Posts

UGA alumni, faculty and friends receive 2024 Alumni Awards

/by

The University of Georgia recognized this year’s Alumni Awards honorees during a luncheon April 5 in Athens. The annual Alumni Awards were first presented in 1936 to celebrate those individuals and organizations that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to UGA. The 2024 honorees are:

“This year’s recipients have shown time and time again that their devotion to the University of Georgia is truly in a class of its own,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “Their commitment and generosity continue to make our university stronger and more equipped to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.”

2024 Alumni Merit Awards

The Alumni Merit Award is the oldest and highest honor for a UGA graduate. The award is presented to individuals who bring recognition and honor to the university through outstanding leadership and service to UGA, the community and their profession.

Susan Waltman graduated from UGA in 1973 and 1975 and is now special counsel for the Greater New York Hospital Association. Over the years, Waltman has shared her time and expertise with her alma mater by serving on the UGA Foundation Board of Trustees, UGA Foundation Emeritus Trustees Leadership Committee, UGA Research Foundation Board of Directors and the advisory boards of UGA’s Honors Program — now the Jere W. Morehead Honors College — and the College of Public Health. Since 2006, Waltman has hosted the Honors in New York Internship Program and, in many cases, stays in touch with those interns, writing recommendations for graduate school, scholarships and other professional opportunities. She extends her UGA support to include financial giving, having established scholarship funds in the College of Public Health, the Law School and as part of the Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program. She created the Public Health Outreach Support Fund and the Honors in New York Internship Fund at the Honors College and regularly supports the Let All the Big Dawgs Eat Scholarship Fund and the Fund to Advance Diversity and Inclusion. For decades, she has nurtured a growing culture of UGA philanthropy among alumni in the New York region by hosting lunches and gatherings, including regular holiday dinners, and by attending UGA alumni activities.

Craig Barrow III is a 1965 UGA graduate whose direct family ties to the university date back generations, starting with his late grandfather who graduated in 1896. The Wormsloe Historic Site in Savannah, Georgia, has been in Barrow’s family since 1737, and 750 acres of that land were eventually donated to the state of Georgia in an effort to conserve and democratize access to the land. In 2013, Barrow arranged for the Wormsloe Foundation to donate 15 acres of the estate to UGA to become the Center for Research and Education at Wormsloe. Wormsloe’s unique landscape and the Barrows’ meticulous documentation of human activity onsite now offer UGA students and faculty opportunities for research, education and community outreach. In 2016, Barrow began raising funds for the Experiential Learning Center at Wormsloe, which was dedicated in 2023. Barrow is a founding member of the UGA Libraries’ Board of Visitors, a founder and former chair of the UGA Press Advisory Council and a UGA Foundation emeritus trustee. He led the fundraising effort to build the new Richard B. Russell Jr. Special Collections Libraries Building at UGA. In 2010, the Barrow family was recognized as the Family of the Year by the UGA Alumni Association. Barrow is managing director at Stifel Financial in Savannah.

2024 Family of the Year Award

The Family of the Year Award is presented to a family that demonstrates a history of loyalty to UGA. These individuals bring recognition and honor to UGA through outstanding leadership and service to the university and the community at large.

Shell and Wyck Knox’s family connections to UGA date back to the 1920s. By the 1930s, no fewer than five individuals from the Knox and Hardman families had graduated from the university, followed by nine more in the 1960s, including Shell and Wyck, who would unite the families in 1967. After graduating from UGA in 1962 and 1964, Wyck began an exceptional law career while Shell, who graduated in 1966, devoted her time to education, the arts, historic preservation and conservation. In the 1980s, she became one of the first women to serve on the UGA Foundation Board of Trustees, a distinction she would one-up when she became the first woman chair of the board. In recognition of her service, Shell received the UGA Alumni Merit Award in 2000. Over the years, Shell and Wyck have served on a litany of boards and committees, including the Law School Board of Visitors, the Metropolitan Atlanta Olympic Games Authority, the UGA Athletics Board of Directors, the Georgia Museum of Art Board of Advisors, the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame Board of Judges and the Georgia Historical Society Board of Curators. Notably, Wyck served as a founding director and chair of the Georgia Lottery Corporation Board of Directors, helping to launch the lottery and the HOPE Scholarship it funded, which has provided scholarship support to millions of Georgia students. Their children, Wyck Knox III, Shell Knox Berry, Hardman Knox and Davis Knox, share their parents’ dedication to service. Hardman is a past chair of the Terry College of Business Alumni Board and will become a UGA Foundation advisory trustee on July 1. Davis served on the Terry College Young Alumni Board and the UGA Innovation District External Advisory Board. The Knox family has made gifts to many UGA schools, colleges, causes and initiatives, including the Morehead Honors College, School of Law and Terry College of Business. Their Knox Scholarship Fund alone has supported over 280 students since it was established in 1976.

2024 Faculty Service Award

The Faculty Service Award is presented to current or former faculty or staff who have demonstrated loyalty and service to the university through outstanding leadership in higher education.

After 40 years of service, Victor K. Wilson retired from UGA in 2023. The 1982 and 1987 UGA graduate’s first job was with his alma mater as director of orientation and assistant director of admissions. His career path eventually took him to leadership positions at Agnes Scott College, Northern Arizona University, and the College of Charleston before returning him to UGA in 2013. Starting then, he served as assistant to the president, associate vice president for student affairs and, most recently, vice president for student affairs. In that final role, Wilson served as the chief student affairs officer, overseeing 16 departments and nearly 600 staff members focused on enriching student learning and supporting student development. Wilson has held leadership roles in several national student affairs organizations and serves on the boards of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, St. Mary’s Health Care System, Athens Academy and the Red Cross of Northeast Georgia. Wilson supplemented his professional service with generous gifts to UGA, supporting the Arch Society, Blue Key, the Dean of Students Support Fund, Multicultural Services and Programs, UGA Miracle Dance Marathon and a variety of scholarship funds. Wilson also established a scholarship, named for his mother, for members of UGA’s Black Male Leadership Society.

2024 Friend of UGA Award

The Friend of UGA Award is presented to a non-alumnus or organization for their devotion to the greater good of the university.

Callaway Foundation Inc. is a place-based foundation that supports quality of life in Troup County, Georgia. The foundation’s initial wealth was generated in the early 1900s, as entrepreneur Fuller Callaway Sr. created banks, insurance companies, real estate companies and textile mills. He was known for developing vibrant mill village communities and for his philanthropic support for schools, churches, hospitals and other charitable organizations in Troup County. Callaway Sr.’s legacy was carried on by his two sons. Cason, the older son, helped to found Callaway Gardens while Fuller Jr., established what later became Callaway Foundation Inc. Fuller Jr. and his wife, Alice Hand Callaway, helped to steward Callaway Foundation Inc. and the Fuller E. Callaway Foundation for more than 50 years. Callaway Foundation, Inc., the larger of the two foundations, has contributed over $440 million during its 81-year history to religious, educational and charitable organizations. These organizations are mainly located in Troup County, but a few exceptions include institutions that serve Troup County residents, such as UGA. The foundation’s philanthropic engagement with the university began in 1978, and its impact can be seen across campus. Callaway Foundation Inc. helped UGA build the Performing and Visual Arts Complex on East Campus; it aided the enhancement of the Health Sciences Campus; it supported endowed, need-based Georgia Commitment Scholarships; it helped the School of Law extend its law clinic services to rural and underserved parts of Georgia and much more. The area of UGA that has benefited the most from its support is the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, where the Alice Hand Callaway Visitors Center and Conservatory, the Callaway Administration Building, and the entrance and elevator to the Garden Plaza are all named in honor of the enduring relationship between the garden and the foundation.

2024 Young Alumni Award

The Young Alumni Award is presented to individuals who bring recognition and honor to UGA through outstanding leadership and service to the university, the community and their profession. The recipient must have attended UGA within the past 10 years.

David B. Dove, a 2009 and 2014 UGA graduate, is a partner at Troutman Pepper law firm in Atlanta. He began his career in Georgia state government soon after graduation and became the chief of staff and legal counsel for then-Secretary of State Brian P. Kemp. He went on to serve the now-governor as executive counsel and was Kemp’s lead attorney in landmark victories in the Tri-State Water Wars in 2020 and 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 presidential election and over 800 days under a state emergency. He is the only person to serve as executive counsel at the beginning of both the first and second terms of a Georgia governor. Today, Dove shares his expertise with UGA students as a UGA School of Law adjunct professor and through mentoring relationships. He also chairs the UGA School of Public and International Affairs Alumni Board and serves on the Law School Alumni Council, the Uniform Law Commission’s Georgia Delegation and the Atlanta Chapter of the Federalist Society Executive Board. In 2019, Dove was named a UGA 40 Under 40 honoree, and in 2023, he received the UGA Law School Young Alumni/Alumnae of Excellence Award.

“This year’s honorees are, as always, inspiring and reflect a level of commitment to the University of Georgia that is unmatched in most other individuals and organizations,” said Lee Zell, president of the UGA Alumni Association. “We thank them for their loyalty, their commitment and their passion, and are so proud to recognize them in this way.”

More about these distinguished members of the UGA community, including video spotlights, is available at alumni.uga.edu/alumniawards.

UGA names new alumni president, board members

/by

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.

Family connection to UGA inspires commitment to giving and service

/by

Charlene Johnson Benn (BS ’85) had a connection to the University of Georgia before she could even walk. She was named after Charlayne Hunter-Gault (ABJ ’63), who was an award-winning journalist, foreign correspondent, civil rights activist and one of the two first Black students to attend UGA. Benn has big shoes to fill, and she takes honoring her namesake’s legacy very seriously.

Charlene’s family bleeds red and black–she, two of her siblings, her goddaughter and her children attended UGA. Their family’s journey at UGA began when her older sister, Dianne East (BBA ’83, MACC ’86), made the decision to enroll.

Dianne and Charlene babysat as teenagers for a neighborhood family who was deeply connected to UGA, and the family encouraged them to apply. Although neither of the sisters’ parents had graduated from high school, they had encouraged their children to prioritize their education. Dianne enrolled first, next was their brother, Albert Johnson Jr. (AB ’82), then Charlene.

“It was a no-brainer by then,” Charlene said of her decision to attend UGA. It was the only college she applied to.

Charlene and Charlayne Hunter-Gault pose for a photo

Charlene and Charlayne pose for a photo in the UGA Chapel.

The start of a family legacy

The three supported one another during their time at UGA, all sharing one car on campus and meeting up frequently for football games and other activities. When the Georgia Bulldogs won the college football national championship in 1980, Charlene and Dianne were cheering on their brother as he played in the Redcoat Band. After Dianne joined Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Zeta Psi Chapter, Charlene joined the sorority as well, an experience she said helped bring her out of her shell and make the most of her college experience.

As a student, Charlene devoted herself to uplifting UGA’s Black community. She served as president of Delta Sigma Theta as well as being involved in Pamoja Singers and the Committee for Black Cultural Programs.

Charlene has continued her service to the university as an alumnus through her giving efforts and membership on the UGA Alumni Association Board of Directors. She has had the opportunity to meet her namesake, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, a few times, an experience which deepened her emotional connection to UGA even further.

She served on the Black Alumni Leadership Council, focusing on ensuring that all alumni feel a sense of ownership and passion for continuing the legacy of Charlayne Hunter-Gault and Hamilton Holmes through their giving and their support of diversity and inclusion.

Continuing the legacy

When it was time for her children and goddaughter to apply to college, Charlene strongly urged them to attend UGA because of her own experience. Both of her daughters and her goddaughter chose to attend and remember being impressed by Charlene’s love and commitment for the university years after her graduation.

Charlene and her sister were overjoyed that her children had chosen UGA because it continued their family’s legacy and deepened their own connections to the university. She showed her daughters around campus during their orientation, pointing out places that were important to her along the way—places at which her daughters would go on to make their own memories.

Peyton Fraser (BS ’14, BSED ’14), Charlene’s youngest daughter, said that coming to UGA “felt like a sense of home.”

“Our family legacy made our experience unique,” she said.

Charlene's daughters pose in the stands at a UGA football game

Charlene’s daughters, Taylor and Peyton, pose in the stands at a UGA football game.

The impact of giving

Charlene’s family ties to the university have inspired her to give back. Both she and her sister received scholarships to attend UGA and are very grateful for the contributions that helped make their time at UGA possible. The two created a need-based scholarship in 2020 in support of minority students. The scholarship, called the Albert and Naomi Johnson Scholarship, is named in honor of their parents and empowers students who otherwise may not have been able to attend college.

“We wanted to make a path for anyone who really wants to get an education,” Charlene said. “Small scholarship funds made all the difference for us.”

Charlene credits UGA with her professional success. She got her first job after graduating from UGA at SunTrust (now Truist) after meeting her boss, a fellow Bulldog, at a UGA job fair. The job launched her lifelong career in information technology and financial services. She currently works as senior director of operations and technology strategy at Fiserv, a financial technology company.

“I will tell anyone that my attendance at the University of Georgia has made all the difference in my life,” she said.

GIVE TO UGA

UGA CARE Center receives major gift with touching dedication

/by

Elliott Marsh (BSA ’02, MAL ’11) is highly involved in his alma mater, serving on the board of directors of the University of Georgia Alumni Association and having been a president of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Alumni Association, but his most recent commitment to the university is among his most personal.

For nearly eight years, Elliott’s father, Chris Marsh, suffered from Lewy Body Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. His mother, Annette Marsh, was Chris’s primary caretaker until she unexpectedly passed away from cancer. Throughout her husband’s illness, Annette struggled to find a diagnosis, care assistance at home and general information on care for dementia.

“My mom stood behind my dad, probably to her detriment,” said Elliott. “She sheltered all of us from some of the symptoms and issues that went along with his dementia and did not want it to take away from our lives.”

Following his father’s passing, Elliott, his wife Christy (BBA ’02), and their daughters Adison—a UGA student—and Annalee wanted to find a way to honor Chris and Annette’s memory while helping other families with similar medical histories. This drew the two to the UGA Cognitive Aging Research and Education (CARE) Center.

The CARE Center, a unit within the Institute of Gerontology in the College of Public Health, is a clinical, research and outreach space that delivers education on dementia risk reduction, conducts cutting-edge research and provides planning and support for persons with dementia and their care partners. Their team works to change dementia education, diagnosis, and support — expanding services to rural and underserved communities across the state. The mission of the CARE Center hit the Marshes close to home.

At a UGA Alumni Association board meeting last January, Elliott found himself in the College of Public Health listening to Marsha Davis, dean of the college, discuss the CARE Center and the impact it planned on having.

“I remember sitting there and almost starting to cry,” said Elliott. “What she described was exactly what my family needed.”

This impactful meeting convinced the Marshes that the CARE Center had the ability to affect millions across the state and the country suffering from dementia just like Elliott’s father. In memory of his parents, Elliott and Christy made a $25,000 gift to create the Chris and Annette Marsh CARE Center Student Support Fund to further the CARE Center’s life-changing mission.

“CARE faculty, staff and students see dementia differently,” said Dr. Lisa Renzi-Hammond, co-director of the CARE Center. “We see a Georgia with less care crisis, more access to early and accurate diagnosis, and in the long run, less dementia.”

“The Marsh family sees the same Georgia that we do, and their gift enables us to take students to the communities that need us most, allow students to see the beauty of Georgia’s rural communities, and form meaningful relationships with people in our rural communities that will change how our students approach their careers in health.”

Those who share the Marshes’ and the CARE Center’s aim to improve dementia outcomes can donate to the Chris and Annette Marsh CARE Center Student Support Fund.

“My parents modeled many traits in their lives including compassion, sacrifice, and commitment,” said Elliott. “They taught us to dream, care and counsel. Most of all they demonstrated and lived an undying love for each other and us. They touched many people in their lives, and I hope this gift helps to carry on that legacy of generosity and provide comfort to others in need.”

Support the UGA CARE Center

Checking in with Alumni Board Member Chuck Kinnebrew

/by

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?Chuck Kennebrew headshot
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?Chuck Kennebrew as a student at UGA
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

/by

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.

Julia and Adam Johnson on Wedding Day

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

Adam and Julia Johnson Skiing

Adam and Julia Johnson

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

/by

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 A. StoneBrian 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

/by

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:

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.

The UGA class that I enjoyed the most was:

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:

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:

A fellow UGA grad who inspires me:

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

/by

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

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

/by

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.

Name:

  • Russ Pennington

I live in:

  • Atlanta, GA

Degree:

  • 2001 – Bachelor of Science in Biological Engineering (UGA)
  • 2006 – Master of Business Administration (UGA)

I joined the board in:

  • 2016

Ways I support UGA:

Russ with interim Uga mascot

Russ with the former mascot Uga IX, also known fondly as “Russ.”

My first job after graduation

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

The UGA class that I enjoyed most was

  • A Maymester course called “Geology, Hydrology and Soils of Georgia,” where we spent the term camping around the state and learning about Georgia’s natural resources.
Russ with family a UGA homecoming football game

Russ with his wife, Kelli, and two daughters, Caroline and Eleanor, at a UGA football game.

 A story that stands out as a UGA student was:

  • I remember my first time riding a UGA bus. I jumped on an Orbit bus and after a complete loop around campus, I realized I had no clue where I was going!

My family includes:

  • Wife, Kelli (BBA ’00)
  • Two daughters: Caroline and Eleanor
  • Two dogs: Gertie and Hattie

A special connection I have to UGA is …

  • In May 2014, I had the humbling experience of being the keynote speaker for the College of Engineering’s Convocation. I realized in that moment that my school could give me so much more than I can give it. It also was amazing to see the college grow from where it was when I graduated to where it is now.
Russ delivering convocation speech 2014

Russ delivering his convocation speech to engineering students in 2014.

A memory from my acceptance into UGA:

  • I remember vividly getting the envelope with the red stripe in the mail. I decided to go early and start classes in the summer semester. I never went back home!

As a student, I was involved in:

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

  • Participating in the downtown nightlife!
Russ with wife at football game

Russ and his wife, Kelli, as undergrads.

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

My favorite tradition at UGA

  • The Battle Hymn trumpet solo

When I visit Athens, I have to grab a bite at:

  • The Last Resort
Russ Pennington Alumni Weekend photo shoot

Russ participating in a photo shoot to promote Alumni Weekend.

When this song comes on the radio, I think of college:

  • “Babs O’Riley” by The Who

My most disliked athletic rival:

  • The Gators

My dream weekend in Athens includes:

  • When Notre Dame played UGA in 2019— the prime-time kickoff, the flyover, the new LED lights and the victory— it was as good as it gets!

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

  • You really need to understand how much you can get back from your alma mater.  It is easy to move away and forget about the students, but giving back is so rewarding. Everything has changed so much and the direct hand that our alumni have in that change is incredible. Be involved and you will be blown away as to how much you will learn and benefit from the experience.

 

Russ’s support across campus— including being a committed advocate for the College of Engineering— embodies the spirit of UGA. We appreciate his unwavering dedication to his alma matter.

Meet the Rest of the Board