Deal appoints five to boards

Sachin Shailendra, Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia

Shailendra is president of SG Contracting, a full service construction management and general contracting company based in Atlanta. He serves on the Atlanta Opera Board and the Children’s Healthcare Sports Network Board. He previously served on the Alexander-Tharpe Fund Board of Trustees, the board of visitors for Emory University, the Georgia Network to End Sexual Assault, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Council and as president of the Woodward Academy Alumni Association. As an alumnus of Woodward Academy, he sits on the advisory council for the private institution. Shailendra graduated from Georgia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. He resides in Atlanta.

Paula S. Sparks, Georgia Child Fatality Review Panel (reappointment)

Sparks has worked in the fields of child protective services, law enforcement, child advocacy and public administration for more than 28 years. She is currently the assistant director for SafePath Children’s Advocacy Center. In 2012, she retired from the Cobb County Police Department as major over the Police Department Crimes Against Persons Unit. Sparks earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina and master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbus State University. She resides in Kennesaw.

Ashley Wright, Georgia Child Fatality Review Panel

Wright is the district attorney for the Augusta Judicial Circuit. Prior to her appointment in 2008, she served as an assistant district attorney for 12 years. She is the current president of the District Attorney’s Association of Georgia. She serves on the board of directors for the Salvation Army, Leadership Georgia and the Georgia Regents University Cancer Center Advisory Board. Wright earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Randolph-Macon Women’s College and a law degree from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer. She resides in Augusta.

Richard A. (Dick) Anderson, Georgia Higher Education Facilities Authority (reappointment)

Anderson is a senior adviser to Airo Wireless. He has previously served as vice chairman of BellSouth Corp., chief operating officer of the Federal Reserve, executive director of the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and as chairman of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. Anderson earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Business Administration from Murray State University. He and his, wife, Maureen, have three children. They reside in Alpharetta.

Rossie J. Ross, Georgia Auctioneers Commission

Ross retired as a lieutenant with the Georgia State Patrol. He serves as chairman of the Richland Downtown Development Authority and is a member of the Stewart County Board of Registrars. Ross is an active member of the Masonic Lodge and attends Preston Baptist Church. He and his wife, Margie, have three children and three grandchildren. They reside in Richland.