Deal appoints 13 to boards

William H. Gross, Jekyll Island State Park Authority

Gross is the owner and president of W.H. Gross Construction. He has worked in light commercial and residential construction in Florida for the past 26 years. He currently serves on the Southeast Georgia Health System Foundation and is chairman of the Camden County Chamber of Commerce. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of North Florida. He is a lifelong member of First Baptist Church of Kingsland. He and his wife, Renee, have twins. They reside in Kingsland.

Michael A. “Mac” Collins, Board of Corrections

Collins has been a small business owner for the past 52 years. He is a former congressman, Georgia state senator and Butts County Commission chairman. He is a member of the Jackson-Butts County Rotary Club and Partners for Smart Growth. He and his wife, Julie, have four children, 11 grandchildren and one great grandson. They are expecting their 12th grandchild in July. They reside in Jackson.

Andrea S. Shelton, Board of Corrections

Shelton serves as the president and founder of HeartBound Ministries, a Georgia-based prison ministry. She is the recipient of the Spirit of Oglethorpe award from Oglethorpe University and the E. Dale Threadgill Community Service award from Leadership Georgia. Shelton earned a bachelor’s degree from Oglethorpe University and a law degree from the University of Tennessee. She and her husband, Joe, have two children. They reside in Atlanta.

Dellarie L. Shilling, Georgia Board of Nursing

Shilling is an assistant professor in the School of Nursing at Georgia Southern University. She has been a nurse in Georgia for more than 31 years. She is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Coalition of Advanced Practice Nurses, the United Advanced Practice Registered Nurses of Georgia and president of the Mu Kappa Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society. Shilling earned a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Armstrong State College, a master’s degree in Family Nurse Practitioner and a doctor of Nursing Practice from Georgia Southern University. She has two adult children and resides in Statesboro.

Henry R. Roberts, State Board of Nursing Home Administrators

Roberts is currently the director of Long Term Care Services for Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, as well as the administrator of New Horizons Limestone. He previously served as an administrator for Georgia Baptist Health System, the Brian Center Corp. and the Alabama/Northwest Florida Methodist Homes for the Aging. He currently serves as president of the Northeast Council for the Georgia Health Care Association. Roberts earned a bachelor’s degree in Management from Georgia Tech and a master’s degree in Health Administration from Georgia State University. He and his wife, Kathy, have two children and one grandchild. They reside in Gainesville.

Daniel J. Waltz, Consumer Advisory Board

Waltz is finance director at Milton Martin Honda. He served six years in the Naval Nuclear Submarine Service. He serves as head usher at Lifepoint Assembly of God in Gainesville. Waltz earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Oregon State University. He and his wife, Rhonda, have two children. They reside in Gainesville.

Margaret D. Evans, Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (reappointment)

Evans has served as mayor of Sylvania since 1998. She retired as vice president/lending officer with Farmers and Merchants Bank of Sylvania and previously served as a member of the Sylvania City Council. She serves on the board of directors of Coastal Regional Commission. Evans was inducted in the Georgia Municipal Association Hall of Fame in 2009 and was named State Downtown/Better Hometown Volunteer of the Year in 2013 by the Department of Community Affairs. Evans is a member of the Sylvania First Baptist Church and Friends of Screven County Animals. She and her husband, Osal, reside in Sylvania.

Mike Jolley, Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (reappointment)

Jolley was elected sheriff of Harris County in 1992 and has served for six consecutive terms. He retired as a chief warrant officer 3 from the U.S. Criminal Investigation Command in 1992 after 20 years of service with the U.S. Army. He serves as president of the Constitutional Officers of Georgia and previously served as president of the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association. Jolley holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Investigation and master’s degree in Public Administration. He and his wife, Cindy, have two children. They reside in Hamilton.                   

Wanda G. Creel, Board of Trustees of the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia

Creel recently joined the Gainesville city school system as superintendent. She was previously the superintendent for the Barrow County school system. She serves on the eBOARDSolutions Board of Directors and as a member of the Georgia School Superintendent Association and Georgia School Board Association. Creel earned two bachelor’s degrees from Columbus State University, a master’s degree from State University of West Georgia, specialist degree from Lincoln Memorial University and a doctorate degree from Samford University. She has three daughters and resides in Gainesville.

Jennifer W. Frisch, Board of Trustees of the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia (reappointment)

Frisch currently teaches Earth Science to advanced students at Lovinggood Middle School. She previously taught at Pickens Middle School for 10 years and Lost Mountain Middle School for 13 years. In 2002, Frisch was named Cobb County Teacher of the Year. She has also been selected as a NASA NEWEST Teacher, a fellow of the University of Tennessee Academy for Teachers of Science and Math and Teacher of the Year at Lost Mountain Middle School. Frisch earned her bachelor’s degree in English Education and a master’s degree in Reading Education at Marshall University; she also earned a master’s degree in Educational Administration at Kennesaw State University. She has two adult children and resides in Powder Springs.

William G. Sloan, Jr., Board of Trustees of the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia (reappointment)

Sloan has been the executive director of the Georgia Retired Educators Association since 2005. He retired in 2005 after serving as principal of East Hall High School in Gainesville for more than 17 years. He was named the State High School Principal of the Year in 2004 by the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals. He has previously served on the Professional Association of Georgia Educators Board of Directors and the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals Board of Directors. He holds an undergraduate degree from Georgia Southern College, two degrees from the University of Georgia and a doctorate in Educational Administration from NOVA Southeastern University. He and his wife, Janice, have two children and two grandchildren. They reside in Gainesville.

Neil S. Wyche, State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors

Wyche is a registered professional engineer in the state of Georgia and has been directly involved in the consulting engineering profession for 35 years. He is president of NBP Engineers, Inc., located in Macon. He has served on the board of directors for the American Council of Engineering Companies of Georgia and is a member of the American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers. Neil earned a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He and his wife, Robin, have two children. They reside in Macon.

Valya S. Lee, Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission

Lee is superintendent of the Liberty County school system. She served as superintendent in two Georgia school districts prior to her appointment in Liberty County. She is a former k-12 educator and adjunct professor at the university level. Lee earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Spelman College, a master’s in Education from West Georgia College, a Specialist in Education degree from Troy State University and a doctorate in Education from Argosy University. She and her husband, Gerald, have two children and seven grandchildren. They reside in Midway.