Deal appoints 23 to boards

David Hewes, Aviation Hall of Fame Board
Hewes retired as a programming director with AAR Corp at Delta Airlines. He began his career with Southern Airways and has experience in technical operations, in-flight service, finance, security and aircraft accident investigation. Hewes earned a bachelor’s degree from The Citadel. He and his wife, Catherine, have three children and four grandchildren. They reside in Newnan. 

Craig Knowles, Georgia Board of Massage Therapy (reappointment)
Knowles is a licensed massage therapist and the lead instructor at the Gwinnett College-Rising Spirit Institute. He sits on the board of directors for the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards. Knowles earned a bachelor’s degree in Applied Science and Healthcare Management from Siena Heights University. He and his wife, Amanda, have one child and live in Snellville. 

Beth Beskin, Georgia Commission on Child Support
Beskin represents the 54th District of the Georgia House of Representatives. She is an attorney and a partner at Cohen, Cooper, Estep & Allen. Beskin is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Atlanta and sits on the board of directors for the Brandon Neighborhood Association. She and her husband, Jim, have two children and reside in Atlanta. 

Sallie Barker, Georgia Commission on Women
Barker works with the administrative team at Upson Regional Medical Center. She previously worked with the Georgia Health Policy Center, Athens Regional Medical Center and the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Georgia. Barker is a past president of the Pike County Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Rural Health Association. She is a graduate of Leadership Georgia and sits on the Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board. Barker earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Georgia and lives in Thomaston. 

Karla Jacobs, Georgia Commission on Women (reappointment)
Jacobs is a member of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Statewide Human Trafficking Task Force. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Literary Studies and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas. Jacobs and her husband, Stephen, have two children and reside in Marietta. 

Mia Rice, Georgia Commission on Women (reappointment)
Rice is a teacher at Brookstone School. She sits on the administrative board for Brookstone and is a member of the Women on a Mission committee at St. Luke Methodist Church. Rice earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Mississippi. She and her husband, Brooks, have three children and live in Columbus. 

Tita Stewart, Georgia Commission on Women (reappointment)
Stewart is the regional vice president of marketing for Amerigroup Georgia. She was previously the executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta. Stewart sits on the board of directors for the Atlanta Metropolitan College Foundation. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Savannah State University and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the Keller Graduate School of Management. Stewart and her husband, Bobby, have two children and reside in Atlanta.

Melissa Tymchuk, Georgia Commission on Women 
Tymchuk is the executive director of strategic marketing for Northeast Georgia Health System. She is also the chair of Hall County’s Vision 2030 initiative. Tymchuck sits on the board of directors for United Way of Hall County, the Edmondson-Telford Center for Children and the Georgia Society for Healthcare Marketing and Public Relations. Tymchuk earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Georgia. She and her husband, Daniel, have two children and live in Gainesville. 

Charles Thompson, Invest Georgia Board (reappointment)
Thompson is co-owner and principal of Eco-Capital Advisors LLC and a co-founder of ASW Distillery. He previously sat on the National Mitigation Banking Association board and was a founding board member of the Georgia Environmental Restoration Association. Thompson earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, a master’s degree in Business Administration and a law degree from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Liles, have two children and reside in Atlanta. 

Brittany Myers, Juvenile Justice State Advisory Group
Myers is a youth support partner at the Multi-Agency Alliance for Children. She is an advocate for Georgia EmpowerMEnt and a member of Lions Club International. Myers has two children and lives in Forest Park.

John Kieffer, Lake Lanier Island Development Authority (reappointment)
Kieffer is a small business owner with experience in construction and land development. He holds a professional contractor’s license in residential and light commercial construction. Kieffer is a past chairman of the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission and the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce. He was previously a member of the Forsyth County Commission and the Small Business Compliance Advisory Panel for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. Kieffer earned a bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering from Southern Polytechnic State University. He and his wife, Beth, have two children and reside in Cumming.

Thomas Worthy, MARTA Board of Directors
Worthy is the vice president of government and external affairs for Piedmont Healthcare. He previously worked for the State Bar of Georgia and in the governor’s office as deputy executive counsel. Worthy is the chair of the Juvenile Justice State Advisory Group. He is also a member of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and the Georgia Supreme Court’s Committee on Justice for Children. Worthy earned a bachelor’s degree from Washington & Lee University and a law degree from the University of Virginia. He and his wife, Julia, live in Atlanta.

Oscar “Steve” Hyman, Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (reappointment)
Hyman is the community relations and training coordinator for the Tifton Police Department. He has worked as a patrol officer, deputy sheriff, detective and field training officers’ crime suppression supervisor throughout 33 years with the department. Hyman was honored as the Tifton Police Officer of the Year in 1990, 1996 and 2000. He earned an associate’s degree from Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College and graduated from the FBI National Academy and the Georgia Command College. Hyman has two children and resides in Tifton. 

Mike Yeager, Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (reappointment)
Yeager is the sheriff of Coweta County. He sits on the Board of Community Supervision and the Immigration Enforcement Review Board. Yeager is a past president of the Georgia Sheriff’s Association and the Georgia Sheriff’s Youth Homes. He received the Georgia Sheriff of the Year Award and the Governor’s Public Safety Award for Outstanding Contribution to Profession in 2006. Yeager and his wife, Beverly, have two children and one grandchild. They live in Moreland. 

Jacqueline Bunn, State Board of Pardons and Paroles (reappointment)
Bunn is licensed to practice law in all state and federal courts in Georgia and New Jersey. She began her career as an assistant attorney general in the Civil Rights Section for the Georgia Department of Law. In 2006, Bunn served as deputy director in the legal services unit of the Georgia Department of Public Safety. She was appointed to serve as the executive director of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council in 2013. Bunn was recently selected for the Henry Toll Fellowship Program and is a member of the State Bar of Georgia's Promoting Inclusion in the Profession committee. She is also a member of the Georgia Bar Journal editorial board. Bunn earned a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism and a law degree from the University of Georgia. 

Jesse Crews, State Board of Physical Therapy (reappointment)
Crews is an educator and coach with more than 42 years of experience. He sits on the Charlton County Commission and is a member of the executive committee and board of trustees of the Georgia High School Association. Crews earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University and a master’s degree from Valdosta State University. He and his wife, Joan, have four children and six grandchildren. They live in Saint George. 

Reid Lawson, D.P.T, State Board of Physical Therapy (reappointment)
Lawson is the rehabilitation manager at St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital. He is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association and the Physical Therapy Association of Georgia. Lawson earned a bachelor’s degree from Augusta University and a doctoral degree in Physical Therapy from Utica College. He and his wife, Ashley, have four children and reside in Lavonia. 

Stefanie Palma, State Board of Physical Therapy (reappointment)
Palma is a professor emeritus at the University of North Georgia and provides neurologic physical therapy in Dahlonega. She is certified as a clinical specialist in neurology by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties and as a brain injury specialist by the American Academy of Brain Injury Specialists. Palma is a member of the education committee for the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy and was previously a commissioner and a vice chair for the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. Palma and her husband, Michael, have three children and live in Dahlonega.

Monty Strickland, State Board of Physical Therapy (reappointment)
Strickland is a licensed physical therapist with more than 16 years of experience in outpatient orthopedics and home health rehabilitation. He is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association. Strickland earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University and a master’s degree in Physical Therapy from the University of North Georgia. He and his wife, Mara, have two children and reside in Marietta. 

Chad Whitefield, State Board of Physical Therapy (reappointment)
Whitefield is a co-founder and managing partner of Advance Rehabilitation Management Group. He has been a licensed physical therapist for more than 21 years. Whitefield earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He and his wife, Lauren, have two children and live in Rome.

Yaser Abdallah, Statewide Independent Living Council
Abdallah is a district activist leader for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He is an advocate for the Georgia Money Follows the Person program, the Atlanta Regional Commission and the Georgia Council for Developmental Disabilities. Abdallah earned a bachelor’s degree from Governors State University. He has one child and two grandchildren. Abdallah resides in Decatur. 

Robin Blount, Statewide Independent Living Council (reappointment)
Blount is the disability community liaison for the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency. She is a board member for TASH. Blount earned a bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University and a law degree from the University of Georgia. She and her husband, Daryl, have five children and live in College Park. 

Steve Oldaker, Statewide Independent Living Council (reappointment)
Oldaker retired as an IT project manager with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. He is the chairman of the Brunswick-Glynn County Mayor’s Committee on Services for the Disabled. Oldaker sits on the board of directors for Living Independence for Everyone Inc. and Speech, Hearing and Rehabilitation Enterprises of Coastal Georgia. He resides in Brunswick.