Board Member Biographies

 

   
 

 

Rebecca F.M. Brubaker currently serves as Chief of Staff and Operations Officer for the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), and is responsible for organization strategy, finance, operations, and board management. Ms. Brubaker has more than 30 years' experience working with organizations in Atlanta including the Atlanta Police Foundation and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. She is dedicated to building relationships, creating results-driven programs, and evolving volunteer and sales initiatives to accomplish success in a dynamic environment. Ms. Brubaker holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Georgia. She was nominated to the Board by the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. 

 


Todd A. Gray is Director of Supplier Diversity for Kaiser Permanente NFS. In this role, Mr. Gray is responsible for system wide Supplier Diversity for National Facility Services, the nation's largest vertically integrated healthcare delivery system. Prior to, he served as Director, Supplier Diversity at Grady Health System and Head of Supplier Diversity at CVS Caremark. As a Metro Atlanta native, he is an active participant in civic and state level initiatives impacting diversity and community. He has partnered over the last decade as a mentor through the State of Georgia's Mentor/Protege Program for small business development. He supports youth minority entrepreneurship through his partnership with the Greater Atlanta Economic Alliance Construction Skills Development Institute and founded an Atlanta community youth development initiative called P.O.L.I.S.H.E.D. to help you men in the Atlanta community develop life, social, and community involvement skills through ongoing tutoring and mentorship. Mr. Gray received a Bachelor's of Science in Network Communications Management from DeVry University, and holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration from DeVry's Keller Graduate School of Management. He was nominated to the Board by the Atlanta Business League. 

 

 

Natalie S. Lewis is a principal in the litigation services practice for Windham Brannon, LLC, a certified public accounting and consulting firm. She specializes in assisting clients with various forensic accounting and fraud investigations, damage calculations, and litigation support services. With over ten years of experience, Natalie has worked with businesses ranging from small family-owned businesses to Fortune 500 companies. She has held senior manager and manager positions at global and national accounting and consulting firms. Ms. Lewis holds several certifications including being a Certified Fraud Examiner, a Certified Public Accountant and being certified in financial forensics. She is a graduate of the University of Georgia and holds an MBA from Brenau University. She has published numerous articles and has served as an expert witness in cases involving funds tracing. Ms. Lewis was nominated to the Board by the Georgia Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

 





Nichola R. Hines
 serves as Chair of the Board and is currently the Assistant General Manager at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport for Delaware North, a contracted food and beverage company. Ms. Hines oversees 12 restaurants located on Concourse T and D and has worked for 13 years in the hospitality industry. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology and Social Science (emphasis in economics) from the University of Southern California. After graduation, she found a career in advertising and worked for Ogilvy and Mather as a media planner. During the recent economic downturn, Ms. Hines decided to follow her passion and went to culinary school. She graduated from The Art Institute of New York City with a discipline in Restaurant Management. She is Vice President of the USC Alumni Club of Atlanta and an active member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., serving on multiple committees. Ms. Hines was nominated to the Board by the Atlanta-Fulton County League of Women Voters.

 



Gerald (Gerry) M. Neumark
currently teaches public policy and political science in the Public Management and Policy Department of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University. The classes he teaches on a regular basis include Policy and Politics in the American City as well as Citizenship, the Community and Public Service, which is a course in local citizenship and service learning. Dr. Neumark received his M.S. in community development, his M.P.A. as well as his Ph.D. in political science all at Georgia State University. He has been involved in academic activities for the past several years, serving as a past board member of the Georgia Political Science Association (GPSA). He has presented several papers and journal articles on the policy development of the Atlanta BeltLine to the GPSA as well as in its journal, Questions in Politics. His writings also include the Georgia State University On-Line Professional Journal. In addition, he is the author of the textbook currently being used for a number of university service learning and local citizenship courses. Dr. Neumark been civically active within the City of Atlanta, including serving as the former vice-chair of NPU-F, first vice president of the Atlanta Planning Advisory Board (APAB); and for a brief time, president of APAB. Dr. Neumark was nominated to the Board by the Atlanta Planning Advisory Board. 

 

Cecily V.M. Welch is a licensed CPA in both Illinois and Georgia, and the owner of Welch Financial Advisors, specializing in tax preparation and financial planning for individuals with complex financial structures. Ms. Welch began her career as a national and international auditor and has provided accounting and financial expertise for over 25 years for both large and small CPA firms in the Atlanta metro area. Ms. Welch is a member of several non-profits and professional associations including the Georgia Society of CPAs, the IRS Advisory Council, the American Institute of Certified CPAs, and the National Black MBA Association. She is adept at helping people understand how their financial decisions help them meet their life goals. Ms. Welch was nominated to the Board by the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants. 

 



Lisa K. Liang 
is a Staff Attorney in the State Court of Fulton County, primarily assisting with the civil case load, consisting largely of torts, business disputes, consumer debt cases, and appeals from Magistrate Court.  After graduating from Georgia State University, College of Law, Lisa worked for Atlanta Legal Aid in the Health Law Unit which provides free civil legal services to low-income cancer and HIV/AIDS patients and survivors in metro-Atlanta.  Prior to law school, Lisa wore many hats – she taught elementary school and worked as a pediatric social worker. Lisa is active in the legal community.  She serves as a Board of Governors Member for the State Bar of Georgia.  Lisa is active in the Atlanta Bar Association – on the Board of Directors; as Co-Editor of the Atlanta Lawyer; with the CLE Board of Trustees; and recipient of a Distinguished Service Award and Rita A. Sheffey Public Interest Award.  She is co-chair of GAPABA’s Women’s Leadership Network. Lisa is active with the Lawyers Club of Atlanta.  Lisa is a graduate of the ADL’s Glass Leadership Institute; GAWL’s Leadership Academy; and the State Bar YLD’s Leadership Academy. In the Atlanta community, Lisa is the Chairwoman of the Ethics Commission of the Atlanta Board of Education.  Lisa coached the Varsity Girls’ Lacrosse team at Marist School and now coaches at Grady High School. Lisa lives in Midtown with her spouse and their dachshunds. She was nominated to the Board by the Atlanta Bar Association. 

   

Bing Wang is a Senior Attorney and Advisory to the General Counsel of Georgia Institute of Technology. She serves as a trusted internal advisor and provides insight to the General Counsel on all functions of the organization. She counsels faculty and staff on a variety of legal and policy matters relevant to the University, including conflicts of interest, outside employment and activities, political activities, gifts, misuse of University resources, and conflicts of commitment. Her current practice focuses on intellectual property, false claims act, federal grants, investigations, and litigation matters. Bing obtained her J.D. from Georgia State University School of Law. She is a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) and the Society for International Affairs (SIA). She is also a board member for the Georgia Lawyers for the Arts, a nonprofit organization that provides legal assistance and educational programming to artists and arts organizations in Georgia. Bing was nominated by seven major universities in Atlanta.

 

 

Terri Simmons is an attorney with over twelve years teaching experience at the law school, graduate and undergraduate level. She currently serves as the Staff Attorney to the Honorable Asha F. Jackson of the DeKalb County Superior Court. Prior to becoming a Staff Attorney, she practiced primarily in the area of family law. She currently sits on the faculty of Concord Law School at Purdue University Global where she teaches Estates, Wills & Trusts, Legal Research, and Legal Analysis and Writing. She also serves on the faculty of Southern New Hampshire University in both their Criminal Justice and Business Departments. She has previously served on the faculties of Clayton State University and Herzing University. At Herzing, she served on Advisory Board for the Legal Studies and Paralegal Department where she played an active part in the planning and development of the program’s curriculum, course development and design, retention and student success missions. She is active in the legal community as a member of the Gate City Bar Association where she was the past Judicial Reception Committee Chair.  She’s also been active with several legal organizations including NewRock Legal Society, the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, the DeKalb Lawyers Association, the DeKalb Bar Association, the American Bar Association and the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation. Terri earned her BS in Mathematics from Spelman College, her JD from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She was nominated to the Board by the Gate City Bar Association.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Former Board Members:

Chris Gilmore, Gate City Bar Association, 2019-2022
Wesley Tharpe,
Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, 2018-2021
Todd A. Gray,
Atlanta Business League, 2016-2021
Kate Wasch, Seven Major Universities, 2011-2019
Jessica Stern, Atlanta Bar Association, 2015-2019
Mecca Anderson, Gate City Bar Association, 2018
Riah Greathouse, 
Gate City Bar Association, 2015-2017
Brent Adams, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, 2011-2017
Carol Snype Crawford,
 Atlanta Planning Advisory Board, 2010-2016

Kai N. Williamson, Atlanta Business League, 2012-2016
Shukura Ingram Millender, 
Gate City Bar Association, 2010-2015
Pat Upshaw-Monteith, 
Atlanta-Fulton County League of Women Voters, 2014-2015
Caroline Johnson Tanner, 
Atlanta Bar Association, 2008-2014
De’Lonn Brown,
 Atlanta-Fulton County League of Women Voters, 2013-2014; 2015-2016

MaryAnne Gaunt, Atlanta-Fulton County League of Women Voters, 2007-2012
Charmaine Ward, Atlanta Business League, 2008-2011
Cathy R. Daniels, Six Major Universities, 2008-2011
Charles B. Crawford, Jr., Metro Atlanta Chamber, 2008-2011
John Lewis, Gate City Bar Association, 2005-2010
Jacquee Minor, Atlanta Business League, 2005-2008
Kenyatta Mitchell, Atlanta Planning Advisory Board, 2005-2008
Lawrence Levin, Ph.D., Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, 2005-2008
John D. Marshall, Jr., Six Major Universities, 2002-2007
Leah Janus, Atlanta-Fulton County League of Women Voters, 2002-2006
Robert B. Remar, Atlanta Bar Association, 2002-2005
Chuck Barlow, Atlanta Business League, 2002-2005
Michael D. Johnson, Gate City Bar Association, 2002-2004
Gloria Bromell-Tinubu, Atlanta Planning Advisory Board, 2003-2004
Seth Lynn, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, 2002-2004
Myrtle Davis, Atlanta Planning Advisory Board, 2002-2003