students through the UGA Mentor Program

My first job after graduation:

Legislative assistant in the Georgia General Assembly

In 2019, Kevin was sworn in as an assistant U.S. attorney alongside his mother and former U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler.

If I had $1 million, I would support the _____ fund on campus.

Student Affairs

The UGA class that I enjoyed the most was:

American Political Thought, taught by Professor Gene F. Miller

A story that stands out as a UGA student:

In 1997, then UGA President Michael Adams and then Assistant to the President Victor Wilson (BSW ’82, MED ’87) asked me to speak during President Adams’ inauguration as the student representative. Georgia Gov. Zell Miller (AB ’57, MA ’58) and University System of Georgia Chancellor Stephen Portch were platform speakers with me.
Over a thousand people from all over the country attended. President Adams and Victor ensured my parents could be present. Speaking at that event remains one of the highest honors of my life. I will always be grateful to UGA, President Adams and Victor for giving me the privilege.

As a student, Kevin was invited to speak at the 1998 inauguration ceremony for UGA President Michael F. Adams. He’s seen here on the day with the late Georgia Governor and U.S. Senator Zell Miller (AB ’57, MA ’58) (left) and Victor K. Wilson (BSW ’82, MED ’87), who is now UGA’s vice president for student affairs.

My family includes:

Mother, Marcia Abernethy
Brother, Patrick Abernethy (BBA ’01)
Sister-in-law, Erin Abernethy (AB ’03)
Nephews William, Henry and Locke Abernethy
Sister, Anne Abernethy (DVM ’12)

Kevin and his brother Patrick (BBA ’01), sister-in-law Erin (AB ’03), mother Marcia, and nephews.

A special connection I have to UGA is:

My great uncle, John T. Jones (BS ’39), played football at UGA for Wally Butts. He missed being on the 1942 National Championship team by one year.

As a student, I was involved in:

Student Government Association: two terms in Senate and one term as student body president
Academic Dishonesty Board: two years
Holmes-Hunter Lecture Series, coordinated through Victor Wilson (BSW ’82, MED ’87)

The Red & Black ran an article in 1997 following the Student Government Association election in which Kevin was elected president and his friend Ryan Oliver was elected as vice president.

On a Friday night in college, you would have found me:

At the Last Resort Grill!

A fellow UGA grad who inspires me:

Dr. Hamilton E. Holmes (BS ’63)

Do you remember someone as a student who has since “made it big?”

Yes—Kirby Smart!

The most significant change to the physical campus since I was a student:

The Miller Learning Center

My favorite tradition at UGA:

Spending time on North Campus
Visiting Jackson Street Cemetery
Getting together with friends and spending time downtown

Kevin and his nephews, Wills and Henry Abernethy.

Favorite band:

REM

On gameday, you’ll find me:

Tailgating adjacent to the Tate Student Center

Kevin enjoys a game in Sanford Stadium with his nephew.

When I visit Athens, I grab a bite at:

The Last Resort Grill

My most disliked athletic rival:

Florida

My No. 1 tip to a graduating Bulldog:

Work hard and don’t be deterred by adversity.

No. 1 tip to a fellow Georgia grad who has lost touch with our alma mater:

Consider getting involved with your local UGA Alumni Chapter.

Kevin’s support across campus—including his commitment to supporting the Division of Student Affairs— embodies the spirit of UGA. We appreciate his unwavering dedication to his alma mater.

Checking in with Alumni Board Member Truitt Eavenson

September 20, 2021/by Shannon Moran

The following Q&A originally ran in the UGA College of Engineering e-newsletter. Thanks to the college for allowing us to share Truitt’s spotlight!

Truitt Eavenson (BSAE ’83) recently retired after a long and successful career with Georgia Power Company. He also recently established the Truitt Eavenson Engineering Scholarship, is a UGA Alumni Association board member, and is a member of the Engineering Advisory Board.

What led you to UGA as an undergrad?

“Growing up 30 miles outside of Athens, I knew that UGA would be where I would go to school. Saturday afternoons listening to Larry Munson on the radio was always a fall tradition. I remember sitting down with the course catalog and reading through the programs, and that’s when I found Agricultural Engineering. I made an appointment with Dr. Robert Brown, and after that visit I knew what my major would be.”

Truitt Eavenson with Uga on the sidelines of a football game.

What are your favorite memories of your time at UGA?

“I transferred to UGA in the fall of 1980. Any Dawg fan will say that there was probably not a more exciting time to be in Athens. The football team was headed to the national championship, work was being done to close in the stadium, and Ag Engineering was selling pieces of the track to fans that had sat there and watched a game. The Ag Engineering program was small enough that we really got to know our fellow students and the professors. And I have to put in a plug for Dr. Sid Thompson. He started what would be a long, memorable career and touched many of our lives as students.”

What inspired you to give back to the College of Engineering?

“This may sound like a simple reason, but I was at work one day talking with a colleague that had also graduated from UGA. We were talking about making contributions to the school where you graduated. They made the statement that they really didn’t understand why people wouldn’t support the school where they received their degree, since the school helped you get a job, reach your career goals, and simply gave us the means to provide for our families. That statement really resonated with me, and I started making small contributions to the engineering program.”

What led to your decision to support scholarships in the College of Engineering?

“I think it just grew from making small gifts. I’ve enjoyed a successful career with Georgia Power, and I wanted to do this as a way to pay it back. An early president of Georgia Power used a line in a speech around 1928. He said that we would be a “citizen wherever we serve.” That was a big part of my career with volunteer activities and the jobs that I was asked to do in communities around that state. My fellow employees at Georgia Power have always set the bar really high when it comes to giving back. When you spend 36 years of your career where that is encouraged and supported, it just becomes second nature, and you find yourself looking for opportunities where you can serve.”

What are your hopes for the future recipients of your scholarships?

“My hope is that 40 years from now they will be asked these questions and will be able to say that the study they completed at UGA allowed them to accomplish all their life goals, and that it helped them provide for their families and make a significant contribution in whatever they attempted to do.”

What has been the most rewarding part of supporting a scholarship in Engineering?

“Just knowing that you are doing a small part in helping the next generation prepare for the future. There’s a proverb that says “society grows when men plant trees they will never sit under.” I feel certain these trees will grow and prosper in ways we haven’t even imagined yet!”

Meet the Rest of the Board

Checking in with Alumni Board Member Russ Pennington

July 29, 2021/by Shannon Moran

There’s a group of committed UGA alumni who dedicate their time, energy, and financial resources to bringing Bulldogs together year-round, worldwide, and lifelong. The UGA Alumni Board of Directors represents UGA’s diverse and passionate alumni family and strives to provide feedback, guidance and leadership as the university seeks to ensure that its graduates Never Bark Alone. Throughout the year, we’ll get to know these spirited graduates who hail from various backgrounds and are involved in all corners of campus.

Their goal: to empower the next breed of Bulldogs to continue that tradition of excellence.