Melissa Laramie comes to GCPS from the Kent School District in Washington state, where she was the executive director of communications and public affairs. GCPS Superintendent Calvin Watts led the Kent School District prior to being hired to lead Gwinnett schools last summer.

Dr. Tashlein is a non-voting member of the Foundation Board.

Dr. Tarece Johnson, who prefers to be called Dr. Tarece, joined the School Board in January 2021. She represents all or portions of the Berkmar, Discovery, Duluth, Meadowcreek, and Norcross clusters in addition to Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology and Maxwell High School of Technology. Dr. Tarece earned a BA from La Universidad del Sagrado Corazón (Puerto Rico) and a MPA (Columbia University), a MBA (Emory University), and an EdD. She is an educational leader, entrepreneur, and teacher. She is a diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice professional. Dr. Tarece is an advocate, activist, author, and artist. She is passionate about ethnic and global education and dedicated to multicultural and multilingual learning. Her current term will expire in December 2024.

 Dr. Watts began his service as superintendent of Gwinnett County Public Schools on Friday, July 31, 2021. He had been serving as the superintendent of Kent School District (KSD), the 5th largest and 2nd most diverse school district in Washington State. With more than 26,500 students, KSD also employs 3,600 staff members and operates a $450 million budget.

During the past six years, Dr. Watts developed a bold strategic planning process; maintained an intentional focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging; and improved organizational effectiveness so that all students may thrive. KSD’s four-year adjusted cohort graduation rates have risen to record levels for all students as a result.

Dr. Watts is member of The Broad Academy Fellowship (2018-2019), and he has demonstrated a strong track record of success as an instructional, operational, and community leader. Before taking the position in Kent, Dr. Watts served in Gwinnett County Public Schools for 13 years in varied leadership roles with increasing levels of responsibility.

Dr. Watts is a non-voting member of the Foundation Board.

Mr. Lupuloff spent more than 20 years as Senior Managing Director for Bear Stearns/JP Morgan, as well as Managing Director with Raymond James, and most recently growing the fixed income group at Fifth Third. In the community, he is a founding member of the Norcross High School (NHS) Foundation, where he held the positions of president, treasurer, and vice-president. His service to NHS also includes work as a booster club officer and member for multiple sports and clubs. In addition, Mr. Lupuloff is a founding member of the Gwinnett County Public Schools Foundation and current executive board member. He also is a founding and past board member of the Georgia Tech Parents Advisory Board. Mr. Lupuloff earned his degree in business administration from the University of Alabama and has worked in the financial services industry since 1982.

Mr. and Mrs. Lupuloff currently serve on the University of  Georgia Student Affairs Advisory Board and endow 3 scholarships to UGA’s
Disability Resource Center for Students.

Mr. Lupuloff and his wife Jan actively support Partners Against  Domestic Violence, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Camp Twin Lakes, and were inducted in the NHS Foundation Hall of Fame in 2011. Jan is the current Chairperson for Norcross, Duluth and Lilburn Meals on Wheels. They have four children, all Norcross HS graduates of 2007, 2009, and 2016.

Mr. Lupuloff is a non-voting member of the Foundation Board.

Having served nine years as director of recruitment & retention for the district following a career in banking, I was selected in March 2009 as executive director of the Gwinnett County Public Schools Foundation.

A proud graduate of Gwinnett Schools and the University of Tennessee, I’ve enjoyed being active in the community.  The following are examples of past or present participation, Leadership Gwinnett; Partnership Gwinnett Education Committee; Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Recruitment Committee; Gwinnett County Revitalization Task Force; JM Tull YMCA Community Board; Center for Pan Asian Community Services Grant Advisory Board; United Way Executive Committee; Rotary Club of Gwinnett; Primerica Foundation Board; Gwinnett Coalition Great Days of Service Advisory Board; Leadership Gwinnett Regional Day Committee; Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Advisory Board; Gwinnett Medical Foundation Women’s Advisory Counsel.

Ms. Herndon Patterson is a non-voting member of the Foundation Board.

Joseph, (Joe) Heffron, is Chief Financial Officer for Gwinnett County Public Schools, the 13th largest school district in the country.  He has more than 30 years of financial experience in both the public and private sector.

Heffron joined Gwinnett County Public Schools in October 2006, after five years with the Cobb County Public School system.  Prior to his experience in the education sector, he worked for AGL Resources (an energy services company) for 15 years, where he served in various accounting & financial positions.

Heffron, earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Georgia State University.

Mr. Heffron is a non-voting member of the Foundation Board.

Mike transitioned from a large law firm in Atlanta after 34 years to open his solo general law practice in Lawrenceville, in 2014. Since 2009, Mike has served as an adjunct professor on the faculty at the University of Georgia School of Law where he has taught secured transactions, business reorganizations in bankruptcy, and bankruptcy law.

He is Chairman of the boards of directors of the Gwinnett Health System, of Partnership Gwinnett, and of the Gwinnett Parks Foundation. He is also a current or former member of the following boards: Georgia Hospital Association, the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia, the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, the Leadership Gwinnett Foundation, and the Executive Board of the Northeast Georgia Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and he serves on the Gwinnett Hospital Authority. He co-chaired Engage Gwinnett, and led several Education SPLOST renewal committees, an education bond referendum committee and the 2009 County SPLOST renewal committee.

Graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in Industrial Engineering in 1973 and worked at Georgia Power until my retirement in 2010.  During the last 15 years of my career as a Region Manager a large part of my job was to be heavily involved in the Community thru many external organizations including Chambers, Foundations, civic organizations, and business associations.  I am a 1994 graduate of Leadership Gwinnett.   I co-founded the Gwinnett Student Leadership Program in 1994 and I am still involved in that program.  I also helped establish the Gwinnett Public School Foundation several years ago and I am currently the Chair of the Board.  I was also on the Board of Gwinnett Technical College for many years and after retirement from Georgia Power I taught a leadership course for two years. Currently I am the Chair of the Forsyth County Development Authority and a member of the Cumming-Forsyth Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Phyllis and I have been married since 1974 and have 3 daughters and 4 grandchildren. We spend our leisure time at Jackson Lake, and in Nashville and Savannah visitng daughters and grandkids.

A leading authority on local and state economic development and local government, Masino is regularly sought after for prominent speaking engagements throughout metro Atlanta and Georgia. In addition, he has spoken internationally, in Incheon and Seoul, South Korea and Wuxi, Chongqing and Qingdao, China, representing Georgia on government, economic development and international business subjects. As a result of his extensive expertise in the economic development and local government arena, Masino is a preferred interviewee for regional and local television, radio, newspaper and magazine outlets. Masino also regularly lecturers at Metro Atlanta Universities such as GA Tech and Georgia Gwinnett College.

Masino serves in a key leadership role overseeing the business recruitment and retention efforts for Gwinnett, as well as the implementation of the Partnership Gwinnett Strategy. To create this community-focused economic development (ED) organization, Partnership Gwinnett, Masino worked with public and private leadership to commission ED studies in 2006 and 2011,
respectively; and spearheaded the implementation efforts of the initial plan—which brought approximately 250 company expansions or relocations, over 12,000 jobs and more than $800,000,000 in investment to Gwinnett. The second iteration of the plan began in January 2012.

Mr. Sean Murphy is our Executive Director and Global CEO. Mr. Sean Murphy was appointed to our Board on 2 January 2014. As our Global CEO, Mr. Sean Murphy is responsible for overseeing the entire overall management of our Group.

Mr. Sean Murphy began his career in 1988 with Sun Data Systems, Inc. where he worked until 1998 in a variety of sales roles before eventually being promoted to Vice-President of International Wholesale. In 1998, he became a Partner at Canvas Systems LLC responsible for sales management. In 2012, Mr. Sean Murphy joined Avnet, Inc. as a Vice-President, where he was also responsible for sales management. In 2013, he joined Procurri LLC as interim Chief Executive Officer. Further to our acquisition of Procurri LLC, Mr. Sean Murphy has been appointed as our Executive Director and Global CEO since 2014.

Mr. Sean Murphy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Emory University in 1988.

Born in Cuba.  His parents sent him to live with grandparents in Key West, FL at the age of 12 to escape Castro.  He moved to Peachtree Corners in 1983 from Miami to work in the newly formed BellSouth Corp.  Married to Yolanda, they are parents to Anabel, David, and Daniel, all Norcross High School Graduates.  He is retired from Bellsouth / AT&T, and more recently as President of Target Market Trends, Inc. a business consulting firm he ran for 12 years. Jose has an M.A. Economics, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, and has practiced his profession for a lifetime.

KEY PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS:

• Board Member of REACH Georgia
• Commissioner - State Charter School Commission (SCSC of Georgia)
• Member Georgia Gwinnett College Board of Trustees (GGC)
• Adjunct professor of economics at GGC
• Past Member GA Board of Ed.7th District

Matt Stinchcomb, a former two-time All-American offensive tackle at the University of Georgia, and seven-year veteran of the National Football League will join the board of trustees of the Gwinnet County Public Schools Foundation. Stinchcomb says he enjoyed the competition in the NFL but knew it would be a short-lived excursion so he prepared himself for life after football.

The son of a Gwinnett teacher, Stinchcomb says earning a spot on the Academic All-American team meant as much to him as being selected an athletic All-American. A graduate of Parkview High School, Stinchcomb won the Campbell Trophy which is considered the "Academic Heisman."

Following the NFL, Stinchcomb established himself in the business world. He and former UGA quarterback David Greene operate a commercial insurance brokerage and consulting firm in Atlanta for Seacrest Partners. He also is a college football analyst for ESPNU and the SEC Network. He and wife Jenny have three children and reside in Gwinnett County.

Marlon Allen was born and raised in Columbus, GA. He attended Columbus State University (CSU) after earning a scholarship to play both baseball and basketball. In 1994, after his junior year, the Cincinnati Reds drafted him as a first baseman. He played 5 years in the Reds Minor League Organization and coached one year as a hitting instructor. In 2000, Marlon returned to CSU to complete his degree in Computer Information Management and soon began work with the Boy Scouts of America. He spent 11 ½ years in that organization before the strong call on his life to ministry. In August 2010, with 5 families meeting in his home, he started Victorious Living Church and is currently serving as Pastor. Marlon is also a member of the Rotary Club of Gwinnett County and now serves as President Elect. Marlon’s life mission is to help all people see their tremendous potential to win in every aspect of their lives. He is married to the former Tasha Minter, from Columbus, and they have 2 kids, Marlon Jr. and Sarah.

Renée Byrd-Lewis serves as vice president for Strategic Communications and Positioning at Georgia Gwinnett College overseeing public relations, media relations, and marketing and communications functions. Ms. Byrd-Lewis came to GGC in 2012 after serving as a charter Board member for GGC Foundation where she became inspired by the college’s innovative higher education model. Prior to GGC, Ms. Byrd-Lewis was responsible for government and community relations, and corporate foundation functions at Cisco Systems and Scientific Atlanta.
Ms. Byrd-Lewis received a Master’s in higher education administration from Georgia State University, dual undergraduate degrees in psychology and sociology from Emory University and corporate citizenship certification from Boston College. An active community leader, she currently serves on the Boards of Gwinnett Health System, Leadership Gwinnett Foundation and United Way. She and her husband reside in Buford with their two teenage boys.

Brad Carr heads up the Corporate Group of Andersen, Tate & Carr. His practice focuses on a wide variety of corporate law and commercial finance matters, including mergers and acquisitions; private equity and debt offerings; representation of development stage and emerging growth companies; formation of corporations, partnerships, limited partnerships, limited liability companies and joint ventures; compensation and employment issues; stock and asset sale and purchase; venture capital financing; asset and receivables based financing; bond financing; electronic commerce and internet law; software licensing and development agreements; business succession planning including shareholders’ agreements and family partnerships; corporate finance and restructuring including tax-free reorganizations; intellectual property matters including trade secret and proprietary information protection and securing trademark and copyrights for corporate clients.

Mr. Carr graduated, cum laude, with high honors, from the University of Georgia in 1986, where he was elected as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He received his Juris Doctor degree, magna cum laude, in 1989 from the University of Georgia School of Law, where he served on the Editorial Board of the Georgia Law Review and was elected as a member of the Order of the Coif. Mr. Carr is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, the Gwinnett County Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. Mr. Carr served as the Managing Partner of the Firm for over six years and currently serves on the Firm’s Executive Committee.

Mr. Carr is active in the Gwinnett community, working with the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, where he is a member of the Board of Directors and a past Chairman of its Development Campaign, the Gwinnett Council for Quality Growth, the Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau, The 1818 Club, and he is also active with the Johns Creek Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Carr also serves on the Peachtree Ridge High School Council, currently as Chairman, and is very involved with Norcross First United Methodist Church and Young Life of Gwinnett County. He and his family live in Duluth.

C. Norwood Davis serves as CEO at the Wesleyan Investmnet Fund in Lawrenceville.  Norwood was CFO for 12Stone Church in Lawrenceville for 16 years. Norwood serves as board chair for Atlanta-based Street Grace, as a Trustee of the Georgia Gwinnett College Foundation, a Board member of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and a member of its Finance Committee, with the Board of Directors of Gwinnett Medical Center and serves as Chair of its Audit & Compliance Committee and serves on the Board of The John Maxwell Company, a leadership development company.

Norwood graduated with honors from The Citadel with a degree in Civil Engineering and earned his Masters of Business Administration from The Babcock School of Management at Wake Forest University.

As the Gwinnett District Manager, Fennell will be responsible for the day-to-day management of Jackson EMC’s local office in Lawrenceville, including community involvement, member services and governmental affairs.  

Fennell was born in Atlanta and raised in Stone Mountain. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s of science in agricultural business and a master’s of business administration. In 2014, Fennell joined Jackson EMC as a commercial and industrial marketing representative in Gwinnett County, where her responsibilities included growing Jackson EMC’s footprint in Gwinnett County, key account management of existing commercial and industrial customers, legislative affairs, and community and economic development. She was promoted to senior business development manager in 2020.

Fennell is involved with Partnership Gwinnett where she serves as Goal One chair, executive committee member, and recently volunteered as co-chairman for its 4.0 Capital Campaign. She is president-elect of the Rotary Club of Sugarloaf, where she has been a member since 2016 and formerly served as secretary and on the membership committee. Fennell is secretary for both the Gwinnett Police Foundation and the Water Tower at Gwinnett Board. She is a member of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Economic Developers Association, Southern Economic Development Council, and Council for Quality Growth.

She is a member of 2022 class of Leadership Georgia and a class of 2018 graduate of Leadership Gwinnett.

Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, the largest electric cooperative in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation, is headquartered 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Georgia. The cooperative serves more than 246,000 meters on 14,000 miles of energized wire.

Stan Hall is the COO of the Gwinnett Convention & Visitors Bureau (GCVB). The GCVB oversees Infinite Energy Center, Infinite Energy Arean, Explore Gwinnett, the Gwinnett Sports Commission and the PGA TOUR Champions Mitsubishi Electric Classic.  Stan has had longstanding involvement in the community and has served in several positions with non-profit organizations.  He has been twice recognized by former Governors Roy Barnes and Sonny Perdue for exemplary community service. He was also recognized by the Georgia State Senate and Lt. Governor Casey Cagle in 2012 for outstanding public service.

He has previously served multiple terms as the Chairman of the Hudgens Center for the Arts and Gwinnett Ballet Theatre’s Board of Directors.   Stan has also served in multiple capacities, including treasurer of the Explore Gwinnett Board of Directors. In 2011, he was awarded the Community Relations Award by the Gwinnett CVB and the “Gwinnie” award by the Hudgens Center for the Arts. Previously, Stan served as the Director of the Victim Witness Program for the Gwinnett District Attorney’s Office and was a 33 year veteran of the law enforcement and judicial systems. He has a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice and holds various management certifications.  At the completion of his law enforcement career, Stan was given the opportunity to enter into the professional sporting events industry.  With great enthusiasm, Stan has assumed the role of Executive Director of the Gwinnett Sports Commission.

Stan is a fifth generation resident of Gwinnett County, serves on several Gwinnett Boards of Directors, and in his spare time writes a weekly column that is published in several local and state publications.

Lanier Levett, is the vice president of business operations for the family owned Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Home Inc. Lanier also owns Young-Levett Funeral Homes in Covington and Monroe with his sister Dana Levitt.

Opened first Chrysler dealership in 1971 in Lawrenceville. Now we have a total of four car dealerships, including GM products all in the Northeast Georgia area. All family owned and operated. Ted serves as dealer principal of the Lawrenceville Hayes, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep.

Tim Hur is a graduate of the GCPS system and Georgia Institute of Technology. Tim launched a career in real estate for the past 10 years and recently joined the corporate office of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate based out of Madison, New Jersey, as the brand's National Director of Inclusion and Philanthropy. Tim is on the board of the Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District, Past-President for the Gwinnett Mosaic Rotary Club, a member of the Atlanta Commercial Board, Northeast Atlanta Metro Association of REALTORS®, having multiple designations obtained through the REALTOR® network, including the prestigious CRS, CIPS, ABR and GREEN designations.

His accolades include graduating from Atlanta Regional Commissions’ Regional Leadership Institute, LEAD Atlanta, Leadership Gwinnett, National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Leadership Academy Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies’ Leadership Academy and became a fellow of the University of Southern California Network of Korean-Americans Program.

Dan King is a retired King & Spalding partner. He practiced actively for 30 years, including stints in Chicago, New York and Atlanta. He served as the leader of the firm’s Business Litigation Practice Group from 2003 to 2008. Mr. King has significant litigation and trial experience in a wide range of commercial litigation and arbitration matters, specifically focusing on disputes arising from corporate transactions. He currently teaches classes on both international arbitration and business law, and is part of the leadership of the initiative to increase international arbitration in Atlanta.

J.D. Mealor is the Senior Vice President of Commercial Banking at Regions Bank.

1993 – Current : Co Founder / CEO – Synergy America, Inc
( staffing & recruiting )

1999 – 2002: Co-Founder /COO – Hotpalm, Inc.
( wireless applications )

1989 – 1993: Founder / CEO – Success Video

Boards and other associations: Past & Present

Emory Board of Visitors

Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Gwinnett Technical College, Gwinnett Children
Shelter, Gwinnett County Schools
Foundation / Math & Science, Peachtree ridge High School
Foundation, First Robotics, SRPOA

Georgia Gwinnett College - Trustee
Gwinnett Medical Alliance - Co founder – Chair
Gwinnett Technology Forum - Co founder / Chair
TIE - Charter Member/ Mentor
TAG - Member
The Hindu Temple of Atlanta - Trustee
Partnership Gwinnett - Member – Technology council
Gwinnett County - 2030 Unified plan
Cultures Across Borders) - Member/Promoter
Leadership Gwinnett - Graduate (2005-2006)

Specialties: Helping HR and Hiring Managers to effectively manage the
cumbersome process of recruiting and retaining the right talents to enhance
their productivity in the current economic environment.

Carla grew up in Gwinnett County and is a graduate of Central Gwinnett High School.  She received her Bachelor of Business Administration from Emory University and her MBA from Brenau University.  She is the President of the Gwinnett based architectural and engineering firm, Precision Planning, Inc.

She serves on the Gwinnett Chamber’s Board of Directors and was the 2014 Board Chair.  She is a 2001 Leadership Gwinnett graduate and currently serves on the Leadership Gwinnett Board of Trustees and on the Mitsubishi Electric Classic Golf Tournament Foundation Board.  She serves on the executive board of the Grayson Cluster Schools Foundation and on the board of the Gwinnett County Public Schools Foundation.  She serves on the Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful Citizens Advisory Board along with being a past board member of the Gwinnett YMCA. She is the past president of the Pharr Elementary PTA, the current treasurer and also serves on the school council.  She volunteers as the team mom for her daughter’s Grayson Athletic Association cheerleading team.

Rebecca Jung received her BS from the University of MD, College Park and MDiv from the San Francisco Theological Seminary. Previously, she worked for the New York City government as an Assistant Space Analyst and an Associate Space Analyst. She has served at Korean Carmichael Presbyterian Church, Korean Presbyterian Church in Downey and currently at Korean Community Presbyterian Church in Duluth, Georgia. She is the founder of the Korean American Parents Association (KAPA), an organization which seeks to empower Korean American parents by providing tools and platforms for their engagement in their children's education.

Dr. Stingley, native of Mississippi inspired to become a dentist at the ~ge of ten. She established Carter-Rockbridge General Dentistry, P.C. in 1995, serving Gwinnett County and the surrounding areas for 22 years. Dr. Stingley
received from the United States Army laudatory recognition for dedicated congressional survey, the Army Commendation Medal, and Advanced General Dentistry Education, at Fort Benning Ga.

Dr. Stingley is a respected member of the American Dental Associatidn, Georgia Dental Association, Georgia Dental Society, and Academy of General Dentistry. She plays a proactive role in the efforts to build a solid foundation for the continued growth and prosperity of Gwinnett County. Chairperson of Non-profit Board of Trustee for Four Corners Primary Care Centers, Inc was established November 2007, under her leadership. She has rendered leadership and service to the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and participated as member of the Chairman's Club. The list continues: chairperson of community projects and secretary of the Peachtree Corners Rotary Club

Anne Soutter serves as Vice President of Community and Foundation Relations for Primerica. She is also the co-founder, VP and Operations Officer for The Primerica Foundation. During her long tenure with Primerica, she has also served in the Executive and Strategic Marketing Departments for the company.

Anne serves on the Gwinnett County Advisory Board for United Way, the Gwinnett County Public Library Foundation Board, the Citizens Advisory Board for Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful and the Gwinnett County Public School Foundation Board. She is an alumna of Leadership Gwinnett and a Cole Society Leadership Member of United Way.

Education: Public Relations Major - B.A.& M.A. from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Drake University; Certificate in Nonprofit Organization Management from the Georgia Center for Nonprofits and member of the Southeastern Council of Foundations.

Deon Tucker is Georgia Power's Metro North regional director in the Atlanta area. She leads the company’s external affairs activities for DeKalb, North Fulton, Gwinnett, Forsyth and Rockdale counties. She will also provide leadership and support for power delivery, customer service, sales, and community and economic development to bring value to customers.

Prior to her current role, Deon served in Macon as a regional director serving 136,000 customers in a 22-county area. Previously, she worked in the Metro Atlanta Region as an area manager and assistant to the senior vice president. As area manager, she was responsible for the eight cities in South Fulton County where she managed external effectiveness which included serving as a point of contact for local legislators. In the role of assistant to the senior vice president of Metro Atlanta Region, Deon was responsible for supporting the senior vice president with company operations, sales, customer service, external affairs, and economic and community development activities for 1.2 million customers across Metro Atlanta. 

Deon began her career with Georgia Power in 1994 as a temporary customer service representative. Since then, she has held various positions throughout the company — including human resources associate, scheduling analyst, customer service supervisor, assistant to the manager of customer field services, field operations and development manager, region customer service manager and sales and service manager for Georgia Power’s statewide, 24-hour call center.

Additionally, Deon is active in the community and currently co-chairs the Forward Macon campaign, an economic development effort of the Macon-Bibb County Chamber and is a graduate of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute, the Georgia Academy for Economic Development and Leadership Henry.

Deon holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University and a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Troy University.

Rev. Avery Headd is a native of Louisville, Mississippi, were he received his early christian training at the St. James United Presbyterian Church. He was baptized into the Baptist faith at the Mt. Nebo Baptist Church and Life Center in 1980 under the pastor ship of Rev. Anthony James McMicheal.  After diligent dedication in service and commitment to God, Rev. Avery Headd was called into the gospel ministry in 1982 and ordained in 1984. Rev. Headd became the co-pastor of Millers Chapel Baptist Church in Conyers, Georgia in 1986 under the pastor ship of Rev. G.F. Gude, after the retirement of Rev. G.F. Gude in 1994 he became the Pastor of Millers Chapel Baptist Church.

In 1995 Rev. Avery Headd was called as Pastor of the Poplar Hill Baptist Church in Buford, Georgia where he is continuing the work of a flourishing ministry.  He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Georgia State University and his Masters of Divinity from the Morehouse School of Religion at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta , Georgia. He has conducted and facilitated many seminars, workshops and religious retreats. He held office in the Yellow River Missionary Baptist Association.  Rev. Avery Headd has served as Moderator and Vice President of the Hopewell Congress of Christian Education.  Rev. Avery Headd is married to his lovely wife Marla. They are blessed with two wonderful children, Meagan and Justin and a grandson, Kaiden  He attributes his life philosophy that "Christ has given each of us abundant life to live. Hebrews 11:13

Connecting people who care with causes that matter is at the heart of what Britt, our director of fundholder experience, does every day. Britt works with our current fundholders to help them become even more engaged in the opportunities and the needs of the community. She enjoys helping them develop their own personal philanthropic plan to guide their giving. In addition, she also is helping create a Legacy Society and ensuring that our annual Good2Give Celebration continues to grow and prosper.

Before coming to the Community Foundation, Britt was the director of community outreach at Aurora Theatre, and spent 10 years with Aurora, building relationships and connecting people through the arts.

Britt, a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University in Washington, is originally from Wyoming but has called Gwinnett home since 2007. She lives on a small farm in Loganville with her husband, 8-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter, plus 30-some chickens, 19 goats and two dogs.

Meredith is a results-driven sales and partnership leader specializing in the education industry. Demonstrated history of success in strategic planning, sales prospecting and lead generation, collaborative problem solving, innovative thought partnering. Expertise in PreK-12 Education, Higher Education Sales and Partnership Cultivation, Team Leadership and Facilitation, and Collaborative Communications.

CORE COMPETENCIES:
Fostering Key Partnership Relationships
Sales and Relationship Management
Strategic Development, Planning & Implementation
Proactive Problem Solving
Cross-organizational Collaboration
Facilitation and Team Leadership
Excellent Verbal and Written Communications
Prek-12 Education curriculum planning, classroom management, compliance, and school leadership

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
∙Spearheaded strategic sales plan development and implementation of nationwide professional development initiative for higher education faculty and pre-service elementary teachers
∙Grew emerging presence of curriculum programs to an expansive foothold statewide incorporating industry partners, educational leaders, and grant opportunities
∙Piloted innovative phonics curriculum and coaching program expansion into a new market
∙Founded independent consulting firm to serve students with special needs and their families via coaching, mentoring, and development of individualized education plans
∙Developed teaching team and leadership protocols to establish and maintain 99% eligibility compliance