Pat Burd, Ph.D., Board of Commissioners of the Georgia Student Finance Commission (reappointment)
Burd retired after more than 40 years in education as a teacher, college administrator and school counselor. She has served on numerous boards, including Greenville College and the Northeast Georgia History Center. Burd serves as a mentor in her local school system and recently received the Mary Lockwood Smith Medal for Education from the Daughters of the American Revolution. She received a bachelor’s degree from Greenville College, a master’s degree in Education from Butler University, a doctoral degree from St. Louis University and an honorary doctorate from Brenau University. Burd and her husband, John, have two children and seven grandchildren. They reside in Gainesville.
Arthur “Mid” Ramsey, Board of Commissioners of the Georgia Student Finance Commission (reappointment)
Ramsey retired as the executive vice president and senior lending officer of Athens First Bank & Trust. He sits on the advisory boards of Athens First Bank & Trust and CSRA Business Lending. Ramsey earned a bachelor’s degree in Business from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Katie, have two children and two grandchildren. They live in Athens.
Russell Crutchfield, Board of Community Health
Crutchfield is a special assistant to the president of the University of West Georgia and is responsible for the university’s government and external relations. He previously held executive leadership roles for the Department of Public Health, the Department of Labor and the Department of Community Health. Crutchfield earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of West Georgia. He and his wife, Susan, reside in Newnan.
Greg Woolard, Bona Fide Coin Operated Amusement Machine Operator Advisory Board
Woolard is a part-owner of Clyde’s Market convenience stores and Rusty Pig BBQ. He sits on the board of directors for South Georgia Bank, the South Georgia Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Georgia Association of Convenience Stores. Woolard is the president of the Board of Governors for Pinewood Christian Academy. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Georgia. Woolard and his wife, Angie, have one child and live in Glennville.
Larry “Bo” Benton, Georgia Auctioneers Commission (reappointment)
Benton is a third-generation auctioneer and president of L.W. Benton Company. He is a former president and a current regional vice president of the Georgia Auctioneers Association. Benton sits on the board of directors for MarkNet Alliance. He has twice been named the Georgia State Bid Calling Champion. Benton earned a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural/Applied Economics from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Jenni, have two children. They reside in Gray.
Stephen Burton, Georgia Auctioneers Commission
Burton has more than 30 years of experience as a licensed real estate broker and auctioneer. He is a member of the Georgia Auctioneers Association. Burton is a former member of the Brooks County Board of Commissioners and the Westbrook School Board of Trustees. He is a member of Quitman United Methodist Church. Burton and his wife, Marjorie, have three children and nine grandchildren. They live in Quitman.
Roy Cates, Georgia Auctioneers Commission (reappointment)
Cates is the pastor of Fishing Creek Baptist Church in Tignall. He has nearly four decades of experience in auctioneering, including estate, antique and livestock. He is a U.S. Army veteran and a graduate of the North Georgia School of Auctioneering. Cates is a Master Mason, a member of the Yaarab Shrine and a licensed auctioneer. He and his wife, Loretta, have three children, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. They reside in Tignall.
Charles Gay, Georgia Auctioneers Commission (reappointment)
Gay has operated real estate and personal property auctions for more than 47 years. He also instructs auctioneers pre-license and continuing education courses at North Georgia School of Auctioneering. Previously, he instructed real estate pre-license, broker and continuing education at Charles Gay Realty & Auction. Gay was inducted into the Georgia Auctioneer Hall of Fame in 2003. He and his wife, Shelva, have three children, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. They live in Rome.
Rossie J. Ross, Georgia Auctioneers Commission (reappointment)
Ross is a retired lieutenant with the Georgia State Patrol. He is a former president of the Richland Downtown Development Committee, past chairman of the Stewart County Voters Board and former director of Stewart County Emergency Management Services. Ross is active in the Richland, Lumpkin, Preston and Columbus chapters of the Masons. He and his wife, Margie, have three children and three grandchildren. They reside in Richland.
Jeff Porter, Georgia Board of Athletic Trainers
Porter is the head athletic trainer for the Atlanta Braves and has worked for the team for more than 30 years. Porter was previously an athletic trainer in Minor League baseball with the Denver Bears, Jamestown Expos, Memphis Chicks and Indianapolis Indians. He was the National League athletic trainer for the 1996 and 2008 MLB All-Star Games. Porter earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a master’s degree from the University of Denver. He has one child and lives in Loganville.
James Scott M.D., Georgia Board of Athletic Trainers
Scott is the founder of Georgia Sports Medicine. He has almost 40 years of experience in treating athletes from Tift County. Scott was previously president of the Georgia Orthopedic Society and the Society for Arthritic Joint Surgery. He was recognized by the Georgia Orthopedic Society for Distinguished Service in 2015. Scott earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia, a medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia and completed orthopedic training at Tulane University and the Hughston Clinic. He and his wife, Holly, have three children and eight grandchildren. They reside in Tifton.
Claire Bartlett, Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism (reappointment)
Bartlett is a field director for U.S. Representative Barry Loudermilk. She is a member of the state committee for the Georgia Republican Party and was previously the executive director of the Fulton County Republican Party. Bartlett sits on the advisory board for New American Pathways and was the former the lead adviser for Everyone Can Achieve Summer Jobs Program for Teens. She and her husband, Darrell, have three children and live in Roswell.
Kathy Colbenson, Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism (reappointment)
Colbenson is the president and CEO of CHRIS Kids, Inc. She has previous experience as a licensed marriage and family therapist. Colbenson earned the Evelyn Ullman Leadership Award, the Turknett Nonprofit Leadership Character Award and was named one of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “Top 50 Most Influential Nonprofit Leaders.” She is a member of Peachtree Baptist Church, the Downtown Kiwanis Club and volunteers with Leadership Atlanta. Colbenson and her husband, Pete, have two children and reside in Atlanta.
Quinntez Gurndy, Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism
Gurndy is the community health manager for Kaiser Permanente. He is an advisory board member for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta. Gurndy earned a bachelor’s degree from Marquette University and a master’s degree in Organizational Management and Leadership. Gurndy and his wife, Ebony, have three children and live in Stockbridge.
Jennifer Guynn, Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism
Guynn is the co-founder and executive director for Pebble Tossers, Inc., a youth development and community service nonprofit. She previously sat on the boards for the Junior League of Atlanta, the Impact! Group, the American Cancer Society and the Dunwoody Nature Center. Guynn earned bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Urban Studies from Furman University. She and her husband, Mike, have three children and reside in Dunwoody.
Lisa Perry, Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism
Perry is a board member of the Moultrie YMCA and a member of the High Potential Leaders Program through the University of Georgia Archway Partnership. She and her husband manage the family farming operation. Perry earned a bachelor’s degree from Radford University. She and her husband, Louie, have two children and live Moultrie.
Mary Sawhill, Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism
Sawhill is an active volunteer for the Lovett School, Girl Scouts of America, Washington and Lee University, the Darlington School, Feed My Lambs and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She sits on the board of directors for the Preschool at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. Sawhill earned a bachelor’s degree in Politics from Washington and Lee University. She and her husband, Matt, have two children and reside in Atlanta.
Aimee Simpson, Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism
Simpson is the national associate director for Corporate Engagement at the American Diabetes Association. She was previously the director for Strategic Planning and Initiatives at the Woodruff Arts Center and the southeastern deputy director at Business Executives for National Security. Simpson is a volunteer with the United Service Organization of Georgia, the National Foundation of Patriotism and is a member of the Leadership Georgia Foundation. Simpson earned bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Women’s Studies from Trinity University. She and her husband, Marisa, have one child and live in Lilburn.
Myra Tolbert, Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism (reappointment)
Tolbert retired as the service learning director for the Georgia Department of Education. She sits on the board of directors for the League of Women Voters of Georgia. Tolbert earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the City College of New York and a specialist’s degree in Education from Atlanta University. She resides in Decatur.
Matt Westmoreland, Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism
Westmoreland is the District 3 representative on the Atlanta Board of Education, where he serves as chairman of the Budget Commission and legislative liaison to the Georgia General Assembly. He is the program operations manager for Horizons Atlanta. Westmoreland earned a bachelor’s degree in History from Princeton University and lives in Atlanta.
Rich Vandever, Sexual Offender Registration Review Board
Vandever is a deputy chief assistant district attorney in the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office. He previously served as an assistant district attorney in the Griffin Judicial Circuit and the Northeastern Judicial Circuit. Vandever instructs law enforcement officers at the Gwinnett Police Academy and has been an instructor for the Prosecuting Attorney’s Council and the National Advocacy Center. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of West Florida and a law degree from Mercer University. Vandever and his wife, Kelly, have two children and two grandchildren. They reside in Milton.
Bob Reynolds, State Board of Dispensing Opticians
Reynolds is the general manager of Salle Opticians and a part-owner and optician at Vue Eyewear. He is the first vice president of the Opticians Association of America. Reynolds is a former president of the Opticians Association of Georgia and the Southeastern Opticians Conference. Reynolds earned a degree in Ophthalmic Dispensing from DeKalb Technical College. He and his wife, Sandi, live in Atlanta.
Patricia Ross, Veterans Service Board
Ross is the executive director of the Georgia Veteran Education Career Transition Resource Center. She retired as a colonel after more than 25 years of service in the U.S. Air Force. Ross is the military liaison for the Georgia Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission. She is also a member of the Governor’s Returning Veterans Task Force, the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans and the Air Force Association. Ross earned a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Tampa, a master’s degree in Systems Engineering Management from St. Mary’s University and a master’s degree in Military Operational Arts and Science from the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base. She and her husband, Scott, have four children and live in Warner Robins.