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.

Jennifer serves as the Chief Financial Officer for Carroll EMC.  She is a native of Carroll County. Jennifer graduated from Central High School and received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration from the University of West Georgia.  Jennifer began her career at Carroll EMC in 2004, starting as Plant Accountant and has served in various roles over the past 19 years. Jennifer is a member of the Carrollton Dawnbreakers Rotary Club, a graduate of the Carroll Leadership Academy and the past president of the Georgia EMC Accounting Association. Jennifer is married to Rett, who is co-owner of Century 21 Novus Realty. They have three children: Lola, Wyatt and Holt.

Donya Brown, a native of Carrollton and a Bowdon High School graduate, is married to Daniel Brown. Together, they have three daughters: Presley and Emmalee, who attend Central Middle and Central Elementary, and Karen, a graduate of Central High and the University of West Georgia. For the past 11 years, Donya has been a dedicated stay-at-home mom, spending her free time volunteering at her daughters' schools. She has a strong background in educational community service, having previously served as the treasurer on the Central Elementary School PTO board. Currently, she continues her dedication to supporting local schools by serving on the Central Middle School PTO board. Passionate about helping others, Donya is excited to join the PASS board, where she looks forward to making a positive

Vette is a retired Human Resources professional who enjoys the mix of staying engaged in the HR field while also enjoying the flexibility and freedom that comes with retirement. Some of her common pursuits include: Consulting: offers consulting services to businesses, sharing expertise in areas like recruitment, employee relations, compliance, and organizational development. Mentoring and Coaching: mentors and coaches HR professionals, helping them navigate their careers and develop their skills. Volunteering: volunteers with non-profits or community organizations, offering HR expertise to help with staffing, training, or organizational development. Board Memberships: serves on boards of directors for companies or non-profits, contributing to governance and strategic planning. Vette earned her BBA in Business Management from the University of West Georgia. She resides in Carrollton with her husband and daughter. Vette has a servant’s heart and is dedicated to helping those in need. She believes that everyone should feel accepted, included, and respected.

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.

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!)

Ben Chambers serves as Communication Specialist for Carroll County Schools. He’s a native of Bowdon and a graduate of Bowdon High School. Ben has over 20 years of experience in the public sector including both K-12 and post-secondary education. He manages a diverse communication portfolio for the 16,000 students and 2,000 employees of the Carroll County School System. Before joining Carroll County Schools, Ben was Director of Public Relations and Marketing at West Georgia Technical College. Over the last 15 years, he has guided educational institutions from the realm of printed advertisements and hard copy publications to a new landscape of online, digital and mobile communication. Ben is a graduate of Shorter College in Rome, Georgia. He is a graduate of the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Academy and the Georgia Academy for Economic Development. He, his wife and two daughters live in Bowdon where they are active in Bowdon Baptist Church and small-town community life.

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.

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”.

Jessica currently serves, alongside her husband, Cory Lanier, as Student Director of Mount Holly Youth and is an active member of West Georgia Collective. The two have owned and operated Body Masters for the last 16 years. Together they have two children, Maddox and Milan, who attend Central schools where Jessica also graduated. Both Jessica and Cory are Carrollton natives. Jessica loves serving teenagers in the community and in the school system.

Alice Nelson is a native of Carrollton, Georgia and is a graduate of Central High School. Alice Graduated from the University of Georgian with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology. She began her career as a Juvenile probation officer in Carroll, Haralson and Paulding Counties. Currently, she is employed at AgSouth Farm Credit/AgSouth Mortgages as a home loan officer. Alice is a graduate of the Carroll County Leadership Academy and served on the Chamber of Commerce Board. She is married to James Nelson and together they have 3 children, Tinley (17), Rhett (15) and Barnes (10). Alice is also a proud Member of Roopville Road Baptist Church.

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.

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.

Ashleigh Paulk is an Assistant Principal at Carrollton High School. Previously serving as a Student Support Coordinator for the system, she has been fortunate to be able to help students in grades K through 12 with their varying needs. 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.

Dr. Lakiesa Rawlinson is the Associate Vice President (AVP) of Student Affairs and Dean of Students at the University of West Georgia and has been with the institution since October 2020. As the AVP of Student Affairs/Dean of Students, she is responsible for the Center for Student Involvement and Inclusion, Campus Center and University Recreation, Campus Awareness and Response Evaluation (CARE) Team, Community Standards, and Housing and Residence Life. In essence, her campus role is centered around student engagement, support, well-being, and safety. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Secondary Education with a Minor in History and Master of Education in Counselor Education with a concentration in Student Affairs Administration from Clemson University. Additionally, she holds a Doctor of Philosophy in P-16 Counseling and Social Justice from the University of Georgia. Professionally, Dr. Rawlinson has over 16 years of experience in higher education, mainly within the University System of Georgia, serving at Kennesaw State University, Clayton State, and Georgia Gwinnett College. Areas of expertise include assessment, student development, student support, and diversity education. Dr. Rawlinson lives in Douglasville, GA with her husband Clifton and two children, Layla and Cameron. They are active members of Word of Faith Worship Cathedral in Austell, GA. In addition to serving on the PASS board, Dr. Rawlinson is involved in local, regional and national organizations including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, Don’t Be a Bully Foundation (DBAB), Southern Association of College Student Affairs (SACSA) and National Association of Student Personnel Association (NASPA) where she has served in various leadership positions. Dr. Rawlinson was recently appointed to serve on SACSA’s Strategic Planning Committee. At the core, Dr. Rawlinson is committed to equity, inclusion, and supporting others in achieving their goals.

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.