Governor Deal Appoints 18 to State Boards

Staff Report From Georgia CEO

Monday, March 21st, 2016

Mike Bracewell, Board of Commissioners of the Judges of the Probate Courts Retirement Fund of Georgia
Bracewell is a retired Morgan County Probate Court judge. He was previously the president of the Georgia Council of Probate Court Judges and served on the Judicial Council of Georgia. Bracewell was awarded the Outstanding Probate Court Judge award in 2003. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Business from the University of Georgia. Bracewell and his wife, Ruth, reside in Madison.

Janice Spires, Board of Commissioners of the Judges of the Probate Courts Retirement Fund of Georgia (reappointment)
Spires is the Houston County Probate Court judge and previously worked for the Houston County District Attorney. She is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Perry and resides in Bonaire.

Phil Davis, Board of Early Care and Learning (reappointment)
Davis works for Schneider Electric and develops efficiency and environmental compliance programs for public utilities. He previously sat on the board of Dream House for Medically Fragile Children. Davis earned bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Political Science. He and his wife, Anresa, have two children and reside in Stone Mountain.

Sheri Hooper, Board of Early Care and Learning
Hooper is the founder and volunteer CEO of Interactive Neighborhood for Kids. She is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Gainesville and a founding member of Featherbone Communiversity. Hooper is the secretary of the Gainesville Convention & Visitors’ Bureau. She has been awarded the Youth Service Award, the Blazing Star Award and the Master Entrepreneur Award. Hooper was named the American Business Women Association’s Business Woman of the Year in 2007 and the Gainesville Rotary Club Woman of the Year in 2012. She and her husband, Trevor, have three children and reside in Gainesville.

Victor Morgan, Board of Early Care and Learning (reappointment)
Morgan the Director of Teaching Pathways and an assistant clinical professor at Berry College. He was the director of student support services for the Bartow County School District for more than 30 years. Morgan sits on the leadership board for the Bartow-Polk Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Tuskegee University, a master’s degree from the University of West Georgia and a specialist degree from Jacksonville State University. Morgan and his wife, Diane, have two children and five grandchildren. They reside in Cartersville.

Luann Purcell, Board of Early Care and Learning (reappointment)
Purcell is the executive director of the Council of Administrators of Special Education. She has more than 18 years of combined experience as a teacher and assistant superintendent for pupil services in Houston County. Purcell earned bachelor’s degrees in History and English from Georgia Southern University, a master’s degree, a specialist degree and a doctorate degree in Educational Administration from the University of Georgia. She and her husband, Douglas, have two children and six grandchildren. They reside in Warner Robins.

Yvonne Turner, Board of Trustees of the Georgia Firefighters’ Pension Fund
Turner is the director of administration for the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget and has more than 21 years of public service with the state. Turner serves on the advisory council for financial training programs at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government and is a member of the Georgia Fiscal Management Council. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Clayton State University. Turner has one child and one grandchild. She resides in Lithonia.

Sandi Gentry, Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism (reappointment)
Gentry is a governmental resource analyst in the Legislative Affairs Department at Georgia Power. She is a member of the Athens Chapter of the Citizens of Georgia Power and is a former president of the Gwinnett Chapter of the Citizens of Georgia Power. Gentry earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and master’s degree in Leadership from Shorter University. She and her husband, Scott, live in Flowery Branch.

William McCalley, Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism (reappointment)
McCalley has been an attorney for more than 39 years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a law degree from the University of Georgia. McCalley and his wife, Amy, have four children and eight grandchildren. They reside in Moultrie.

Elaine Pritchard, Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism (reappointment)
Pritchard is the vice president and chief financial officer of Donaldson, Garrett & Associates, Inc. She is the president of the Middle Georgia Republican Women and district director for the Georgia Federation of Republican Women. Pritchard is an Alpha Omega Pi chapter advisor and member of the Women’s Executive Forum at Georgia College and State University. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University. Pritchard and her husband, Ken, have seven children and 11 grandchildren. They reside in Warner Robins.

Deborah Silcox, Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism (reappointment)
Silcox is a retired attorney and chair of the Georgia Commission on Service and Volunteerism. She serves on the advisory board for the Chastain Park Conservancy. Silcox earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and a law degree from Emory University. She and her husband, Hal, have two children and reside in Sandy Springs.

Mary Katelyn Williams, Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism
Williams is the owner of Best Kept Secret, a children’s clothing store in Jesup. She sits on the boards for the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce and her local Boys & Girls Club. Williams is president of the Wayne County Junior Service League and chair for Taste of Wayne. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Georgia and resides in Jesup. 

Terry Wingfield, Georgia Public Telecommunications Commission
Wingfield is a retired telecommunications executive and attorney. He practiced law in Macon prior to entering the communications field. Wingfield sits on the boards of directors for the Athens YMCA and the Athens Technical College Foundation. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Georgia and law degree from Mercer University. Wingfield and his wife, Fran, have two children and two grandchildren. They reside in Athens. 

Diane Drake, State Board of Dispensing Opticians (reappointment)
Drake has more than 35 years of experience as a licensed dispensing optician. She is the president of the National Academy of Opticianry and former president of the Opticians Association of Georgia and the Southeastern Opticians Conference. Drake earned a master’s degree in Ophthalmic Optics from the American Board of Opticianry and a master’s degree in Contact Lens Technology from the National Contact Lens Examiners. She and her husband, Bobby, have two children and five grandchildren. They reside in Jackson.

Lurue Lord, State Board of Dispensing Opticians (reappointment)
Lord is an optician with Lord Eye Center. She is a member of the Opticians Association of Georgia and earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University. Lord resides in Statesboro.

Dave Meldrum, State Board of Dispensing Opticians (reappointment)
Meldrum has more than 38 years of experience as a licensed dispensing optician. He is a director of education on the American Board of Optometry and is on the board of directors as chairman of the education committee with the National Academy of Opticianry. Meldrum is certified by the American Board of Opticianry and the National Contact Lens Examiners. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan. Meldrum and his wife, Jean, live in Roswell.

Phil Carlock, State Properties Commission (reappointment)
Carlock has more than 40 years of experience in the real estate income property development and management. He is the chairman of the executive committee of ECI Group and Central Realty Holdings. Carlock was president of the National Apartment Association,  the Georgia Apartment Association and the Atlanta Apartment Association. He was inducted into the Georgia and National Apartment Association Halls of Fame. Carlock earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Georgia State University. He holds the Certified Property Manager designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management and the Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor designated from the National Apartment Association. Carlock and his wife, Helen, live in Atlanta.

Phil Miller, Sexual Offender Registration Review Board (reappointment)
Miller is the sheriff of Douglas County. He previously served on the Peace Officer Standards and Training Council and sat on the board of directors for the North Central Law Enforcement Academy. Miller and his wife, Gloria, have two children and two grandchildren. They reside in Douglasville.