Gordon State Establishes Six Advisory Boards

Gordon State College advisory boards met to provide guidance, advice for curricular changes and programs as the institution strives to maintain relevance in the workforce.
Gordon State College advisory boards met to provide guidance, advice for curricular changes and programs as the institution strives to maintain relevance in the workforce.

BY: KATHERYNE A. FIELDS, Gordon State College Director of Marketing

Gordon State College welcomed six newly established advisory boards on campus for Fall Semester 2019. The respective advisory boards will provide guidance and advice as curricular changes are made to programs and strive to maintain relevance within the workforce.

As part of the institution’s Strategic Plan, The Power of We, released in the summer of 2019, imperative three includes strengthening community engagement and partnerships. Board chair and assistant chairs were named during the advisory board meetings, which are scheduled to meet once in the fall and once in the spring.

“By putting together the advisory boards, we are demonstrating our commitment to a shared narrative,” said Gordon State College President Kirk A. Nooks. We are excited to develop meaningful and productive relationships with employers throughout Gordon State College’s 14-county primary service region.”

Gordon State College’s 14-county primary service region includes Butts, Clayton, Coweta, Crawford, Fayette, Henry, Lamar, Macon-Bibb, Meriwether, Monroe, Pike, Spalding, Talbot and Thomaston-Upson counties.

The boards featured a blend of alumni, community leaders and friends of the institution with a unified desire to help connect the college and the community

Members of the Business Advisory Board include: Ginny Blakeney, Pike County Industrial Development Authority; Beth Burns, City of Flovilla; Kyle Fletcher, Thomaston-Upson County Development Authority; Jane Fryer, Meriwether County Development Authority; Cheri Hobson-Mathews, Henry County; Lesley McNary; John Newman, Classic Landscapes in McDonough; Kathy Oxford, Barnesville-Lamar Industrial Development Authority; Lydia Pierre, Pierre Branding Group; Ron Shipman, Georgia Power; Kenny Smith, City of Griffin; Trae Westmoreland, Coweta County Development Authority and Bob White, Butts County.

Members of the Career Services Advisory Board include: Megan Dean, Fayette Chamber of Commerce; Sekema Harris-Harmon, GA Department of Human Services; Dr. Cassandra Miller, Hutchings Career Academy; Torey Oglesby, Mercedez Benz, Pinnacle Group; Craig Ogletree, GA Power-Pike; Sharon Ponder, Bennett International; Ann Marie Pope, Butts County Chamber of CommercePatti Temple, Crawford County Chamber; Curtis Weaver, Zaxby’s and Tameisha Weaver, LT Marketing.

Members of the Fine & Performing Arts Advisory Board include Dr. Jimmy Cheek, Martha Eleen Stilwell School of Arts; Ryan Cummings, Griffin Academy of Music; Jackson Daniel, Fine Arts Center; Christopher J. Deraney, Deraney's Two City Tavern; Patrick Hamilton, Fine Arts Center; Andrew Henry, Local artist and GSC graduate; Kay Pedrotti, Lamar Arts; Alan Stecker, Middle Georgia Artist and Eleanor Stecker, Middle Georgia Artist.

Members of the Human Services Advisory Board include:  Regina Abbott, Spalding County; Carol Prince-Breissinger, Coweta County Family Connection; Holly Cantrell, Pike County High School; Dr. Alicia Dunn, School Counseling and Mentorships; Rhonda Fuller, The Meriwether County Interagency Council/Family Connection Inc.; Latanya Lowery, In The Door Now; Kellie Mercer, Lamar County Family Connection Collaborative; Crystal Black Mills, In The Door Now; Ann-Marie Pope, Butts County Life Enrichment Team Inc.; Michael Powell, Pike County's You equal Success Team, Inc. and Jill Vanderhoek, Community Partnership Inc.

Members of the School of Education Advisory Board include Dr. Julie Alligood, Middle Georgia Regional Education Service Agency; Ms. Fran Dundore, Butts County Schools; Dr. Alicia Dunn, Clayton County Schools; Dr. Stephanie Gordy, Griffin Regional Education Service Agency; Hon. Tasca Haglar, State of Georgia; Dr. MeQuanta McCord, Monroe County Schools; Dr. Gary Myrthil, Warner Robins Dialysis Center; Dr. Tiffany Taylor, Griffin-Spalding Schools; Dr. Kelly Teague, Henry County Schools; Dr. Pam Wetherington, Pearson Inc., and Ms. Kimberly Wilber, Newton County Schools.

Members of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences Board include: Schvon Bussey, Home Health Services; Paula Butts, Piedmont Henry Hospital; Charlotte Costello, HCA Healthcare; Eric Epps, Wellstar Health System; Sherry Farr, Georgia Department of Public Health; Alfreda Hamilton, Southern Regional Hospital; Jodi Kidd, Lamar County Schools; Jeff Mills, Piedmont Henry Hospital Board; Olugbenga Obasanjo, Georgia Department of Public Health; Gwendolyn Parks, Sacred Journey Hospice; Morris Pride, Wellstar Health System; Donna Stefano, Ethica Health and Retirement; Carmen Templeton, Upson Regional Medical Center; Angela Williams, Brightmoor Hospice; Valerie Wrice, the Addison Group.