Black Alumni Archives

Health founder, CEO receives 2025 Footsteps Award at annual celebration

June 17, 2025/by Rachael Andrews

By: Rachael Andrews and Gabby Adekogbe

Dr. Michael V. Smith (BSA ’79) was selected as the 2025 Footsteps Award recipient, in honor of his impact on the community. The award is named to recognize the three students who helped to integrate the university in the 1960s: Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Hamilton Holmes and Mary Frances Early, and honors alumni who follow in the footsteps of these trailblazers. Smith was chosen by a committee of University of Georgia faculty, staff and students.

Smith is the CEO and founder of Marti Health, an innovative health care platform dedicated to improving the quality and consistency of health care for at-risk populations, including those with sickle cell disease and their caregivers. Previously, as chief of cardiothoracic surgery at the former Atlanta Medical Center, Smith launched the first early-detection lung cancer program in Georgia.

Smith — in addition to being a member of the UGA Board of Visitors — has also committed to improving the student experience through supporting scholarships. Smith himself was the recipient of a scholarship during his time as a Bulldog, which eventually led him to give back to UGA. He has established several need-based scholarships to support at-risk students to continue their academic journey at the university.

“I know there are students who leave every year not because they’re not academically competitive, but because they are just not financially able to support themselves,” Smith said in a recent UGA Alumni spotlight. “The idea is that there will be, in perpetuity, academically capable kids who won’t be hampered by financial obstacles because those who benefitted before them paid it forward.”

Michael Smith, Footsteps Award recipient, is pictured at the event.

In addition to honoring Dr. Smith, the event also celebrated reaching $1 million in the Black Alumni Scholarship Fund endowment.

“The University of Georgia is lucky to call someone like Dr. Smith an alum of our institution,” said Jill Walton, vice president for development and alumni relations. “His work bridging gaps not only in health care, but also in student support at the university has been so inspiring to witness. His compassion, care and commitment to his patients, community and our students is something we hope for all of our alumni to embody.”

Last year, retired Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Benham was honored with the Footsteps Award, following Richard Dunn and Xernona Thomas in 2023 and Eugenia Harvey in 2022.

Smith was honored during the annual 1961 Club Celebration on June 13 in Athens, which held particular significance this year as the Black Alumni Scholarship Fund — supported by members of the 1961 Club — surpassed $1 million. The fund was launched in 1981 with a gift from James Simmons, Jr. and Horatio Lanier (ABJ ’77) and has grown thanks to generous support from a dedicated group of alumni, faculty and thousands of donors.

Members of the 1961 Club contribute gifts of $19.61, $196.10, or $1,961, making giving accessible to all UGA alumni, friends and students. 

To date, the BASF has supported numerous students who exhibit promising leadership qualities. Among them is Jordan Howard ’26, a computer systems engineering major. 

“When I first received the scholarship, it meant a lot to me because it brought me closer to my goal of graduating debt-free,” said Howard. “It also had a big impact on my experience at UGA, allowing me to pursue opportunities I might have had to pass up if I had been working to cover expenses.” 

Ericka Bayonne (AB ’93), who played a pivotal role in the creation of the 1961 Club, envisioned a giving program that honored UGA’s trailblazers and made a lasting impact. 

“Legacy, pride, and the future. We stand on the shoulders of those who came in 1961 — Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Hamilton Holmes and Mary Frances Early,” said Bayonne. “We want alumni to walk away with a deep sense of pride in that legacy, understanding that the work is far from over. It’s about passing the baton to the students who will follow in our footsteps.” 

Alumna mentor guides students to shared success

February 6, 2025/by Rachael Andrews

UGA Alumni affinity groups add new slate of leaders

July 24, 2024/by Isabella Farris

University of Georgia Alumni added 29 new members to its affinity group leadership councils.

These alumni affinity groups — UGA Black Alumni, Latino Alumni, Women of UGA, and Young Alumni — work to build welcoming communities and help some of the university’s most dynamic alumni populations connect deeply to their alma mater. Affinity leadership council members are key to these efforts.

“We are excited about welcoming these committed alumni and seeing how each of their talents will contribute to engaging other Bulldogs across the nation,” said Adam Roell (BSED ’10), executive director of alumni relations. “We look forward to supporting our new members as they aim to strengthen the connectivity and reach of our leadership councils and groups.”

Black Alumni Leadership Council

Meila Barnes (BS ’16)
Cassaundra Govan (BBA ’01, PHD ’12)
Roderick Langston (EDD ’12)
Geoffrey Loften (BA ’15)
Alia Martinez (BBA ’10, MBA ’17)
Kydae Scott (BS ’23)
Janella Thomas-Burse (BS ’86)
Clarisa Thompson (MED ’10)

Returning council member Rodd Cargill (BBA ’10) began a one-year term as council president on July 1.

Latino Alumni Council

Isaac Aguilar (BS ’23)
Sergio Álvarez-Mena (JD ’81)
Oscar Campos (BSME ’20)
Benedito Pinto (MBA ’22)
Carlos M. Vazquez III (BSED ’09)

Returning council member Debbie Velazquez (BBA ’13) began a one-year term as council president on July 1.

Women of UGA Leadership Council

Stacey A. Chavis (MSL ’19)
Lindsay Demboski (BSFCS ’06)
Jooliana Krummel (BA ’14)
Kelley A. O’Keeffe (BA ’07, MBA ’14)
Heena Patel (BS ’96)
Donjanea Fletcher Williams (ABJ ’00)

Returning council member Crystal Ivey (MBA ’14) began a one-year term as council president on July 1.

Young Alumni Leadership Council

Temitayo Akinsanya (BBA ’22)
Erin Caplan (ABJ ’19)
Austin Gibbons (AB ’20, AB ’20, MBA ’25)
Mitchell Hutton (BBA ’19)
Noor-E-Alam Marshall (BBA ’18, BBA ’18)
Anne-Marie Nneka Nwokoro (AB ’20)
Danny Wayne Reagan III (BBA ’22)
Chandler Sherry (BFA ’22)
Alexis Vickers (BSFCS ’20)
Farbod Zahiri (BSEE ’17)

Returning council member Collier Collier (BSED ’10, AB ’10) began a one-year term as council president on July 1.

Former Chief Justice follows in the ‘Footsteps’ of UGA trailblazers

June 11, 2024/by Rachael Andrews

Retired Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Benham will receive the 2024 Footsteps Award and be recognized at the annual 1961 Club celebration.

Each year, alumni who demonstrate a significant positive impact in their community are honored with the award, named to recognize three UGA trailblazers that helped to integrate the university: Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Hamilton Holmes and Mary Frances Early. Winners are chosen by a committee of University of Georgia faculty, staff and students.

“Justice Benham’s career is inspirational for students, fellow alumni and communities all over Georgia,” said Lee Zell, president of the UGA Alumni Association. “He has given so much to his community, his state and his university. It’s an honor to be able to recognize his service in this way.”

Justice Benham, a 1970 graduate of UGA’s School of Law, is no stranger to breaking barriers. He was the first African American member of the Supreme Court of Georgia, and he was the longest-serving justice when he retired in 2020 after more than 30 years. Among his many other achievements, Justice Benham was also the first African American to establish a law practice in Cartersville; the first Black president of the Bartow County Bar Association; and the first African American to win a statewide election since Reconstruction.

In addition to his illustrious public service career, Benham also continues to give back to the UGA community. He was the keynote speaker at the 2020 Holmes-Hunter Signature Lecture, which is sponsored by the UGA Office of the President and is designated as a Signature Lecture. It has been held annually since 1985.

The Justice Robert Benham Scholars Program Fund was created to support UGA School of Law students in the Benham Scholars Program who have overcome significant adversity and demonstrated an intent to return to and serve rural or legally underserved communities. The program provides support for law students in four key areas: recruitment, preparation for law school, academic support and career planning.

Justice Benham has received numerous accolades over the years, including some from other esteemed Georgia institutions. The Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism, the organization responsible for ensuring that Georgia lawyers are enlisted in the service of the client and the public good, established the Justice Robert Benham Awards for Community Service, which now enter their 24th year of honoring outstanding community and public service by judges throughout the state of Georgia.

“Justice Benham embodies the values that the University of Georgia hopes to instill in our alumni: courage, compassion and a dedication to public service,” Jill Walton, vice president for development and alumni relations at UGA said. “We are excited to be able to celebrate his involvement with UGA and his community with this award.”

This year marks the third year of the UGA Footsteps Award. Previous honorees include Richard Dunn and Xernona Thomas in 2023, and Eugenia Harvey as the inaugural honoree in 2022.

Justice Benham will be honored during the annual 1961 Club Celebration on June 14 in Atlanta. The 1961 Club is a giving society named for the year of desegregation at UGA. Members support the Black Alumni Scholarship Fund, which seeks to remove barriers to education for students.

UGA seeking nominations for annual Footsteps Award

March 22, 2024/by Lindsay Tuck Morris

Award recognizes alumni who embody spirit of university pioneers

The University of Georgia is accepting nominations for its Footsteps Award. This annual award recognizes a UGA graduate each year who is following in the pioneering footsteps of Charlayne Hunter-Gault (ABJ ’63), Hamilton Holmes (BS ’63) and Mary Frances Early (MMED ’63, EDS ’67).

Members of the UGA community are invited to submit nominations for the Footsteps Award by completing a short form available online at alumni.uga.edu/footstepsnomination. The nomination period ends April 15, and the recipient will be announced mid-May.

The honoree must be a UGA graduate who has made a significant positive impact in a variety of areas in their community. Selected by a committee of UGA faculty, staff and students, the recipient will be presented with the award during the 1961 Club Celebration in June.

“We are immensely proud of our alumni for their commitment to improving their communities, both in their personal and professional lives,” said Jill Walton, vice president for development and alumni relations. “These alumni are exceptional representations of a University of Georgia education, and the Footsteps Award is just one way for us to honor their dedication.”

Questions about the award can be emailed to alumni@uga.edu.

Submit a Nomination

UGA Alumni affinity group leadership councils welcome new members

July 13, 2023/by Lindsay Tuck Morris

The University of Georgia Alumni Association has added 32 new members to the leadership councils for the Black Alumni, Latino Alumni, Women of UGA and Young Alumni affinity groups.

“We are so pleased to welcome these passionate alumni who are committed to helping their fellow Bulldogs maintain lifelong relationships with UGA,” said Meredith Gurley Johnson, executive director of alumni relations. “I look forward to working with them and seeing how they use their unique perspectives to represent our vast alumni network.”

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

Kiondre M. Dunnam, director of public relations and community engagement, The Brookman Group; Douglasville, Georgia; BSED ’16
Alicea Gaston, manager of foundation communications and stewardship, Wellstar Health System; Marietta, Georgia; BS ’10, AB ’10, MBA ’18
Camille Telicia Gordon, leadership and life design strategist, The Intentional Goddess; Atlanta, Georgia; BS ’08
Shirleyse Haley, senior skilling marketing manager for security, Microsoft; Smyrna, Georgia; ABJ ’11
Godswill Nwankwo, program manager, Google; Atlanta, Georgia; BBA ’20
Aspen Robinson, Ph.D., manager of leadership development and culture strategy, Accenture; Atlanta, Georgia; BS ’14, PHD ’19

Current council member Shayla Hill (BBA ’08) began her one-year term as president of the Black Alumni Leadership Council on July 1.

Latino Alumni

Justin Acosta, business consultant, NCR Corporation; Atlanta, Georgia; BBA ’23
Char-Lynn Griffiths, staff customer researcher, Intuit Mailchimp; Atlanta, Georgia; ABJ ’07
Kimberly M. Lopez, equity coordinator, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine; Cumming, Georgia; AB ’20, MPA ’22
Michael E. Pérez, attorney and owner, The Pérez Law Firm; Atlanta, Georgia; AB ’97, JD ’00
Orlando Burgos Pimentel, market research project manager; Decatur, Georgia; ABJ ’17
Anthony Rodriguez, executive director, HUB404 Conservancy; Atlanta, Georgia; BFA ’91
Marline Thomas, lead office of CIO and technology, Orbia; Duluth, Georgia; MIT ’09
Claudia Trejo Valenzuela, secondary English teacher, East Forsyth High School; Flowery Branch, Georgia; BS ’22, ME ’24

Current council member Jazmine Medrano (BSFCS ’15) began her one-year term as president of the Latino Alumni Leadership Council on July 1.

Women of UGA

Payton Anderson, director, IndustryPro; Roswell, Georgia; BBA ’18
Debbie Durrence, Ed.D., executive director of data governance, Gwinnett County Public Schools; Suwanee, Georgia; BSED ’98, EDD ’04
Ekta Gaur, management consultant for strategy and transformation; Atlanta, Georgia; BS ’06
Audrey Lewis, attorney, Gregory, Doyle, Calhoun and Rogers; Atlanta, Georgia; AB ’07, ABJ ’09, JD ’10
Sarah Sprayberry, senior manager of warehouse sales operations, The Coca-Cola Company; Atlanta, Georgia; BSA ’95
Caroline Stelling; senior vice president and business unit leader, RPS Group; Marietta, Georgia; BSES ’11
Tiffany Nicole Wooten, director of annual giving, The Westminster Schools; Atlanta, Georgia; AB ’11, MPA ’15

Current council member Laura Jalbert (BSW ’99, MSW ’00) began her one-year term as president of the Women of UGA Leadership Council on July 1.

Young Alumni

Sam Canales, financial planning analyst, brand manager, Creative Financial Group, a division of Synovus; Atlanta, Georgia; BBA ’21
Nickolas Collins, consumer insights manager, Ford Motor Company; Decatur, Georgia; MBA ’22
Caroline Cordell, student, Emory University School of Nursing; Atlanta, Georgia; BSFCS ’22
Kanler Cumbass, associate, Education Strategy Group; Atlanta, Georgia; MED ’21
Isabella Joseph, junior interior designer, Lord Aeck Sargent; Athens, Georgia; BFA ’20
Hanna Jon Lewis, Minute Maid brand assistant, The Coca-Cola Company; Atlanta, Georgia; BBA ’20, MS ’21
Avery Monthero, in-flight service peer support program lead, Delta Air Lines; Atlanta, Georgia, BSFCS ’17
Jackson O’Brien, attorney, Butler Snow LLP; Atlanta, Georgia; AB ’18, JD ’21
Tyra Roberts, product manager, Bank of America; Atlanta, Georgia; BBA ’19
Ariel Watt, associate consultant; Charlottesville, Virginia; AB ’19

Current council member John Bowden (BBA ’13) began his one-year term as president of the Young Alumni Leadership Council on July 1.

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Richard Dunn and Xernona Thomas named Footsteps Award recipients

January 9, 2023/by Haley Arner

The University of Georgia has named Richard Dunn (ABJ ’93) and Xernona Thomas (ABJ ’91, MSW ’92, EDD ’17) as the recipients of the 2023 Footsteps Award. This annual award, given this year on the 62^nd anniversary of desegregation at UGA, recognizes UGA graduates who are following in the pioneering footsteps of Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Hamilton Holmes and Mary Frances Early, UGA’s first African American students.

“Richard and Xernona’s commitment to education in our state is impressive,” said Meredith Gurley Johnson (BSFCS ’00, MED ’16), executive director of the UGA Alumni Association. “The work they have done in building better communities through education follows closely in the footsteps of Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Hamilton Holmes and Mary Frances Early. We are beyond excited to have the opportunity to honor them with this award.”

Dunn, now retired, served as the executive director of the Athens-Clarke County High School Completion Initiative, a program that he founded to increase the graduation rates in high schools across the county. The program focuses on helping students reach graduation and explore career and education opportunities. In 2010, he launched a weekly radio show hosted by local high school students titled “Education Matters” as part of his efforts to improve graduation rates in Athens-Clarke County, particularly for students of color.

A graduate of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, Dunn’s passion for journalism drove him to establish The Athens Courier in the 1980s and address the needs of the minority community in Athens. In addition, he hosted the weekly radio show “Community Forum,” which addresses politics, community issues and more. The show is now the longest-running radio talk show in Northeast Georgia.

Thomas spent 31 years working in education as a social worker, assistant principal, principal, chief of staff, and most recently, superintendent of the Clarke County School District where she became the first woman to serve in the role. Thomas sought to reduce exclusionary discipline practices among students of color by identifying inequitable instructional and disciplinary practices and implementing leadership professional learning. She worked to increase language services, encourage parent involvement, develop a district budget to better support district instructional priorities, and opened Clarke County School District’s first charter, Schoolwide Enrichment Model, Foreign Language Acquisition Program and Professional Development School.

Thomas, who received her bachelor’s degree from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, master’s degree from the School of Social Work, and doctor of education from the Mary Frances Early College of Education, collaborated with the University of Georgia to establish the Experience UGA partnership for K-12 students that launched in 2013. During the COVID-19 pandemic, as superintendent, she provided students with technology devices and internet access while they were not meeting in person and ensured that all students 18 and younger had access to breakfast and lunch five days a week. Thomas retired as superintendent in fall 2022.

“Richard and Xernona are excellent examples of what it means to be UGA alumni,” said Yvette Daniels (AB ’86, JD ’89), president of the UGA Alumni Association. “Their combined dedication to students in the Athens community is improving lives every day. We celebrate them as members of the Bulldog family and the recipients of the 2023 Footsteps Award.”

Dunn and Thomas will be recognized during the annual Holmes-Hunter Lecture on February 28 in the UGA Chapel. The Honorable Verda M. Colvin (JD ’90), a Georgia Supreme Court justice and UGA School of Law alumna, will present this year’s lecture.

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.

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.