Published: July 31, 2009 05:34 pm         

Governor makes executive appointments

ATLANTA - Gov. Sonny Perdue announced today the following executive appointments.



Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

Mary Burns, M.D., 46, Atlanta - Burns is engaged in private practice and serves as a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at Emory University. She is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, Georgia Psychiatric Physicians Association and Atlanta Women’s Medical Alliance. She served as chairman of the Board of Human Resources and as a member of the Mental Health Ombudsman Nominating Committee. Burns earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of the South and a medical degree from the Mercer University School of Medicine. She completed her residency in psychiatry at Duke University and a fellowship in child psychiatry at Harvard University School of Medicine. She and her husband, Eric, have two children.



Don Cole, 55, Cordele- Cole is president and chief executive officer of RTT Associates, Inc., a management and information technology consulting firm. He has also served as pastor of Southern Baptist Churches in Georgia and in the former Panama Canal Zone. Cole serves on the Board of Directors of the Cordele/Crisp Chamber of Commerce and served on the Georgia Board of Human Resources from 2003 to 2008 as secretary and chairman of the Division of Family and Children Services Committee. Cole received the Annette Bowling Advocacy Award from the South Georgia Easter Seals in 2004 and the National Easter Seals Outstanding Advocate of the Year Award in 2006 for his work to add 3,000 waiver slots to provide critical services for Georgians with developmental disabilities. Cole earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Georgia and a Master of Divinity Degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife Leslie, have one son.



Justin D. Neal, 29, Roswell - Justin is a financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual Financial Network. He serves as a board member for TeenPact Leadership School and as a college unit director for Northwestern Mutual’s internship program in Atlanta. He also volunteers as a speech and debate coach for high school students and previously served on the Board of Human Resources. Justin graduated summa cum laude from Berry College with a bachelor’s degree in Economics. He is married to Lindsey Neal.



Deirdre K. O’Brien, 48, Waycross - O’Brien is executive director of The Arc of Georgia and is also a licensed nurse practitioner. She is a member of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and the Olmstead Planning Committee and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and Kiwanis. O’Brien earned a bachelor’s degree from Dalhousie University and a master’s degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She and her husband, Randall, have two children.



Susan K. Radovich, 66, Statesboro - Radovich is a retired guidance counselor. She is a member of the Friends of Statesboro, Bulloch County Library Board, and the “Sprig-n-Dig” garden club. She has served as a member of the Pineland Community Service Board for ten years and most recently served as chairman. Radovich earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Indiana University, and Master Level School Counseling Certificate from Georgia Southern University. She and her husband, Frank, have two children.



Board of Human Services

Lisa W. Alexander, 44, Douglasville - Alexander is a fifth grade teacher for the Douglas County Board of Education. She is involved with the Douglas County One to One Mentor Program and attends First Baptist of Douglasville. She served as a member of the Board of Human Resources. Alexander earned a bachelor's degree from Georgia State University and is pursuing a Masters of Arts degree in Teaching at Mercer University. She and her husband, Christopher, have two children.



Franklin “Frank” G. Auman, 46, Stone Mountain - Auman is the chief executive officer of Flat Rock Enterprises, Inc., and special advisor to the chief executive officer of Cheatham Chemical Company. He previously served as chief executive officer of Validata, Inc. He is a member of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Advisors to Georgia’s We the People program. He served as a member of the Board of Human Resources. Auman earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Gaye, have three daughters.



Robertiena "Tiena" Fletcher, 59, Warner Robins - Fletcher is director of pharmacy at the Houston Healthcare Complex and serves as a member of the Warner Robins Chamber of Commerce, AAUW, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the Links, Inc. She has served as a trained mediator for the Houston County Juvenile Courts. Fletcher has also served as a member of the Houston County Board of Education, Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society and Goodwill and the Board of Human Resources. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Mercer University and a MBA and M.SA. from Georgia College and State University. Fletcher is married and has three children.



Monica Walters, 63, Barnesville - Walters is a retired educator from Lamar County Schools where she served as library media specialist. She served as president of the Barnesville Chamber of Commerce and president of the Barnesville Women’s League and as a member of the Board of Human Resources. She is on the Lamar County Board of Elections and the Lamar County Board of Tax Equalization. She has worked as director of after school grant programs designed to help youths make wise life choices and also volunteers at Sunny Grove Assisted Living Center. Walters earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University, a master’s degree from Columbus State University and a specialist’s degree from Georgia College and State University. She and her husband, John, have two grown sons and four grandchildren.



Ann M. White, 45, Rome - White is the director of Ride for the Children. She is a member of the Open Door Home, Cancer Navigators and Shorter College Board of Visitors and a former member of the Board of Human Resources, where she served on the Division of Family and Children Services subcommittee. She and her husband, Mike, have two children.



Board of Community Health

Norman “Norm” L. Boyd, 66, Alpharetta - Boyd is senior vice president of executive development and an officer of AGCO Corporation. He serves on the Board of Advisors of the Georgia Coverdell Leadership Institute and is a member of the U.S. Russian Business Council and the North America Corporate Directors Association. He has participated in the World Economic Forum. Boyd earned a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and completed the Executive Management Program at Dartmouth College. He and his wife, Colleen, have two grown children.



Hannah K. Heck, 27, Atlanta - Heck most recently served as policy director for Governor Perdue. Prior to her role as director, she served as general government and criminal justice policy advisor where she advanced the Governor’s legislative and policy agenda and advised the Governor on operational, budget, and policy direction for the state of Georgia, specifically on highway safety, corrections and technology issues, among others. Heck earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and will attend law school at Emory University in the fall. She and her husband, Jeffery, have one child.



Georgia Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies

Glade R. Johnson, 62, Atlanta, Private Security Member - Johnson is the owner and president of Advantage Protective Services. He is a member of the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI, Atlanta Chapter and a former member of the Board of Trustees of the Metropolitan Atlanta Crime Commission. Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University. He has two children and seven grandchildren.



Georgia Commission on Hearing Impaired and Deaf Persons

Laura G. Sarsfield, 43, Buford, Parent Representative - Sarsfield is a homemaker and former registered nurse. She serves as a mentor for the Bionic Ear Association at Advanced Bionics and active PTA and school volunteer at Patrick Elementary. Sarsfield earned a bachelor’s degree in genetics from the University of Georgia and bachelor’s degree in nursing from Brenau College. She and her husband, Michael, have three children.



State Board of Workers’ Compensation

Richard S. “Rick” Thompson, 51, Gainesville - Thompson is a partner at Drew, Eckl & Farnham, LLP. He is a former Administrative Law Judge with the State Board of Workers’ Compensation and served as United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Thompson earned a bachelor’s degree and a law degree from Mercer University. He and his wife, Jennifer, have two children.

     

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