Implementation Oversight Committee (IOC)
In May 2018, an Implementation and Oversight Committee (IOC) was formed, comprised of community members and institutional partners. Like the Steering Committee that preceded it, this group of citizens is reflective of the demographic, geographic, and socio-economic aspects of our community.
The IOC is charged with guiding and supporting the implementation process for the Envision Athens Action Agenda, including keeping the public informed and engaged to ensure that we, as a community, achieve the change that we want.
The IOC meets on the third Thursday of the month from 8:30 AM – 10 AM in the community room of the Athens-Clarke County Water Resources Building located at 780 Barber Street, Athens, GA 30603.
Meeting minutes may be accessed here: IOC Meeting Minutes.
Minutes more than six months old are available upon request.
For a list of all scheduled meetings or to verify the IOC meeting use this calendar on Google. Descriptions have been added to each work group.
In an unprecedented move, the IOC collectively decided to provide financial resources to ensure the successful implementation of the Action Agenda. The key step in doing so involved hiring a Project Manager. On March 29, 2018, the IOC unanimously selected Erin Barger for this role.
Erin Barger
Project Manager
Erin@envisionathens.com
Another equally important decision to ensuring the success of this one-of-a-kind community-wide effort was the election of a Chair and Vice-Chair to lead the effort. In July 2020, after over a year of exceptional leadership and service from Julita Sanders as Chair and Solomon Smothers as Vice-Chair, a new Chair and Vice-Chair were chosen to assume leadership. David Bradley currently serves as Chair and Rev. Benjamin Lett serves as Vice-Chair.
David Bradley, Chair
Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, President/CEO
Rev. Benjamin Lett, Vice-Chair
Representing Athens as a Citizen
Dodd Ferrelle
Account Representative, Hagemeyer North America
Representing City of Winterville as Mayor
Carol Myers
Commissioner, Representing Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County
Michael Burnett
Piedmont Athens Regional Health Care System, CEO
Elaine Cook
Piedmont Athens Regional Health Care System, Director of Health and Community Relations
Kelly Girtz
Mayor of Athens-Clarke County Unified Government
Linda E. Davis
Athens Technical College, Adjunct Instructor
Clarke County School District, Board of Education Member
Tim Denson
Commissioner, Representing Athens-Clarke County Unified Government
Tamara Bourda
St. Mary’s Healthcare System, Regional Vice President, Community Health and Well-being
Ed Moore
St. Mary’s Healthcare System, Community Health and Well-being Coordinator
Dr. Roswell Lawrence, Jr.
Assistant to the VP for Finance and Administration &
Director of Client Relations, University of Georgia
Alison Bracewell McCullick
University of Georgia, Director of Community Relations
Kay Keller
United Way of Northeast Georgia, CEO
Rick Parker
Athens Housing Authority, Executive Director/President
Dr. Xernona Thomas
Clarke County School District, Interim Superintendent
Michele Pearson
Edward Jones Investments, Financial Advisor
Representing Athens Housing Authority
Lawrence Harris
Clarke County School District, Executive Director of Community Engagement & Strategic Partnerships
Jeff Petrea
Georgia Power, Northeast Regional Director
Nick Chapman
Athens Technical College, Dean of Business and Education
Imani Carter
Assistant Public Defender, Representing Athens as a Citizen
Elisa Zarate
Representing Athens as a Citizen
Steering Committee
On December 1, 2016, a 38-member Steering Committee was formed to guide the Envision Athens planning process. The make up of the Steering Committee is representative of the great diversity within our community. Specifically, they reflect the community’s demographic, geographic, socio-economic, and diverse interests and perspectives.
The group held its official kick-off meeting in November 2016 and continued to meet regularly throughout the planning process until December 2017 when the Action Agenda was finalized. The Steering Committee was instrumental in helping to guide the substantive parts of the planning process and assisted in spreading the word and inviting citizens to get involved and provide input. The group formed two subcommittees (Outreach and Communications) to ensure that everyone in Athens-Clarke County had the opportunity to get involved and have their voice heard.
Meet the committee members:
Caroline Angelo
Vice President for Academic Affairs, Athens Technical College
33 years in community
Erin Barger
Vice President of Programs, Action Ministries, North Georgia
7.5 years in community
Heather Benham
Executive Director, Athens Land Trust
17 years in community
Alejandra Calva
Community Relations Manager, UGA-Latin American & Caribbean Studies Institute
3 years in community
Lenn Chandler
Electric Utility Vice President, Georgia Power Company, Athens
Works in community
Dr. Andrea Daniel
President, Athens Technical College
Works in community
Linda E. Davis
Adjunct Instructor, Athens Technical College
(Representing Clarke Co. School District)
38 years in community
Sharyn Dickerson
Environmental Consultant, Sharyn Dickerson & Associates, LLC
(Representing Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County, Georgia)
48 years in community
Susan Dodson
Director of External Relations, Food Bank of Northeast Georgia
9 years in community
Doc Eldridge
President/CEO, Athens Area Chamber of Commerce
64 years in community
Dodd Ferrelle
Account Representative, Hagemeyer North America
(Representing City of Winterville)
24 years in community
Broderick Flanigan
Visual Artist, Flanigan’s Portrait Studio
26 years in community
Houston Gaines
Student Body President, University of Georgia
21 years in community
Bob Googe
Owner, Jittery Joe’s Coffee
18 years in community
Mike Hamby
Office cleaning business
(Representing Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County, Georgia)
28 years in community
Diana Hartle
Librarian, University of Georgia
25 years in community
Ann Hunter
IT Specialist, USDA-ARS-AFM-EBSC-IT Branch
17 years in community
Marty Hutson
CFO, St. Mary’s Healthcare System
9 years in community
Richie Knight
HW Creative Marketing
7 years in community
Wilson Lattimore
Pastor, Chestnut Grove Baptist Church
32 years in community
Roswell Lawrence, Jr.
Assistant to the VP for Finance and Administration &
Director of Client Relations, University of Georgia
10 years in community
Deborah Lonon
Attorney, Citizen
18 years in community
Dean Mannheimer
Banker, Athens First Bank and Trust
(Representing Athens Area Chamber of Commerce)
18 years in community
Alison Bracewell McCullick
Director of Community Relations, University of Georgia
33 years in community
Humberto Mendoza
Auto Mechanic
17 years in community
Catherine Neace
Co-owner, Barberitos Downtown Athens
32 years in community
Emily Nicholos
Director of Community Impact, United Way of Northeast Georgia
6 years in community
Caroline Paris Paczkowski
Director of Communications– School of Public and International Affairs, University of Georgia
9 years in community
Rick Parker
Executive Director/President, Athens Housing Authority
27 years in community
Nakia Payne
Homemaker
12 years in community
Michele Pearson
Financial Advisor, Edward Jones Investments
(Representing Athens Housing Authority)
35 years in community
Dr. Charles Peck
President and CEO, Piedmont Athens Regional Health System
Works in community
Whit Richardson
Owner, Tazikis Cafe
(Representing United Way)
2 years in community
Danny Riddle
Maintenance Mechanic, Athens Housing Authority
Lifetime in community
Johnelle Simpson
Great Promise Partnership/Work-Based Learning Coordinator, Clarke County School District
5 years in community
Barbara Sims
Recruitment Coordinator, All God’s Children Adoption Agency; Radio Personality, WXAG
19 years in community
Xernona Thomas
Elementary Principal, Clarke County School District
47 years in community
