On Wednesday, December 10th, MAX held our 5th Annual Meeting of the membership, at Georgia Power’s corporate headquarters, and celebrated our 11th year as a dynamic workforce development network. This is our time of year when we gather with our beloved MAX members as we celebrate the year behind and preview the year ahead. It is also when we announce our new slate of board officers and members for the next two years. More than 120 members gathered for this special time of celebration, enlightenment, and fellowship.
The meeting kicked off with welcome remarks from MAX board chair and emcee Jenny Taylor, chief mission officer and vice president of career services, Goodwill of North Georgia. Taylor introduced Stuart Countess, president & CEO, Kia Georgia, Inc. and chair of Georgia’s State Workforce Development Board, who provided a keynote address. Countess reviewed Kia Georgia’s progression from its initial announcement to build its North American headquarters and manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia in March 2006 to its 15 years of production where the company produces a new car every 51 seconds amounting to 350,000 vehicles per year. The Kia Georgia executive then launched into a discussion about the importance of embracing change as a leadership approach which includes coming up with a new solution every day, listening for growth, and welcoming new voices, amongst other things. The “Kia Way,” explained Countess involves five intentional acts: (1) care for people, (2) move further, together, (3) empower people to act, (4) dare to push boundaries, and (5) chase excellence, every day.
Following Countess’ address, Taylor, who will serve as Leadership MAX Class of 2026 program chair along with Kristin Laarhoven, assistant commissioner, Technical College of Georgia, welcomed to the stage Leadership MAX Class of 2025 program chairs John Helton, founder and principal of Bright Idea Collab, LLC and Breezy Straton, interim president, Elevate Douglas, who shared brief reflections on the Leadership MAX experience of the past year. Their remarks were followed by a message of congratulations to the graduating Class of 2025 from Terreta Rodgers, head of community affairs for Georgia with Amazon, the presenting sponsor of Leadership MAX. Rodger’s remarks were followed by the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2025. MAX congratulates the following graduates of the Leadership MAX Class of 2025!
- Autumn Andrews, Gwinnett County Government
- Rachel Ash, Elevate Douglas Economic Partnership
- Dr. Chuck Barlow Jr., Saving Our Sons & Sisters International aka SOSSI
- Ann Burris, Georgia Department of Human Services
- Dr. Maxine Cain, STEM Atlanta Women, Inc.
- Lisa N Davis, Atlanta Regional Commission
- Chanell Davis, City of Atlanta
- Carla DeBose, Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG)
- Tiffany Francis, Urban League of Greater Atlanta
- Nate Futrell, CareerRise
- Sergio Galeano, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
- Brenda Johnson, The Collaborative Training Company
- Jason Martin, ThrivalED
- Angelia O’Neal, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
- Ashlee Phillips, First Step Staffing
- Anggie Pope, City of Refuge
- Dr. Susan Simmons-Stevenson, Americans Thrive, LLC
- Jahari Soward, NPursuit Career Partners
- Paul Terlemezian, Georgia LEARNS Now, LLC
- Jordan Troutman, Newton County School System
- Michelle Vialet, WorkSource Fulton
- Joshua Williams, Decide DeKalb Development Authority ; WorkSource DeKalb
- Toya Williams, STRIVE Atlanta
- Olivia Wilson, CobbWorks Inc. / WorkSource Cobb
Leadership MAX Class of 2026 chairs Taylor and Laarhoven also acknowleged their excitement for the incoming Class of 2026. The Class of 2026 includes:
- Mariska Angall, Fulton County Government, Select Fulton, WorkSource Fulton
- Sheri Blight, CareerRise
- Jumoke DeLoach, Beyond Basic Consulting
- Nickell Durham, Atlanta Center for Self Sufficiency
- Tomica Felton, Atlanta Committee for Progress
- April Fresh, Wellspring Living
- Megan Heaphy, Georgia Life Sciences
- LaDonna Huggins, WorkSource Cobb, CobbWorks
- Petra Jeffrey, Year Up United
- Dr. Robert Joseph, Team MindShift
- Nate Marsh, MUST Ministries
- Angela Marshall, Georgia Coalition for Higher Education in Prison
- Nicole McQueen, Technical College System of Georgia, Office of Workforce Development
- Kashara Moorman, Talent Circuit Strategy
- Rudi Pangad, Decide DeKalb Development Authority
- Trey Powers, Inspiritus
- Twana Roots, Cobb Chamber of Commerce
- Antonio Sherrell, Atlanta Technical College
- Natalie Williams, Atlanta Mission
- Sooraya Williams, YWCA Greater Atlanta
Taylor followed the Leadership MAX announcements with an invitation to fellow MAX leaders to update the membership on MAX business as follows:
- MAX Collaborative Council Update, Dana Inman
- MAX Provider Council Update: Jeannie Ross
- MAX Data Council Update: Marion Phillips
- MAX Member Engagement Council Update: Breezy Straton
- MAX Program of Work Update: Joy Wilkins
Following the business updates, Taylor provided a hearty welcome to incoming board chair, Dana Inman, president & CEO, Atlanta Center for Self Suffiency, handing her the proverbial gavel. Inman first thanked her predecessors – past chairs Wendell Dallas, Amy Lancaster-King, John Helton, and Jenny Taylor – and then announced the MAX leadership team for 2026-2027 as follows:
- CHAIR: Dana Inman, President & CEO, Atlanta Center for Self Sufficiency
- VICE CHAIR: Daniela Perry, Executive Director, Georgia Chamber Foundation
- TREASURER: Tim Cairl, Senior Director, Talent Development, Public Policy, Metro Atlanta Chamber
- SECRETARY: Marion Phillips (MAX Data Council Chair), Research Manager, Georgia Power Economic Development
- PAST CHAIR: Jenny Taylor (Leadership MAX Co-Chair), Chief Mission Officer and Vice President, Career Services, Goodwill of North Georgia
- BOARD MEMBER EMERITUS: Wendell Dallas, Executive Vice President, Southern Company Gas
- Kristofor Anderson, Director of Energy Resources, Georgia Environmental Finance Authority
- Dr. Theresa Austin-Gibbons, Commissioner, City of Atlanta Department of Labor and Employment Services
- Derek M. Dabrowiak, Chief Academic Officer, Technical College System of Georgia
- David Dietrichs, General Counsel, Public Safety Brands
- John Hallman, Deputy Commissioner, Georgia Department of Human Services
- Brenda Johnson, CEO, The Collaborative Training Company
- Chris Kidd (MAX Minutes Lead), Director of Economic Development, University System of Georgia
- Kristin Laarhoven (Leadership MAX Co-Chair), Assistant Commissioner, Technical College System of Georgia
- Brett Lacy (WorkSource Metro Atlanta Liaison), Managing Director of Workforce Solutions, Atlanta Regional Commission, WorkSource Atlanta Regional
- Amy Lancaster-King, Principal and Chief Consultant, Long Game Solutions, LLC
- Karen Leone de Nie, Vice President of Community & Economic Development, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
- Amelia Nickerson, President & CEO, First Step Staffing
- Joe Paolini (MAX Talks Lead), Vice President, Bobby Dodd Institute (BDI)
- Jeannie Ross (MAX Provider Council Chair), Director of Workforce Development, City of Refuge
- Dr. Victoria Seals, President, Atlanta Technical College
- Breezy Straton (MAX Engagement Council Chair), Interim President, Economic Development, Elevate Douglas Economic Partnership
- Dr. Barbara Wall, Deputy Superintendent, Georgia Department of Education
Says Inman: “It is an honor to be selected to serve as chair of the MAX Board of Directors during this important time in our region’s workforce ecosystem. I look forward to working alongside this exceptional group of leaders to advance collaboration and economic opportunity.”
Inman shared her vision and priorities for 2026 and 2027 for MAX which align with MAX’s four strategic goals:
- Improve alighment within the workforce ecosystem.
- Increase visibility of workforce ecosystem.
- Increase quality, capacity, and effectiveness within the workforce profession.
- Serve as a sustainable, neutral convenor.
Last but not least, Taylor announced the recipient of the 2025 MAX Wendell Dallas Excellence in Leadership Award — Nate Marsh, Director of Workforce Development, MUST Ministries. Click here to learn more.
As her first duty as incoming chair of MAX, Inman reiterated her gratitude for MAX’s leaders and members and adjourned the meeting.
Special thanks to MAX Member Engagement Council members Stacey Avery, Monique Bell, Trey Benham, Allison Carpenter, Nickell Durham, Rosie Palmer, and Brooke Stall for ensuring a wonderful MAX Annual Meeting experience for all! And special thanks to Georgia Power Company for hosting us!
