Gov. Kemp Names Thirteen Appointments

Atlanta, GA – Yesterday afternoon, Governor Brian P. Kemp announced thirteen (13) appointees to serve on various state boards, authorities, commissions, and councils.

Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Services Board

Suzanne Dooley is a benefits coordinator for Centegix. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia in 1985. Dooley and her husband, Daniel, have two sons, Michael and Matthew. They reside in Athens.

Statewide Independent Living Council

Matthew Dooley was born with cerebral palsy, and he is a development assistant with Extra Special People, Inc. in Watkinsville. He graduated from Oconee County High School and lives in Athens.

Board of Trustees of the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia

Lonice Barrett retired with over forty years of service in state government. During his career, he served in numerous roles, including Department of Natural Resources Commissioner and State Parks and Historic Sites Director. Barrett also worked on the Commission for a New Georgia. He earned a bachelor’s degreee in Recreation Administration from Georgia Southern University and a master's degree in Education from Georgia State University. He and his wife, Carol, have two children and several grandchildren.

Sapelo Island Heritage Authority

Francine Rena (Frannie) Bailey is the kitchen supervisor at the R.J. Reynolds Mansion. Bailey is a resident of Sapelo Island, and she has one child.

Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission

Dr. Jeff Traub is an orthopedic surgeon with Atlanta Bone and Joint Specialists. He is also the Chief of Orthopedics at Emory Decatur Medical Center. Traub earned a bachelor’s degree in Biomechanical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1989, and he received a medical degree from New York University School of Medicine in 1993. He resides in Alpharetta.

Board of Economic Development

Mathews Swift received a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Georgia in 1969 and a law degree from Walter F. Georgia School of Law in 1972. He practiced real estate law at Page, Scrantom, Sprouse, Tucker, and Ford Law Firm in Columbus, Georgia from 1972 to 1986. In 1986, he became the President and Chief Operating Officer of the W.C. Bradley Co. - Real Estate Division. In 1989, he became a certified commercial real estate investment manager and a Georgia real estate broker in 2009. Swift retired from W.C. Bradley Co. in December of 2017, and he resides in Columbus.

Allen Hodges serves as the president of Hodges Land and Timber, Inc., a fourth generation family-owned, forest-related business. Formerly a lumber manufacturer, the company dates back to 1919, and it has managed a portfolio of company and family timberland since 1981. Hodges received his bachelor’s degree in Industrial Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has three children. Hodges and his wife, Anne, reside in Sandersville.

Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

Laura Whitaker serves as an executive director of Extra Special People, Inc. She earned both her bachelor's degree in Collaborative Special Education and her master's degree in Adapted Curriculum Classic Autism at the University of Georgia. Whitaker has been awarded the “40 Under 40” by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, UGA Alumni Association, Athens Banner Herald, and the Georgia Trend. She has also been honored with the Super Citizen Award by the Athens Banner Herald, The Community Four-Way Test Award by the Rotary Club of Oconee County, and Volunteer of the Year Award by the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce. Whitaker is married to Joseph, and the two have three children. The family resides in Athens.

Division of Family and Children's Services State Advisory Board

Nancy White serves as the director of Program Operations for South Georgia Health Start through the Mercer School of Medicine. She received an associate’s degree in Nursing from Macon State College, a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Georgia College and State University, and a master’s degree in Public Communications from Mercer University. White previously served as a member of the Macon City Council from 2006 to 2013. She and her husband, John Jeffrey, reside in Macon.

Shondeana Morris was appointed by Governor Kemp in 2019 to serve as Superior Court Judge for the Stone Mountain Judicial Court. A product of DeKalb County Schools, Morris is a 1988 graduate of Lakeside High School. She holds an undergraduate degree in Journalism from the University of Georgia, a master's degree in Criminal Justice from Albany State University, and a law degree from Mercer University School of Law. Morris was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 1997. Before becoming a State Court judge, she was a deputy district attorney in Fulton County and an assistant solicitor for the City of Atlanta. She is a member of the State Bar of Georgia's Board of Governors, Georgia Association for Women Lawyers, Leadership DeKalb, UGA Alumni Association's Board of Directors, and several other organizations. Morris and her husband, Joe, reside in Atlanta.

Susie Weller serves as an executive director for Children First, Inc. In her position, she oversees all aspects of Children First, and she furthers the goal of promoting safe homes for children in times of family crisis. Weller has dedicated over ten years to child welfare through her work with Children First and as a program coordinator for Athens-Oconee CASA. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in Social Work from the University of Georgia. Weller resides in Athens.

Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame Board

George "Skip" Houston is a pilot for Southwest Airlines. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a B.S.A. in Agriculture Economics. Houston resides in Albany with his wife, Hilary.

David Hewers was reappointed.