The Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce has announced the members of Leadership Augusta Class of 2024.
Leadership Augusta is a 10-month professional development program affiliated with the chamber, in which selectees cultivate new skills to further serve and engage the community.
Since 1980, the program’s leadership selection committee has sought to identify and educate current and potential community leaders in the CSRA, in areas ranging from medicine to the arts, construction to city government, law and even nonprofits.
According to the program’s website, Leadership Augusta aims to build relationships, foster networking and collaboration, and “provide a resource pool of leaders for the benefit of the community.”
This year the program has chosen 36 local professionals for its Class of 2024, representing various local community sectors, such as Augusta Locally Grown development director Diane Kerekanich, Keona Shaw, legislative aide for Mayor Garnett Johnson and Chesley Bolick, director of recruiting at the LOOP Recruiting employment agency.
Each month, members attend day-long classes to be educated on a particular subject or field. Scheduled for September, October and November, respectively, are History Day, Arts & Culture Day and Criminal Justice Day, for example.
There are also classes scheduled over the year for youth and children services, economic development, government, military, healthcare and community service.
The Augusta Leadership Class of 2024, chaired this year by Georgia Power external affairs manager Stephen King and Georgia Cancer Center chief of staff Albert Dallas, include the following:
- Dr. Marc Austin, Augusta University
- Chesley Bolick, LOOP Recruiting
- Abigail Bowman, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions
- Tevia Brown, Augusta Engineering & Environmental Services
- Natalie Butler, Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce
- Steve Chalker, The Burn Foundation of America
- Davis Clark, Colony Bank
- Steve Colson, Jani-King
- Jessica Edmonds, Piedmont Healthcare
- Kelly Flanagan, Augusta National Golf Club
- De Neiya Goodly, U.S. Army Signal School
- Leanna Hall, TaxSlayer
- Taylor Hanks, Augusta Entertainment Complex
- Jacquie Jaugsetter, ADP
- Kristie Johnson, Augusta University
- Darryl Jordan, Johnson Controls/Deep Data LLC
- Diane Kerekanich, Augusta Locally Grown
- LynJondria Kitchen, Cyber Center for Excellence & Fort Gordon
- Andre Lacey II, Topgolf Augusta
- Taylor Lamb, Augusta University
- Alexander Long, Synovus
- William Long, Belong Construction
- Dr. Donna Marain, biologist
- Matt Matson, Matson Law Office
- Kellie McElroy-Hooper, Augusta Technical College
- Maureen McManus, Child Enrichment
- Traci Pokrywka, Security Federal Bank
- Alexandria Powell, Cleveland Group
- Arthur Ross, violinist
- Keona Shaw, Augusta-Richmond County Mayor’s Office
- Tyler Snead, Cabinet Embellishment
- Caroline Ticknor, Club Car
- Kate Vinyard, Streamlineevents
- Alfred Vizzari, Clifton Construction
- Charles Williams, Augusta-Richmond County Tax Commissioner’s Office
- Cheryl Willis, Progressive Speech Unlimited
The program will kick off this year with its orientation, called the “Leadership Afternoon,” on Aug. 16, followed by a class retreat on Aug. 25 and 27.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
