Course Advisory Council

Laura Pate is a dedicated Parks and Recreation professional with over 25 years of experience in public service leadership. As Deputy Director for Forsyth County Parks & Recreation, she oversees business operations, recreation services and facilities, a multi-million-dollar budget, while leading staff development, accreditation, and strategic initiatives. Laura has been instrumental in advancing department policies, master planning, and community engagement. A Certified Park and Recreation Professional, she is active in state and national associations and has received the Georgia Recreation and Park Association’s Distinguished Professional Award.

Amber Read is the General Manager/COO of Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta, overseeing operations across two properties and leading a team of 350 employees. She contributes at both the local and national levels in the private club industry and is a strong advocate for advancing women in leadership. As a supporter of the Fierce & Fearless initiative, Amber is passionate about intentional cultural growth, mentoring, and creating opportunities for future leaders. She brings her operational expertise, strategic insight, and people-first philosophy to her advisory role with the University of North Georgia’s Women in Leadership Program.

Nancy Rewis is Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Berry College. She leads the Marketing and Communications teams actively supporting the strategic goals of the College. Nancy is responsible for managing a comprehensive marketing strategy for the institution and works across all departments to tell Berry’s story through public relations, digital marketing, creative services, video, and photography. Over the last five years, Nancy has led comprehensive market research and a rebranding of the college. She spearheaded the development of a new brand platform and implemented a multi-channel marketing strategy to increase and diversify enrollment at the institution. In partnership with Enrollment Management and IT, Berry grew first-year enrollment by 48 percent from 2018-24 while also increasing enrollment of students of color by 90 percent. In addition, the college increased the high school GPA of its incoming classes for three straight years. Prior to her role at Berry, Nancy was Vice President of Marketing and eCommerce at Gem Shopping Network in Atlanta. From 1994-2014, she served in a variety of roles at Turner Broadcasting including Vice President of Marketing and Brand Development. She was also Senior Director of Brand Partnerships and Director of Marketing for Turner Classic Movies. As a strategic leader, Nancy consistently delivered results through integrated marketing, partnerships, and brand extensions. She built a portfolio of five businesses generating more than $70 million in gross revenue and directed product development and multi-platform marketing. Nancy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Mississippi. She is a member of American Marketing Association, CASE District III, Women We Admire, and has served as Executive Mentor, Turner Women Today.

I'm Meenal Rathi, Vice President of Human Resources at a mid-sized pharmaceutical company based in Atlanta, GA. With over 15 years of global HR experience, I’ve had the opportunity to lead transformative people strategies that strengthen leadership, foster inclusive cultures, and drive organizational performance. My journey into HR began after starting my career as an RF engineer in India. Though I earned a degree in electronics and communication, I quickly realized my passion was not in technology but in understanding people—how they grow, work, and lead. That discovery led me into Learning and development, and I’ve never looked back. Over the years, I’ve built a career in developing talent, enabling leaders, and aligning HR strategy with business goals. A key area of focus for me is championing women in leadership. I’m proud to have helped sponsor and launch the first Women in Leadership Initiative (WLI) at my current organization. This program is centered on empowering women through mentoring, training, networking opportunities, and giving back to the community. Creating intentional space for women to rise, connect, and lead has been one of the most meaningful parts of my work. Having lived and worked across both India and the United States, I bring a global lens to leadership and people development. I’m passionate about building inclusive environments where individuals, especially women, can thrive, lead authentically, and create lasting impact.

Brandi Starr is an impact-focused marketing executive and Chief Operating Officer at Tegrita, a marketing technology consultancy that helps B2B organizations turn strategy into execution across the entire customer lifecycle. With over 24 years of experience, Brandi works with revenue leaders to close the gap between lead generation and sales conversion by building middle-of-funnel engines that accelerate growth. Her expertise lies in optimizing the middle of the funnel through orchestrated communication journeys and the strategic use of revenue technology. By aligning content, data, and automation around buyer behavior, Brandi helps go-to-market teams deliver consistent, measurable impact. Named one of the Top 50 Women in Martech, she is co-author of CMO to CRO: The Revenue Takeover by the Next Generation Executive and host of the Revenue Rehab podcast. Brandi is known for making complex marketing challenges solvable—and for always tying strategy back to revenue.

1.. CEO of Senior Care Office - Faculty for IM and FM residency programs. Create business plans and establishing Palliative Care service lines. Operationalization of high value person centered care frameworks to create readiness and fiscal sustainability in APMs and diverse risk models of payment. Large EMR development and rollout in post acute care setting. 2. Medical Director for CMS QIN/QIO- Create multi-pronged quality improvement frameworks. 3. Medical Director for Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health - expanding care capacity in NHs across the country to manage residents with SMI/SUD and co-occurring illnesses. 4. Associate CMO at Rainmakers.

Dr. Prerna S. Kahlon is a healthcare executive with over 24 years of experience in applying improvement science to deliver high quality clinical and operational outcomes at department, hospital and system level. In her various roles, she has driven the creation of an effective multi-disciplinary infrastructure for quality management by leveraging her clinical knowledge and experience with diverse hospital cultures; and complex organizations. Presently, she is Vice President, Quality and Process Improvement at Grady Health System in Atlanta, Georgia. Previously, she was Director, Quality Management and Performance Improvement at Boston Children’s Hospital. She also led hospital and system-wide Radiology quality efforts at Massachusetts General Hospital and Partners HealthCare Boston. She has a Dental Surgery degree from Bangalore University, India and a Master’s in Public Health Administration from the Sawyer School of Management, Suffolk University, Boston. She is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality®; Certified Professional in Patient Safety™; a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and High Reliability certified trainer. She has also served as a member of the Boston Women's Leadership Council, the Board of Directors Quality Committee for Franciscan Children's Hospital in Brighton, Massachusetts, the national Quality and Safety Leaders Committee for the Children’s Hospital Association, on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Association for Healthcare Quality. Dr. Kahlon was the Capstone Director; and advisor for the Harvard Medical School Southeast Asia Healthcare Leadership and China Hospital Leadership and Management programs from October 2017 through May 2020. Dr. Kahlon has presented at numerous national and international conferences; and is a co-author of numerous peer-reviewed publications in patient safety and healthcare quality.

Holly Ward is the CEO of Shore Coaching, whose vision is to inspire and equip others to become their best self. She began her career as an educator, an experience which instilled in her the value of thinking and learning. Her focus on encouraging students to use their strengths to succeed and helping them remove barriers to excel informs her work as an executive coach. For the past 25 years she has encouraged her clients to be and do their best. Holly received her PhD from the University of Georgia and her Instructional Coaching Certification from the University of Kansas. She is also a Certified Mediator, and worked with Harvard Professional Development Program to receive her certificate of Leadership Excellence in Leading Teams in 2023. She also is certified in the CDR professional assessment. Holly has confidence in the power of a support system to inspire individuals with a commitment and desire to grow to fulfill their greatest potential. She has seen first-hand that executive coaching’s focus on facilitating clients’ self-discovery and growth through a collaborative and confidential relationship can empower them to find their own solutions, take ownership of their development, and create a lasting personal and professional transformation. Holly considers it a privilege to help her clients realize personal and professional opportunities through coaching.

Yamini Sagar joins the University of North Georgia's Women in Leadership Program as a distinguished advisor, bringing her transformative experience as a technology CEO and innovator. With over two decades of leadership in global organizations and multiple technology patents to her name, she champions innovation and inclusive leadership. As a successful CEO& founder of Instarails and member of the U.S. Faster Payments Council (FPC) Board Advisory Group, Ms. Sagar brings real-world insights on breaking barriers and driving organizational change. Her journey from an immigrant professional to a recognized industry leader uniquely positions her to mentor the next generation of female leaders. In the Women in Leadership Program, she will guide participants in developing authentic leadership styles, strategic thinking, and the confidence to create lasting impact in their organizations.

Sunny Ashman is the Founder & CEO of AmpliSKY Franchise Consulting where she consults small restaurant brands on how to successfully expand their franchise concept. Sunny has more than 15 years’ experience developing high-performing teams and launching strategic initiatives across Operations, Training, Franchise Development, Human Resources, and Marketing. Most notably, she launched Moe’s Southwest Grill’s rebranding initiative, off-premise/third-party delivery for all FOCUS Brands concepts and the Branded Employee and Guest Experience initiative for Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. Prior to starting her consulting company, Sunny served as the Vice President of Training at Global Franchise Group (GFG) – parent company to Great American Cookies, Marble Slab Creamery, Round Table Pizza, Hot Dog on a Stick and Pretzelmaker; Sr. Director of Training & Operations Services at Cinnabon; Director of Strategic Initiatives Moe’s & FOCUS Brands; Director of Training, Project Manager and Franchise Development Manager at Popeyes; and Director of Development at Great Wraps. Through Sunny’s focus on making an impact through design thinking and change management processes, she has driven innovation, growth and engagement across all organizations she’s worked with and teams she has led. Sunny also serves as the Executive Chair for NextUp Atlanta, a women’s leadership development organization.

Wendy Perry is the Principal Owner and Co-Founder of KATALIS. She leads a team of professional consultants and human performance experts that is poised to partner with organizations to coach executives and develop high potentials in leadership. She honed her leadership skills as a Registered Nurse and U.S. Army Officer with over 22 years of experience, serving teams across the globe. The diversity of her experience as a clinician, human resources expert, and educator is unparalleled. Having served in key leadership roles in medical facilities, academic institutions, and executive agencies, Wendy believes that the common factor of success or failure in each organization is its leadership. She holds a BSN from Prairie View A&M University, and a MS degree from the University of Maryland with post-Master’s certificates in Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions, and Health Services Leadership and Management. In addition to her degrees, she has earned certification in Executive Coaching at the University of Georgia and certifications in Women’s Leadership and Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University. She is an active member of her community having served on various Boards to include the Girl Scouts Advisory Board (Chair), The Central Savannah River Area Society for Human Resources (Diversity Chair), the Augusta Player’s (Vice Chair), and Forces United. She currently serves as the Immediate Past Chairman of the Board for the Columbia County Chamber, of which she has served in various capacities over six years. Recently, she was appointed as a Trustee for the Columbia County Board of Education Foundation Board. She has been married for 26 years and has two daughters. She and her husband also partner in ministry to Married Couples, having led Marriage Ministry at Oakey Grove Baptist Church.

Carolyn Brooks-Collins is an international speaker, 4x #1 best-selling international author, business coach, and consultant. She is the CEO and Founder of M. Carolyn-Brooks Collins, LLC, a multi-dimensional coaching and consulting firm dedicated to transforming individuals and organizations. She is also the creator of the Fearlessly Confident Coaching program, which empowers women to take bold steps toward fulfilling their personal, professional, and financial goals. With over 45 years of corporate management experience in accounting, leadership, and risk management, Carolyn holds a B.A. in Accounting, an MBA in Project Management, and honorary doctorates in Christian Leadership and Business Entrepreneurship. She is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). Through her writing and speaking, Carolyn shares a powerful message of empowerment, inspiration, and hope, helping women embrace confidence and take control of their lives

Dr. Maxine Cain: Visionary Leader & Advocate for Inclusivity in STEM Education and Training. Dr. Maxine Cain is an influential figure in the tech industry, known for her dynamic leadership and commitment to fostering inclusivity, innovation, and education. As the founder & CEO of STEM Atlanta Women, Inc. and Mathis, Griffin, Cain, LLC, she is at the forefront of transforming the landscape for women and underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). With a rich background in business management and human resource management from the University of Phoenix, Dr. Cain brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her ventures. Her extensive professional journey and impact in the field demonstrate her expertise and dedication. Dr. Cain holds a Doctor of Humane Letters for her significant contributions to humanitarianism in STEM education and training. Her leadership in STEM Atlanta Women, Inc. emphasizes enlightenment, education, and empowerment, striving to bridge the gender gap in technology. Dr. Cain is the Founder & CEO of Mathis, Griffin, Cain Consulting, she champions the integration of digital labor, strategic management, and emerging technologies, shaping the future of work and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the tech industry. Recognized for her exemplary community service with awards such as the Biden President's Lifetime Achievement Award and the Georgia Outstanding Georgia Citizen Award, Dr. Cain continues to inspire and influence the tech industry towards a more inclusive and innovative future.

Deidra Cox bring 25 years of Global Talent Acquisition, Executive Coaching and Branding expertise, uniquely positioning as a LinkedIn Top Voice driving clarity, knowledge, engagement, and reach for 20k followers across 20 countries. As a 2x Recruiter at Microsoft and after getting certified on LinkedIn in 2017, Deidra built a company around the platform to help professionals navigate the drastically changed job market - inspiring awareness around the digital landscape and how to build social currency to attract Recruiters and opportunities organically.

Ekaette Kern is a dynamic communications strategist, author, and thought leader with a passion for transforming brands, shaping impactful narratives, and fostering inclusion. As the founder of Tenet Consultancy, Ekaette partners with organizations and executives to craft innovative strategies that drive measurable results and mobilize communities into action. Ekaette is also the author of The Colors of Me, a celebrated children’s book inspired by her daughter, Shiloh, that encourages young readers to embrace their unique identities with confidence and pride. A trailblazer in her field, Ekaette’s expertise spans executive communications, brand development, and crisis management, earning her a reputation as a trusted partner and thought leader. With a commitment to advancing diversity and equity, Ekaette serves as the board chair of The A Pledge and leverages her platform to mentor and empower Black professionals in communications. Driven by her values and inspired by her experiences, Ekaette combines purpose with innovation to shape a more inclusive and impactful world.

Sheila R. Carmichael, MCC, M.Ed., is the Founder and CEO of Transitions D2D, LLC, a boutique executive presence and leadership influence firm partnering with senior leaders across Fortune 500, Big 4, and mission-driven organizations. Drawing on more than 30 years of talent leadership experience — including recent four years as a Global Executive Coach in EY's Americas Executive Coaching Practice — she helps executives convert blindspots into strategic advantage through her proprietary 3D Authentic Presence™ Framework and Invisible Influence Method™. Sheila holds the International Coaching Federation's Master Certified Coach credential, placing her in the top 5% of coaches globally, and is the author of PRESENCE: Self-Coaching Strategies to Ignite Your Authentic Leadership (2024). She is currently a Doctor of Business Administration candidate in Organizational Leadership at South College. Known as "The Georgia Peach with Some New York Hot Sauce™," Sheila brings warmth, directness, and three decades of boardroom fluency to every engagement — grounded in her core values of grace, dignity, and respect.

A key member of Apple's U.S. Sales and then Worldwide Product teams for over a decade, Dot later founded Loupe Art, a patented digital art streaming service featured on fourteen global TV platforms, which was acquired by Stingray Group. Currently, she serves as Chief Strategy Adviser to Collimation.TV, an immersive entertainment company based in Los Angeles. Bustelo is recognized worldwide as a product and market development executive specializing in innovation, technology, media, and entertainment. She is a two-time Woman of the Year in Technology finalist for WIT (2021, 2022).