Deal appoints 28 to boards

Matt Arthur, REACH Scholarship Board

Arthur is the deputy commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia. He was previously the president-elect of the Georgia School Superintendents Association and served as a member of the State School Superintendents’ Advisory Council, the Georgia Education Workers’ Compensation Trust Board of Directors, the Rabun County Development Authority and the Rabun County Board of Health. Arthur currently serves on Gov. Deal’s Education Reform Commission and chairs the Move on When Ready subcommittee. He is also a member of First Lady Sandra Deal's Children's Cabinet, the national board for the Southern Regional Education Board, and the Kentucky governor’s Early Childhood Commission. Arthur earned his bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and an education specialist degree from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Margie, have two children. They reside in Lakemont.

Joe Sam Robinson, REACH Scholarship Board

Robinson is president of the Georgia Neurosurgical Institute. He is the author of “Toward Healthcare Resources Stewardship” and is currently working on his second book. Robinson is a former member of the Georgia Board of Physician Workforce and Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and a medical degree from the University of Virginia. He and his wife, Betsy, have two children. They reside in Macon.

Jeff “Bodine” Sinyard, REACH Scholarship Board

Sinyard is owner and president of Adams Exterminators, Inc. He is on the Board of Natural Resources, the board of directors of the Suntrust Bank of South Georgia, the board of trustees of Darton State College, the Albany Dougherty Payroll Development Authority, the Georgia Military Affairs Coordinating Committee, the Georgia Elections Advisory Board, the Georgia Structural Pest Control Commission and the Board of Governors for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Sinyard also served as the chairman of the Dougherty County Commission and is the current chairman of the Dougherty Area Regional Transportation Authority. He and his wife, Lillie, have three sons. They reside in Albany.

Vernon M. Keenan, Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (reappointment)

Keenan is the director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. He is on the Private Detective and Security Agencies Board and the executive committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Keenan earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Valdosta State College and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbus State University. He and his wife, Joan, have two sons. They reside in Ball Ground.

Jay Sanders, Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (reappointment)

Sanders is the deputy director of the Governor’s Office of Transition, Support and Reentry. He previously was a special assistant to the director of Probation Services with the Georgia Department of Corrections. He is a POST certified master instructor with certifications in Firearms and Defensive Tactics. Sanders earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Pensacola Christian College and a master’s degree in Social Administration from Georgia Southwestern State University. He and his wife, Cathy, have two children. They reside in Forsyth.

Jeff Markey, Board of Driver Services

Markey is the associate vice president of Business Systems Transformation at the Coca-Cola Co. He is the vice president of the Brookwood Schools Foundation, and he has worked on multiple PTA boards over the years as both treasurer and vice president. Markey earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech. He and his wife, Joanne, have two children. They reside in Snellville.

Carolyn “Tippi” Cain Burch, Board of Community Affairs

Burch is an attorney with the Atlanta law firm Chalmers Pak & Burch LLC. She is on the board of trustees for the Georgia Legal History Foundation, the executive board of the Atlanta Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society and the Sustainer Council of the Junior League of Atlanta. Burch is a member of the Leadership Georgia Class of 2014 and was recently selected as a member of the 2015 class of lawyers “On the Rise” by the Fulton County Daily Report. Burch earned a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and a law degree from the University of Georgia. She and her husband, Sam, have one daughter and are active members of Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. They reside in Atlanta.

Mark D. Trail, Board of Community Health

Trail recently retired from Health Management Associates, Inc. He was previously chief of the Medical Assistance Plans with the Georgia Department of Community Health. Trail is an associate clinical professor in the School of Public Health at Georgia State University and an adjunct faculty member in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Georgia. He served as a member of the following associations: the board of trustees of the Georgia Community Trust; president of the Georgia Public Health Association; the board of directors of the National Association of County Behavioral Health Directors; the state board of Nursing Home Administrators; and the executive committee of the National Association of Medicaid Directors. Trail earned a bachelor’s degree from Bryan College and a master’s degree from Georgia State University. He and his wife, Carol, have three children and three grandchildren. They reside in Tyrone.

Karen Warren Rosas, Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers and Marriage & Family Therapists

Rosas works for the Juvenile Court of Macon-Bibb County, where she manages the Judicial Citizen Review Program. She serves on the board of FosterLove, Inc., as the director of Operations and Development and is an active member of the National Association of Social Workers. Rosas earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Georgia College & State University, a master’s degree in Social Work from Valdosta State University and is a licensed clinician Georgia. She and her husband, Julio, have two daughters. They reside in Macon.

Scott Johnson, Stone Mountain Memorial Association (reappointment)

Johnson is senior vice president of Financial Supermarkets, Inc., of Cornelia. He serves on the State Board of Education and is a member of the Cobb County Transportation SPLOST Oversight Committee. Johnson is a former chairman of the Cobb County Republican Party. He is a graduate of both Leadership Cobb and the Coverdell Leadership Institute. Johnson attended Shelby State College in Memphis. He and his wife, Janet, have three children and six grandchildren. They reside in Marietta.

Linda Sewell, REACH Scholarship Board

Sewell is a current and founding member of the Dyslexia Resource Trust Foundation Board. She is a member of the Agape Advisory Board and is a former member of the board of trustees of Trinity School, Schenck School and the Special Olympics. Linda and her husband, Rusty, have two children. They reside in Atlanta.

Anthony Williamson, Board of Community Health

Williamson is president of Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton. In 2005, he joined the Northeast Georgia Health System as vice president of Service Line and Greater Braselton Development. Williamson earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Florida State University, master’s degrees in Business Administration and Health Science from the University of Florida and is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He and his wife, Stephanie, live in Hoschton with their daughter.

Joseph F. Jarrard, Board of Public Health

Jarrard is adjutant general of Georgia. The brigadier general graduated from North Georgia College in 1988 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He served at numerous duty stations and was deployed overseas several times in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Jarrard was the Assistant Adjutant General-Army for the Georgia Department of Defense for more than three years prior to his appointment to adjutant general in January. He and his wife, Susan, have three children. They reside in Marietta.

Thomas W. (Tom) Wilson, Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Services Board

Wilson retired as manager of the Athens Unit, Vocational Rehabilitation Program for the Georgia Department of Labor. Following his retirement, Wilson worked an additional five years as a part-time rehabilitation counselor. He previously served as president of the Georgia Chapter and the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association and as president of the Georgia and National Rehabilitation Associations. Wilson is a current member of the Franklin Springs City Council and is a fellow of the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association. He is also a recipient of the Georgia Rehabilitation Association Professional Achievement Award and the Georgia Rehabilitation Association Citation Award. Wilson earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgia College and State University and a master’s degree from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Cathie, have two children and four grandchildren. They reside in Franklin Springs.

Vincent F. Martin, Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Services Board

Martin is a totally blind graduate research assistant and Ph.D. student at Georgia Tech. He currently serves as vice president of the Georgia Radio Board of Directors. Martin is also a retired U.S. Paralympic athlete and the first blind graduate of Southern Polytechnic University. He received an associate’s degree and two bachelor’s degrees from Southern Polytechnic State University and a master’s degree from Georgia Tech. He and his wife, Jacqueline, reside in Atlanta.

James N. DeFoor, Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Services Board (reappointment)

DeFoor retired as assistant commissioner of Rehabilitation Services at the Department of Labor. He is a member of the National Rehabilitation Association. DeFoor formerly served as president of the Georgia Rehabilitation Association. In 2013, he received the association’s Legacy Award. DeFoor earned a bachelor’s degree in Education and a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Aurena, have three children and eight grandchildren. They reside in Gainesville.

Sandy Adams, Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Services Board (reappointment)

Adams retired as the Elbert County Schools Adapted Physical Education teacher and Physical Education Department Chair. She is the founding sponsor and current president of Friends Helping Friends Club, Inc. Adams earned an associate’s degree from Emmanuel College, a master’s degree from the University of Georgia and an education specialist degree from Piedmont College. She is a Georgia Master Teacher and a National Board Certified Teacher. She and her husband, Jeff, reside in Elberton.

Michael E. Mixon, State Board of Accountancy

Mixon is a certified public accountant and owns the firm Michael Mixon & Associates, CPAs. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants. Mixon is also chairman of the Audit/Compliance/IT Committee of Southern Bank & Trust. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University. He and his wife, Nancy, have two children and two grandchildren. They reside in Clarkesville.

Dick Childers, Stone Mountain Memorial Association (reappointment)

Childers is a retired faculty member of the Mike Cottrell School of Business at the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega. He is a treasurer on the board of the Northeast Georgia History Center and is a member of the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants. In 2009, he retired from Brenau University as the vice president of Business and Finance. Childers earned a bachelor’s degree from Christian Brothers University and a master’s degree in Finance from the University of Mississippi. He and his wife, Elaine, have two children and four grandchildren. They reside in Gainesville.

Roy Roberts, Stone Mountain Memorial Association (reappointment)

Roberts owns and operates Nunnally Farms and is chairman of the Walton County Republican Party. Roberts earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky. He and his wife, Suzanne, have four children and 10 grandchildren. They reside in Monroe.

Carolyn Meadows, Stone Mountain Memorial Association (reappointment)

Meadows retired as a buyer for the Lockheed-Martin Employee Store. She is currently on the National Rifle Association Board of Directors, where she serves as vice president of the foundation. Meadows also sits on six NRA committees and is the second vice president of the American Conservative Union Board. She and her husband, Bob, have three sons and seven grandchildren. They reside in Marietta.

Ronda Rich, Franklin D. Roosevelt Warm Springs Memorial Advisory Committee

Rich is an author, syndicated columnist and former sports writer. Her first book was What Southern Women Know (That Every Woman Should) and her novel, The Town That Came A-Courtin’, was made into a television movie in 2014. Rich earned dual bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Broadcasting from Brenau University. She and her husband, John, reside in Clermont.

Jason F. Coley, Coastal Regional Commission

Coley is the Community and Economic Development project manager for the Coastal Region at Georgia Power. He has served on the McIntosh County Chamber of Commerce and the McIntosh County Industrial Development Authority. Coley earned a bachelor’s degree from Brenau University. He and his wife, Lorie, have two children. They reside in Darien.

Russ Goodman, Georgia Development Authority

Goodman is co-owner of Cogdell Berry Farm and currently serves on the Georgia Blueberry Commission. He is past president of the Clinch County Young Farmers, the Clinch County Farm Bureau and the Clinch County Republican Party. Goodman is also a former board member of the Georgia Fruits and Vegetables Growers Association. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Georgia. Goodman and his wife, Carra, have two children. They reside in Cogdell.

Marvin W. Alston, Sandersville School Building Authority

Alston retired as a managing director at Bellsouth Telecommunications. He was previously on the Sandersville Downtown Development Authority. Alston earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Management from Georgia Tech. He and his wife, Joanna, have three children and three grandchildren. They reside in Sandersville.

Frank Simmons, Sandersville School Building Authority

Simmons is on the Washington County Commission. He is the vice president of the local Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the commander of Post 110. He and his wife, Sara, reside in Sandersville.

Felix William Veal, Jr., Sandersville School Building Authority

Veal retired from the Thiele Kaolin Co. as a project engineer and the director of Regulatory Affairs. He is a member of the Washington County Historical Society. Veal earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Southern Polytechnic University. He and his wife, Frances, have two children and one grandchild. They reside in Sandersville.

Marisa Simpson, Board of Economic Development

Simpson is the director of Community Relations and Economic Development for AGL Resources Southern Operations. He is a trustee for the Leadership Georgia Foundation, Touchdown Club of Atlanta, National College Football Hall of Fame, Georgia Academy board and a member of the Georgia Economic Developers Association.  Simpson earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and was a member of the UGA football team. He and his wife, Aimee, have one child. They reside in Lilburn.