Jerome Johnston, a licensed professional engineer, serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Carroll EMC. A native of Carroll County, he graduated from Bowdon High School, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of West Georgia. During undergraduate school, he worked for Carroll EMC as an engineering co-op student and once he graduated from Georgia Tech, he began his Carroll EMC career, starting with the engineering department. Jerome is an active member and a past president of the Carrollton Lions Club, a graduate of the Carroll Leadership Academy, and a graduate of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development. He is also a past president of the Georgia EMC Engineering Association. He is married to Jennifer and they have two children, Julianna and Jake. The Johnstons are members of Roopville Road Baptist Church. Jerome is honored to serve on the board and help support the mission of PASS.

Amy Brown is the CEO of Amy L. Brown Insurance and Financial Service, Inc. and operates a local State Farm Agency in Villa Rica. Amy was raised in Montezuma, Ga., where both of her parents were school administrators. Her husband is a middle school teacher in Carroll County Schools. Throughout her life, Amy has seen first-hand the struggles and issues faced by teachers, administrators and students in local public schools. She believes that Partners Advancing Student Success fills a crucial role in connecting schools with the wonderful people and incredible resources in our community. Amy has a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of West Georgia. She and husband Jason have three children. Amy's passion for improving Carroll County extends through involvement in Bowdon Baptist Church, the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce, Villa Rica Rise-n-Shine, and other school and community activities.

Donna Armstrong Lackey serves as Past Chairperson of PASS and has served on the PASS Board of Directors since 2012. Professionally, she is Executive Director and County Clerk for the Carroll County Board of Commissioners. In this role, she supports the County Commission Chairman in day-to-day administrative duties and maintains all records as may be required by the Commission, local ordinance, or state law. She serves as a liaison to county department heads, elected officials, and employees for the Chairman. Prior to joining the county government, Donna served in leadership roles with the University of West Georgia, Carroll Tomorrow Economic Development Foundation, and regional and local government. She holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of West Georgia; a Bachelor’s degree in Communications/Public Relations from Shorter University; and, a professional certificate in Economic Development from the University of Oklahoma. Donna was appointed in 2020 by Governor Brian Kemp as the 3rd Congressional District board member of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. She is very active in local organizations including UWG Alumni Association and Carrollton Rotary.

Carol M. Reid is the Vice President of Administrative Services at West Georgia Technical College. In this role, she is responsible for Financial Services, Financial Aid, Facilities, Auxiliary Services, Human Resources and the Police Department. She joined West Georgia Technical College in 2001 shortly after moving to Georgia from New York. She holds an Associate’s degree in Accounting from Niagara County Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Business Studies from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. She has a Certificate in State Financial Management from the University of Georgia, Carl Vinson Institute of Government and a Certificate in Banking from the American Institute of Banking. Carol lives in Carrollton with her husband Stanley. They have four sons and three grandchildren. They are active members of Frist Christian Church of Carrollton. ​Carol is committed to helping others understand that through education anything is possible.

Emily Talley, CEBS, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, serves as Vice President of Human Resources (HR) for Tanner Health System. Ms. Talley is responsible for all aspects of human resources management for Tanner’s workforce of over 3,400 dedicated professionals serving the needs of our patients and communities. She brings almost two decades of HR experience and has served as a board member for HR and benefits professional organizations. She has had the opportunity to share her experience through presentations at national conferences as well as through teaching Human Resources Management courses at the University of West Georgia. A graduate of Carrollton High School, Ms. Talley completed her undergraduate degree at the College of William and Mary and her M.B.A. at the University of West Georgia. She lives in Carrollton with her husband, Alan Talley, who is an educator and author.

Charles "Alan" Martinez had a vision for a local "full-service" financial company. That vision became reality in 2003 when MY Financial Services was established in downtown Villa Rica, Georgia. Alan has been in the insurance industry since 1991 and has access to numerous financial services companies. He holds the designation of LUTCF (Life Underwriting Training Council Fellow) and is insurance licensed in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. As a financial professional, Alan is diligent about his customer's financial matters and has a conservative philosophy regarding their financial holdings. He offers personalized solutions, and monitors and tracks his recommendations to help ensure his client's financial goals are achieved. Alan has lived in Villa Rica since 1991 and is a resident of Fairfield Plantation. He and his wife, Miranda, have seven children. Miracle and Lauren are graduates of WGTC. Alexis is a graduate of UGA and has now joined our firm here as an Investment Advisor. Jesse has also joined our firm as an insurance professional. Jordan is currently enrolled at UWG. Celina is a stay-at-home mom looking after our granddaughter Lilea. Alan has been an active member in his community for many years. He is a former member of the Villa Rica Board of Tourism. He is a current board member for PASS (Partners Advancing Student Success). He is also the former Board Chair of the Community Foundation of West Georgia. He and his family are members of the First Baptist Church of Villa Rica and have been very active in serving Christ and his people in Nicaragua on numerous mission trips.

Ashley Bush is native of Carrollton, Georgia and a graduate of Central High School and the University of West Georgia. Ashley and Kevin reside in Carrollton with the most adorable little boy, Andrew. Ashley began her career at Southwire in 2010 and has held a variety of responsibilities over the last decade including visual production, brand management, strategic planning, crisis communication, and media relations. In her current role, she leads Southwire’s Corporate Communication team. In addition to serving on the PASS board, she is also involved in the both the local, state and broader industry community in a variety of organizations and groups including Southwire’s Project GIFT, Carrollton Dawnbreakers Rotary, UWG Alumni Board, Carroll County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Georgia Manufacturing Alliance, Women in Manufacturing, and more. Ashley and her husband, Kevin, are also graduates of the Leadership Georgia Class of 2019 (Best Class Ever!)

Ashleigh Paulk is a Student Support Coordinator for the Carrollton City School System. Previously serving as a counselor at Carrollton High School, she has been fortunate to be able to help 9th through 12th-grade students with their varying needs. In her new role, Ashleigh is now able to serve students across the school system. Ashleigh is passionate about ensuring that critical barriers are removed to ensure that each student is able to be successful. Serving on the Carroll County Mental Health Advocates Board, she is passionate about the mental and emotional well-being of her students. Additionally, she places a consistent emphasis on celebrating the successes of each student, no matter how big or small. Ashleigh is married to David Paulk and has two young sons: Jack and Fletcher.

Heather North serves as Graduation Specialist for the Carroll County School System. She is a native of Carroll County and a graduate of Central High School and the University of West Georgia. Heather received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Geography from UWG and later furthered her education at UWG by completing a Master’s program in Instructional Technology. She began her teaching career in Carroll County in 1996, teaching middle school social studies and language arts before beginning her work with the District high schools. Heather works with the high school leadership, guidance departments, and teachers as one part of the system-wide effort to ensure that all students have a path to graduation that helps them to become successful and productive members of our community. Heather lives in Carrollton with her husband, Curtis North, who is a real estate broker with Century 21, Novus Realty. They have three daughters: Sydney, Logan, and Alysa.

Dawn Adair is a customer oriented banking professional with over 30 years of experience in various organizations. She has been with Southern States Bank for 5.5 years as VP/Branch Manager. Being a mother to four children and a grandmother to three grandchildren has helped her to understand what it takes to nurture and develop relationships and build networks in order to deliver a successful future. Dawn is thankful and excited to serve and contribute her experiences to the future of this organization as a board member.

Gary Kinard is the chief financial officer at Southeast Trans Inc., a non-emergencytransportation service firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. A UWG alumnus, Gary graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1991. He worked in various capacities with the Grady Health System in Atlanta from 1991 to 2008. Gary also served as co-coordinator of the Georgia 3 Disaster Medical Assistance Team from 1991 to 1996. He is an active member of the First Baptist Church of Villa Rica, Georgia, and served as the chairman of the Finance Committee for the assembly from 2010 to 2013. Gary and his wife, Heather, a UWG alumna, live in Villa Rica, Georgia, and are the parents of two young children.

Cade Parian is a civil trial attorney specializing in representing clients who have suffered serious injuries or death due to the carelessness or neglect of others. Mr. Parian has tried many civil jury trials, and he is admitted to all federal and state courts in Georgia and Alabama. He received a B.B.A. degree from the University of West Georgia in 2000. Mr. Parian earned his J.D. Degree from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in 2006. Professionally, Cade Parian serves on the executive committee of the National Trial Lawyers in addition to serving on the Board of Governors of the American Association for Justice. He also serves on the executive committee of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. In addition to serving on the board of Partners Advancing Student Success, Mr. Parian served as President of the University of West Georgia Athletic Foundation. A third generation Carroll County native, he lives in Carrollton with his wife, Kasin, and their two children.

Amber Pilgrim Boyd is a native of Villa Rica, Georgia and attended Villa Rica Cluster schools from elementary to High School. Amber earned her BSN in 2000 from LaGrange College and her MSN/PNP from Emory University in 2003. Amber currently serves the West Georgia Area as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at 3:16 Kids Corner, an affiliate of 3:16 Family Medicine. Amber’s passion has always included caring for the child and adolescent population. She believes that God has led her to be a servant and feels that through her profession she is allowed to fulfill this calling. Amber’s service on the PASS Board of Directors allows her to further assist the youth population in the West Georgia area. Amber recognizes how important and vital meeting the needs of our youth is to the community and believes her roots and ties give her a unique advantage to connect and relate to many of the youth she serves. When Amber is not serving her community, she enjoys spending time with her family. She has been married for 19 years to her husband, Decha Boyd, a native of Bowdon, Georgia. Together they have an 11-year-old son, Chapel who attends Ithica Elementary. Amber enjoys watching Chapel participate in activities and all things sports. She loves Friday night football, where she serves on the Villa Rica High School’s Touchdown Club Leadership Team and on Sunday’s you can find her at First Baptist Church Villa Rica where she is an active member.

Kim Culver has deep roots in Carroll County. Kim grew up in the Sand Hill Community and graduated Valedictorian from Villa Rica High School and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from The University of West Georgia. Kim believes in giving back to her community and has a passion for helping others. Kim became a partner with P.A.S.S. by teaching financial education to students within our local schools. This allows our students an opportunity to understand credit and banking basics and hopefully begin adult life with a more financially sound start.

Nick Martin has over 20 years’ experience in the utility field, all but 4 of those years were with Georgia Power. He spent 4 years at Gulf Power, formerly a subsidiary of Southern Company. Nick’s career began in Gainesville, GA where he was hired as an apprentice lineman. His 20 years of experience includes construction, engineering, training, and area management. Before joining Georgia Power, Nick attended East Hall High School where he participated in multiple sports and was a strong advocate for the schools’ FCA program. Nick currently serves on the chamber board of directors for Carroll, Polk and Haralson counties. Nick’s civic duties also include serving on the Tanner Health Foundation Board and the P.A.S.S. board of directors. Nick has participated in various county Leadership Programs such as Leadership Hall, Leadership Stephens/Toccoa, Leadership Carroll and Leadership Santa Rosa (FL). Nick has also completed the Georgia Academy for Economic Development for regions 1 and 2. Nick is a graduate of North Georgia College and State University where received his bachelor’s degree in Business Management. He is married to Mrs. Shavon Martin and they have three beautiful children: Aliyah, Nicholas Jr. and Jordan.

Aside from her time at the University of Georgia, Lauren is a lifelong resident of Carrollton. She attended Central High School and graduated from UGA in 2001 with a Finance degree. After moving back home, she decided to pursue real estate and got her real estate license in January 2002. She began her career at Real Estate West, which later merged and formed Metro West Realty, and has been there for 18 years and currently serves as Associate Broker. Lauren is a past president of the West Metro Board of Realtors, is a board member for the Central Elementary School PTO, and serves as a board member for Carrollton Main Street. She is passionate about Carroll County and helping meet the needs of the community. She loves to play tennis and watch Jonah (11) fish in tournaments and Finn (9) play baseball. Lauren is married to Jeremiah Yates, who currently serves as Assistant Principal at Central Middle School. They attend Midway Church in Villa Rica.

JP Garmon began her career in law enforcement in 2008. She joined the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office in 2015. She has served her time on patrol as a zone deputy on both day and night shifts. While on patrol she earned specialized training such as Field Sobriety Testing, Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT), Crisis Intervention (CIT), Internet Crimes Against Children, Prevention of Child Abuse and School Safety Assessment. She worked in investigations for four years where she gained a wealth of knowledge and training from her veteran investigator supervisors and colleagues. While an Investigator she received training in Gangs & Gang Intelligence, Homicide & Crime Scene Management, Cell Phone Investigations, Search & Seizure and Criminal Procedure. Cpl. Garmon has two years of experience in the School Resource Division. While serving in School Resource she has received training in School Safety, Strategic Planning, Active Shooter Response and Building Entries. Cpl. Garmon is a proud wife and mother of four wonderful children. In speaking about her law enforcement career Garmon states, “Being a Law Enforcement Officer is choosing a life of service work. I believe service is one of my spiritual gifts and I thank God for giving me a heart for service. I’m so thankful and blessed that I get to serve and work within my supportive community of Carroll County”.

Lt. Easterwood is the Special Operations Lieutenant and monitors the daily operations of the Traffic Unit, the C.O.P.S. Unit, the School Resource Officers, and Court Security. Brad Easterwood is a native of Douglas County. He started his policing career in February of 2006. During his career he has served in the Uniform Services Division as Sergeant of C-Shift and the Traffic Unit. He holds certifications as a Drug Recognition Expert, Accident Reconstruction Specialist, Field Training Officer, SWAT, Basic Motor School, and Forensic Mapping. He has earned his Intermediate, Advanced, Supervisory certifications as well as Management. He earned his B.S. in Criminology from the University of West Georgia. He and his family live in Haralson County. His wife, Lori, is a teacher with the Bremen School system. They have three children: Jackson, Hunter, and Evie.