K-12 | Higher Education | Healthcare | Legends
K-12
Frank Brown
CEO
Communities in Schools of Atlanta
As CEO of Communities in Schools of Atlanta, Frank Brown oversees the organization’s mission to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. CIS of Atlanta has programs in 65 public schools in Atlanta and Fulton, Clayton, and DeKalb counties. Previously, Brown was the first executive director of the Butler Street Community Development Corporation (formerly the historic Butler Street YMCA) and director of civic engagement and activation at Points of Light.
Education: Johnson C. Smith University, University of South Carolina School of Law (JD)
Inspiring person: Thurgood Marshall
Toughest challenge: Restoring CIS of Atlanta back to prominence after the organization nearly closed in 2013
Few people know: I love practicing yoga.
What I’d tell a recent graduate: Life is more difficult if you’re not prepared to seize opportunities that present themselves.
Bucket list: To lead a national nonprofit that has impact across the country
Ed Chang
Executive Director
RedefinED Atlanta
Ed Chang is the founding director of RedefinED Atlanta, whose mission is to ensure a high-quality education for every student in the city. A longtime champion of public schools, Chang began his career as a physical therapist before entering the education profession as a seventh-grade science teacher. He spent five years teaching at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Southeast Atlanta before going on to found KIPP STRIVE Academy in 2009. Following that, Chang focused on coaching and strategy for school leaders and districts across the country.
Education: Washington University, Mercer University (MA), National Louis University (CAS)
Toughest challenge: My first year of teaching was simultaneously the most challenging and most rewarding time of my life.
Hidden talent: I won a mechanical-bull-riding contest once upon a time.
Favorite travel destination: Machu Picchu
Favorite Atlanta podcast: Everyday Dope
Ron Clark
Teacher and Author
The Ron Clark Academy
“America’s educator” Ron Clark is the cofounder of the Ron Clark Academy, an Atlanta middle school that serves as a demonstration school for educational best practices. In the past 10 years, Clark and his staff have provided professional development for more than 85,000 educators. Known for his innovative teaching methods and work with children from various educational and socioeconomic backgrounds, Clark is the author of The Essential 55: An Award-Winning Educator’s Rules For Discovering the Successful Student in Every Child.
Education: East Carolina University
Hometown: Chocowinity, North Carolina
Notable achievements: Andrew J. Young International Leadership Award (2017), NAACP President’s Award (2011)
Lesson learned: As long as I am helping others and seeking to be a good person, what others think isn’t worth a hill of beans.
Few people know: I won the Showcase Showdown on The Price Is Right.
F. Stuart Gulley
President
Woodward Academy
Stuart Gulley is the seventh president of Woodward Academy, the largest college-preparatory school in the continental U.S., with 2,400 students. Previously he served as president of LaGrange College, and before that in several administrative capacities at Emory University, including associate vice president for university development and church relations. An ordained United Methodist minister, Gulley is the author of The Academic President as Moral Leader: James T. Laney at Emory University, 1977-1993, published by Mercer University Press.
Education: Vanderbilt University, Emory University Candler School of Theology (MDiv), Georgia State University (PhD)
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Why I chose this work: Education is crucial for the growth and development of individuals and communities. It is a privilege to be part of helping people and communities to become all they are meant to be.
Lisa Nicole Herring
Superintendent
Atlanta Public Schools
Lisa Nicole Herring became superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools in 2020. She came to APS from Birmingham City Schools, which she led through a significant transformation by stabilizing leadership, improving system performance, and increasing student achievement. Herring built strong civic and corporate partnerships to provide innovative and equitable opportunities for all students across the diverse Birmingham community. The Macon native also served as chief academic officer for Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, Kentucky, a system with more than 100,000 students, where she successfully restructured the academic division and led the district’s strategic plan.
Education: Spelman College, University of South Carolina (EdM, EdS), Georgia Southern University (EdD)
Notable achivements: Helped launch the Birmingham Promise, which provides college tuition assistance and apprenticeship opportunities to local students, and Ed Farm, a public schools partnership with Apple, Alabama Power, TechBirmingham, and city leadership to build technology skills in students, teachers, and community members
Mike Looney
Superintendent
Fulton County Schools
Mike Looney became superintendent of Fulton County Schools in 2019, having served in similar positions in Williamson County, Tennessee, and Butler County, Alabama. Under his leadership in Butler County, the school district realized significant student achievement gains, improved the graduation rate, and established its first magnet school. A public educator since 1994, Looney has also been a classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent. Prior to entering education, Looney was a finance manager and served for seven years in the U.S. Marines.
Education: Jacksonville State University (EdM), University of Alabama (EdS, EdD)
Notable achievements: Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents (TOSS) Superintendent of the Year (2016), Greenville, Alabama, Citizen of the Year (2008)
Tony Roberts
President and CEO
Georgia Charter Schools Association
As president and CEO of the Georgia Charter Schools Association since 2007, Tony Roberts is the leading advocate for Georgia’s public charter schools. Under his leadership, Georgia’s voters approved a 2012 amendment giving birth to the State Charter Schools Commission, making Georgia the first in the nation to pass such a ballot issue. The number of charter schools has grown by 329 percent to 112, and students attending charters have grown by 232 percent to over 70,000 students.
Education: Carson-Newman College, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (MDiv, ThM, PhD)
First job: Working in a gas station in the days of full service to customers
Hidden talent: I can do plumbing, electrical, and carpentry work with the best of them. I own two power nailers, for instance!
Hobbies: Collecting and playing vinyl records and turntables, travel, home improvement
Favorite book: The Power of Intention by Wayne W. Dyer
HIGHER EDUCATION
Raheem Beyah
Vice President for Interdisciplinary Research
Georgia Institute of Technology
Cofounder
Fortiphyd Logic
Raheem Beyah is Georgia Tech’s vice president for interdisciplinary research, executive director of the online masters of cybersecurity program, and a professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. An internationally recognized expert in the areas of cyber-physical systems security, network monitoring, and network security, Beyah has secured millions of dollars to support his research program at Georgia Tech, served as associate editor or guest editor for numerous journals in his field of expertise, and published more than 140 technical articles concerning security and networking. The Atlanta native is also the cofounder of the industrial security company Fortiphyd Logic.
Education: North Carolina A&T State University, Georgia Tech (MS, PhD)
Few people know: I’m a huge fan of mindfulness meditation.
Toughest challenge: The myth of meritocracy
Hobbies: Weight training
Favorite book: Leadership: In Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin
M. Brian Blake
President
Georgia State University
M. Brian Blake was named Georgia State University’s eighth president in June 2021. He came to Georgia State after serving over six years combined as executive vice president for Academic Affairs and Provost at George Washington University and Drexel University. His research has received more than $12 million in funding, and he is an author of more than 200 scholarly publications in the areas of software engineering and internet computing. The first Black president in the university’s 114-year history, Blake grew up in Savannah and attended Benedictine Military Academy. He and his wife, Bridget, have two sons, Brendan and Bryce.
Education: Georgia Tech, Mercer (MA), George Mason University (PhD)
First job: My first full-time role was a software engineer at Lockheed Martin.
Favorite movie: Inception
Favorite travel destination: Miami
Bucket list: Trip to Scotland to explore the wonders of single malt.
Ángel Cabrera
President
Georgia Institute of Technology
In 2019 Ángel Cabrera became the 12th president of the Georgia Institute of Technology, one of the leading and most research-intense public universities in the nation. During his first year as president, he steered the institution through the Covid-19 pandemic and produced a new strategic plan focused on impact, access, and inclusive innovation. Previously Cabrera served a seven-year stint as president of George Mason University. From 2004 to 2012 he was president of the Thunderbird School of Global Management, which is now part of Arizona State University. Born in Madrid, Cabrera is the first native of Spain to serve as president of an American university.
Education: Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Georgia Tech (MS, PhD)
Why I chose this work: Education is the best tool we have to shape the world for the better. I have always been an educator at heart and have always known I would be in education one way or another.
Notable achievements: Carnegie Corporation of New York Great Immigrant (2017), Aspen Institute Henry Crown Fellow (2008), Businessweek Star of Europe (2004)
James Curran, MD
Dean and Professor
Emory University Rollins School of Public Health
Before becoming dean of Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health in 1995, James Curran spent 25 years at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reaching the rank of assistant surgeon general. In 1981, he was tapped to lead the investigation into the first cases of a mysterious new disease now known as AIDS. The author of nearly 300 scientific publications, Curran led the CDC’s research and public health activities in response to the worldwide HIV/AIDS pandemic. Curran is also codirector of the Emory Center for AIDS Research. In 2009, the Rollins School’s dean of public health position was named the James W. Curran Dean of Public Health in his honor.
Education: University of Notre Dame, Harvard University (MPH), University of Michigan (MD)
Gregory L. Fenves
President
Emory University
In 2020 Gregory L. Fenves became the 21st president of Emory University, joining the school from the University of Texas at Austin, where he had served as president for the previous five years. During Fenves’s 12 years in leadership at UT Austin, including a stint as dean of the engineering school, the university recruited world-class faculty while retaining an impressive network of current faculty, broadened cross-disciplinary research, and significantly increased extramural research funding. As president, Fenves strengthened graduate education and resources; 48 graduate programs at UT Austin are now ranked in the top 10 nationally.
Education: Cornell University, University of California, Berkeley (MS, PhD)
First job: My first real job was as a computer programmer in 1974, back when computers took up the entire room.
Favorite movie: Annie Hall
Favorite travel destination: Paris
Facorite Atlanta podcast: Buried Truths on WABE, hosted by Emory’s own Hank Klibanoff
George T. French Jr.
President
Clark Atlanta University
In 2019, George T. French Jr. became the fifth president of Clark Atlanta University, the largest United Negro College Fund institution in the country. Prior to his appointment, French served for 13 years as the president of Miles College. A nationally recognized leader in higher education and educational policy, French has served three secretaries of education under two presidents as a congressional appointee to the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity. He is a three-term board member for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges.
Education: University of Louisville, Miles Law School (JD), Jackson State University (PhD)
Notable achievements: Under French’s leadership Clark Atlanta University has exponentially exceeded all fundraising records in the history of the university; maintained stable enrollment in the midst of the global pandemic; and developed corporate and community relationships to position the university for unprecedented growth. His awards include Birmingham Spotlight Man of the Year, NAACP Man of the Year, and the Higher Education Leadership Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award.
Dan Immergluck
Professor, Urban Studies Institute
Georgia State University
Dan Immergluck, a professor in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University, is the author of four books, more than 60 scholarly articles, numerous book chapters, and scores of research reports. An expert on housing, neighborhood change, real estate, and community development, he’s been a consultant to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Justice, testified several times before Congress, and served as a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
Education: Northwestern University, University of Michigan (MPP), University of Illinois at Chicago (PhD)
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Why I chose this work: I have a passion for making cities more just and equitable.
Toughest challenge: Raising teenagers
Few people know: I once wrote a press release for Illinois state senator Barack Obama.
Favorite Atlanta place to visit: Buford Highway
Kevin James
President
Morris Brown College
In 2020 Kevin James became the 19th president of Morris Brown College, a historically Black college founded in 1881, where he had been interim president since 2019. James is responsible for the leadership and management of all aspects of college operations and for the college’s strategic direction. A native of Columbia, South Carolina, James has served in various executive-level roles in higher education and within the nonprofit sector; immediately prior to joining Morris Brown, he was interim CEO of 100 Black Men of America, whose mission is to improve the quality of life and enhance educational and economic opportunities for all African Americans.
Education: South Carolina State University, Winthrop University, Troy University (MS), Nova Southeastern University (EdD)
First job: Cook at McDonald’s
Best advice received: If possible, find a way to say yes.
Toughest challenge: Resurrecting Morris Brown College, the first HBCU in history to earn its accreditation back 20 years after losing it
Linda A. McCauley
Dean
Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University
A global leader in environmental health, Linda A. McCauley is the dean of Emory University’s Woodruff School of Nursing. For over 20 years, McCauley has spearheaded innovative research on children’s environmental health, vulnerable workers and occupational health, environmental justice, and the impacts of climate change on human health. She currently cochairs the National Academy of Medicine’s Committee on Primary Care. In 2020 McCauley was named to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee and received an honorary fellowship in the Royal Academy of Nursing for the international impact of her work.
Education: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing (MSN), University of Cincinnati (PhD)
Hometown: High Point, North Carolina
Inspiring person: My mother was a nurse and I grew up seeing how her work was such a defining factor of who she was.
Hidden talent: Played women’s soccer 30 years ago
Valerie Montgomery Rice, MD
President and Dean
Morehouse School of Medicine
Valerie Montgomery Rice is the sixth president of Morehouse School of Medicine and the first woman to hold the position. Before joining Morehouse in 2011 as executive vice president, Montgomery Rice was founding director of the Center for Women’s Health Research at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, one of the nation’s first research centers devoted to studying diseases that disproportionately affect women of color. An infertility specialist and researcher, she was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2016.
Education: Georgia Institute of Technology, Harvard Medical School (MD)
Notable achievements: Atlanta Business League Visions of Excellence Award (2018), Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans Horatio Alger Award (2017), Trumpet Awards Foundation Vanguard Award (2015), American Medical Women’s Association Elizabeth Blackwell Medal (2011)
Jere W. Morehead
President
University of Georgia
Jere W. Morehead became the University of Georgia’s 22nd president in 2013. Previously he held other key administrative roles, including senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. Morehead has been a faculty member of the Terry College of Business since 1986, coauthored several books, and published scholarly articles on legal topics ranging from export controls to jury selection. He was an assistant U.S. attorney from 1980 to 1986.
Education: Georgia State University, University of Georgia School of Law (JD)
Hometown: Lakeland, Florida
Notable achievements: University of Georgia Josiah Meigs Award for Excellence in Teaching (2001), University of Georgia Richard B. Russell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (1995), Terry College of Business Teacher of the Year Award (1988, 1998)
What I’d tell a recent graduate: Never compromise your integrity or trust.
Loretta Parham
CEO and Director
Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library
Loretta Parham is the CEO and library director at Robert W. Woodruff Library of the Atlanta University Center, shared by Clark Atlanta University, Interdenominational Theological Center, Morehouse College, and Spelman College. Under Parham’s leadership, the library received the Association of College & Research Libraries’ 2016 Excellence in Academic Libraries Award, and in 2017 Parham was honored as ACRL’s Academic/Research Librarian of the Year. With more than 30 years of experience in the field, Parham has also been director of the library at Virginia’s Hampton University, deputy director of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, and district chief of the Chicago Public Library.
Education: Wittenberg University, Southern Illinois University, University of Michigan (MLIS)
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Alvetta Peterman Thomas
President
Southern Crescent Technical College
As the president of Southern Crescent Technical College, Alvetta Thomas oversees a $33 million budget and the operations of five campus locations spreading over eight counties in Georgia’s South Atlanta region. Under her leadership, Southern Crescent Technical College developed strategies to become a data-driven institution thereby excelling in key performance indicators leading to high levels of student success. As the 6th largest technical college in Georgia, Southern Crescent Technical College is the third highest producer of graduates for the past three years. Recently, Southern Crescent Technical College was named as one of 150 U.S. Community Colleges eligible for the 2023 Aspen Prize. Prior to Southern Crescent Technical College, Thomas served as the president of Atlanta Technical College.
Education: Alabama State University, Clark Atlanta University (MA), University of Georgia (EdD)
Why I chose this work: Education is an equalizer. I chose this field of work to help others achieve success and economic equality.
Mary Schmidt Campbell
President
Spelman College
Mary Schmidt Campbell became the 10th president of Spelman College in 2015. A major cultural force in New York City before moving to Atlanta, Campbell began her career at the Studio Museum in Harlem, serving for 10 years as director. In 1987 she became the city’s cultural affairs commissioner, followed by more than two decades as dean of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed Campbell vice chair of the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities. She is the author of the award-winning biography An American Odyssey: The Life and Work of Romare Bearden.
Education: Swarthmore College, Syracuse University (MA, PhD)
Toughest challenge: Spelman’s number one goal is to graduate 100 percent of the women who enroll. As a college community our challenge is to find a successful pathway to graduation and a lifetime of career possibilities for each and every one of our 2,100 students.
Victoria Seals
President
Atlanta Technical College
Victoria Seals became the sixth president of Atlanta Technical College in 2016. Under her leadership, the college has established effective industry partnerships and student success initiatives—boasting a 98 percent job placement rate. Her service and leadership were recognized in 2020 by the Association of Community College Trustees, who named her Southern Region CEO of the Year. The Atlanta Business Chronicle has twice recognized her as one of Who’s Who in Education and as a Most Admired CEO in 2020. One of Atlanta Business League’s Top 100 Women of Influence, she has received the South Fulton Chamber Educator of the Year and the Year Up Atlanta Urban Empowerment Awards. She has also been honored by the Urban League of Greater Atlanta.
Education: Spelman College, University of Georgia (MA, EdS, EdD)
Hometown: Norwood, Georgia
Hidden talent: I am a grill master!
Jagdish N. Sheth
Charles H. Kellstadt Professor of Business
Emory University Goizueta Business School
Jagdish N. Sheth is the Charles H. Kellstadt Professor of Business at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. The author or coauthor of numerous books and hundreds of scholarly papers, Sheth is known globally for his work in consumer behavior, relationship marketing, competitive strategy, and geopolitical analysis. He has over 50 years of combined experience in teaching and research, including at the University of Southern California, Columbia University, and MIT. Sheth and his wife, Madhu Sheth, established the Sheth Family Foundation to support charities in the U.S. and India. In 2020 Sheth received the Padma Bhushan award, one of the highest civilian honors bestowed by the Indian government.
Education: Loyola College, University of Pittsburgh (MBA, PhD)
Hometown: Chennai, India
Why I chose this work: I chose the field of marketing and consumer behavior because I was very interested in what motivated consumers to buy certain products and brands. I was also interested in globalization and the impact of geopolitical dynamics on markets, trade, and investments.
David A. Thomas
President
Morehouse College
In 2018 David A. Thomas became the 12th president of Morehouse College. Under his leadership, Morehouse raised $107 million last fiscal year—more than any other president in the history of the college. Morehouse has also expanded its profile as a national center for thought leadership on civil rights. Thomas has used his platform as president of Morehouse to speak out against injustice as the nation faces two pandemics—Covid-19 and the persistence of systemic racism. With more than 30 years of experience in the business of higher education, Thomas has served as a professor and executive leader at mostly Ivy League institutions.
Education: Yale College, Columbia University (MA), Yale University (MPhil, PhD)
Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri
Notable achievements: Nationally known for his research on managing diversity in the workplace, Thomas has written two books and numerous academic articles.
Paula S. Wallace
President and Founder
Savannah College of Art and Design
Paula Wallace founded the Savannah College of Art and Design in 1978; and as president has led the university’s expansion to locations in Atlanta and Lacoste, France, and pioneered SCADnow, which provides virtual instruction. With more than 100 academic degree programs and more than 15,000 currently enrolled students, SCAD has prepared more than 50,000 alumni for creative professions worldwide. Over a decade ago, Wallace founded the university’s collaborative design studio, SCADpro, and today she leads one of the foremost community service studios, SCAD SERVE, which harnesses the university’s expertise to address the world’s most pressing social challenges. Widely respected as an author, filmmaker, and podcast host, she is also the founder of three teaching museums: the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah, SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta, and SCAD Retour en 1856 in Lacoste.
Education: Furman University, Georgia State University (EdM, EdS)
Leocadia I. Zak
President
Agnes Scott College
Leocadia I. Zak was appointed the ninth president of Agnes Scott College in 2018, and under her leadership the school has achieved record enrollment, launched graduate programs, and been recognized for three years in a row as the most innovative national liberal arts college in the country by U.S. News & World Report. Zak has an extensive background in international economic development and international project finance. In 2010 she was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. Zak first joined the agency in 2000; prior to entering public service, she was an attorney in Boston for 18 years.
Education: Mount Holyoke College, Northwestern University School of Law (JD)
Hometown: Lynn, Massachusetts
Notable achievements: Under Zak’s leadership, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency was recognized for five consecutive years as one of the best places to work in the federal government, as measured by the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.
First job: Working in a veterinary clinic
HEALTHCARE
Tom Andrews
President and CEO
Saint Joseph’s Health System and Mercy Care
In 2003 Tom Andrews became president of Mercy Care, a healthcare provider that serves Atlanta’s homeless population, and in 2012 he was named president and CEO of Saint Joseph’s Health System, which comprises Mercy Care, Mercy Care Foundation, and Mercy Care Rome. Recognized for his leadership in combating tuberculosis, Andrews was previously president of the consulting firm Independent Physician Strategies.
Education: Ohio State University
Why I chose this work: I was drawn to healthcare at a very young age when I witnessed my mother die unnecessarily due to the nonmanagement of a chronic disease.
Few people know: I love dogs. I want to buy a farm and adopt 100 of them.
Best advice received: Always do the right thing.
Toughest challenge: Losing my mother at age 12
Hobbies: Tennis, golf, hiking
Kevin Brown
President and CEO
Piedmont Healthcare
Kevin Brown joined Piedmont Healthcare as president and CEO in 2013. Formerly, he was CEO of Swedish Health Services in Seattle. Under his leadership, Piedmont has doubled in size, with more than 750 locations, including 11 hospitals serving markets that represent 70 percent of the state’s population. Brown has been an advocate for transparency. Piedmont was among the first hospitals to post online patient reviews and emergency room wait times, allow patients to schedule appointments online, and offer a 24-7 virtual care app.
Education: University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, Arizona State University (MHSA)
Why I chose this work: I purposely chose the nonprofit side of healthcare because, at the end of the day, we are here to make a positive difference for our patients without having to worry about shareholder interests. I also grew up in the industry. My father was a rural hospital CEO and my mother was a nurse practitioner.
Carol H. Burrell
President and CEO
Northeast Georgia Health System
Carol H. Burrell has served as president and CEO of Northeast Georgia Health System since 2011. Under her leadership, Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, the system’s flagship hospital, has garnered state and national acclaim, including recognition by Healthgrades as one of the country’s 50 Best Hospitals. Burrell also led the construction of NGMC Braselton, the state’s first new hospital in 20 years that wasn’t a replacement or a relocation, and helped the system acquire its third hospital, NGMC Barrow, in 2017. In 2018 she was an Atlanta Business Chronicle Women Who Mean Business honoree. Georgia Trend named her its Most Respected Business Leader in 2017 and, for six years in a row, has placed her on a list of 100 Most Influential Georgians.
Education: Georgia Southern University, Emory University, Central Michigan University (MHA)
Hometown: Carl, Georgia
First job: Teaching private piano lessons
Best advice recieved: Sometimes in life, you are going to have to choose between doing something that will make people like you or respect you. Always choose respect.
Walter J. Curran Jr., MD
Professor Emeritus, Department of Radiation Oncology
Emory University School of Medicine
Walter J. Curran Jr. is the former executive director of Emory University’s Winship Cancer Institute, the first and only cancer center in Georgia designated by the National Cancer Institute; Curran is also the first radiation oncologist to serve as director of an NCI-designated cancer center. A widely regarded expert on the management of patients with locally advanced lung cancer and malignant brain tumors, he’s been a principal investigator on numerous NCI grants and has served as a group chair and principal investigator of NRG Oncology—the largest of the five NCI-funded National Clinical Trials Network groups. Curran is also a professor emeritus in and former chair of Emory’s Department of Radiation Oncology. Previously, he was a professor and chair of radiation oncology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and clinical director of Jefferson’s Kimmel Cancer Center.
Education: Dartmouth College, Medical College of Georgia (MD)
Carlos del Rio, MD
Chair, Hubert Department of Global Health
Emory University Rollins School of Public Health
Carlos del Rio is a distinguished professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and a professor of global health and epidemiology at Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health. He serves as the executive associate dean of Emory University School of Medicine at Grady Health System, and is the codirector and principal investigator at the Emory Center for AIDS Research. Del Rio is the foreign secretary of the National Academy of Medicine, chair of the PEPFAR Scientific Advisory Board, and a member of the UNAIDS Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee. Before joining the Emory faculty in 1996, del Rio was executive director of CONASIDA, the agency of the Mexican government responsible for AIDS policy.
Education: Instituto Cumbres, Universidad La Salle (MD)
Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico
Inspiring person: Dr. Bill Foege, whose advice throughout my public health career has been invaluable
Favorite movie: Casablanca
Favorite travel destination: Paris
Charities: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Douglas Graham, MD, PhD
Chief, Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Douglas Graham is chief of the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. A physician scientist with clinical expertise in the treatment of children with leukemia, he has been actively involved in the Children’s Oncology Group, and currently serves on the Acute Myeloid Leukemia Disease Steering Committee. He is president-elect of the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and also leads an active research laboratory focusing on developing novel therapeutics for pediatric cancer. Graham’s team has developed a new cancer drug that is now in early phase clinical trials at Emory University. As leader of the Aflac Cancer Center, Graham is committed to developing a comprehensive program that will provide outstanding clinical care for children in Georgia and throughout the Southeast. He is helping lead the recruitment of cancer and hematology researchers who will be able to directly impact the development of new treatments for pediatric hematology/oncology patients.
Education: Wake Forest University, University of North Carolina (MD, PhD)
Hometown: Carthage, North Carolina
Gulshan Harjee, MD
Chief Medical Officer
Clarkston Community Health Center
Gulshan Harjee is the chief medical officer at Clarkston Community Health Center, a non-profit free health clinic serving the immigrant, refugee, and uninsured populations of metro Atlanta. Following three decades in private practice, Harjee cofounded CCHC in 2013 and committed herself to it fully in 2016. The clinic has since served more than 10,000 patients, provided free mammograms, insulin, and dental care to asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants, and offered educational experiences to hundreds of area medical and nursing students. Harjee oversees clinical operations and quality of care while forging new collaborations with medical training programs and spearheading a capital campaign. With a recent $2.5 million pledge from a Texas philanthropist, the center now plans to build a larger facility just south of Clarkston.
Education: Morehouse School of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine (MD)
Hometown: I was raised on a sisal farm in a Karanga village of 500 about an hour from the town of Moshi, Tanzania.
Toughest challenge: The sudden death of my 52-year-old husband by senseless gun violence in 1999
Patrice A. Harris, MD
Past President
American Medical Association
Psychiatrist Patrice A. Harris, MD, MA, FAPA, has diverse experience as a private practicing physician, public health administrator, patient advocate, and medical society lobbyist. She was elected to the American Medical Association Board of Trustees in June 2011 and served as secretary (2014-2015) and chair (2016-2017). She was elected the 174th president (2019-2020) of the AMA. Currently, Harris continues in private practice and consults with both public and private organizations on health service delivery and emerging trends in practice and health policy. An adjunct professor in the Emory department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, she is an avid sports fan, who cheers on her Atlanta Falcons and West Virginia Mountaineers.
Education: West Virginia University (MA), West Virginia University School of Medicine (MD)
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia
Few people know: I was a majorette/twirler in junior high and high school.
Lesson learned: Leaders often stand between the “no longer” and the “not yet.” They must remain humble. It is about the work, not the title.
John M. Haupert
CEO
Grady Health System
As CEO of Grady Health System since 2011, John Haupert leads the safety-net healthcare system that serves DeKalb and Fulton Counties and operates the primary Level I trauma center and burn center for metro Atlanta. Previously chief operating officer at Parkland Health & Hospital System in Dallas, Haupert began his career in healthcare management at Dallas’s Methodist Health System, where he became president of one of the system’s hospitals and executive vice president for corporate services and business development. On the national level, Haupert served on the board of the American Hospital Association from 2018 to 2020 and will become Chair-Elect in 2022. He also chairs the AHA’s Strategic Leadership Group for Urban Hospital Sustainability.
Education: Trinity University (MS)
Hometown: Fort Smith, Arkansas
Notable achievements: Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, recipient of the ACHE Regent’s Award, 2018-2019 board chair of the Georgia Hospital Association, former board chair of America’s Essential Hospitals
Monica A. Hum, MD
Colorectal Surgeon, Managing Partner, and Founder
ATL Colorectal Surgery
Monica Hum is managing partner of ATL Colorectal Surgery, a specialized practice she started and expanded within 10 years to a partnership of five high-volume surgeons. She is the first female physician elected as president of the medical staff of Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, a member of the Piedmont Healthcare board and the MD Anderson Cancer Network, and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons. A native of New York, Hum began practicing in Atlanta in 2003 after fellowship training at the Cleveland Clinic Florida and general surgery residency at Saint Luke’s–Roosevelt Hospital.
Education: Boston University, Emory University Goizueta School of Business (MBA), State University of New York Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine (MD)
Notable achievements: The first to perform several endoscopic surgeries at Piedmont
First job: Soda girl
Why I chose this work: During my freshman year in college, my mother quit smoking. One year later, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She died during my senior year.
Donna W. Hyland
President and CEO
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Donna Hyland has overseen monumental growth and achievement at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, first as chief financial officer, then as chief operating officer, and now as president and CEO. She was instrumental in the 1998 merger of Egleston Children’s Health Care System and Scottish Rite Children’s Medical Center, and the later additions of Hughes Spalding and Marcus Autism Center, into what is now one of the largest pediatric healthcare systems in the country.
Education: Western Kentucky University
First job: An intern for a judge
Favorite books: Patrick Lencioni’s leadership books
Favorite travel destination: Italy or the beach
What I’d tell a recent graduate: Try new experiences and push yourself to keep learning.
Kim H. Jones
Executive Director
NAMI Georgia
As executive director, Kim Jones is responsible for the strategic management and financial operations of NAMI Georgia, a statewide nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness of mental health. Since taking the helm in 2015, Jones has built stronger relationships with affiliates, leaders, and members throughout the state to support NAMI Georgia’s efforts to help families and individuals seeking recovery from mental illness. She is also a cofounder of the Georgia Mental Health Policy Partnership. Previously Jones was part of the senior-level management team of Goodwill of North Georgia. She has 25 years of experience in nonprofit management, education, training, marketing, and business development, and served for more than eight years as a mayoral appointee to Dacula’s Planning and Zoning Board. In 2019 she was appointed by Speaker of the House David Ralston to the state’s Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission, where she sits on the Hospital and Short-Term Stay Subcommittee.
Education: University of Georgia
Hometown: Dunwoody, Georgia
Best advice received: What gets measured gets done.
Jonathan S. Lewin, MD
EVP, Health Affairs
Emory University
CEO and board chair
Emory Healthcare
Jonathan Lewin, a radiologist and pioneer in interventional and intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging, came to Emory University in 2016 as executive vice president for health affairs and as president, CEO, and board chair of Emory Healthcare. An inventor on more than 35 patents related to MR technology, he has published more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts. Previously, he was senior vice president of integrated healthcare delivery for Johns Hopkins Medicine and radiology chair at Johns Hopkins University. In November, he announced plans to step down, but he will stay on until Emory finds a replacement.
Education: Brown University, Yale School of Medicine (MD)
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Why I chose this work: There is no privilege greater than the opportunity to improve human health and well-being.
First job: Movie theater usher
Hidden talent: Playing jazz saxophone
What I’d tell a recent graduate: Never waste the opportunity to make someone feel valued and respected.
Sarah A. Morrison
President and CEO
Shepherd Center
Sarah A. Morrison is president and CEO of Shepherd Center, which she joined in 1984. Since then she’s held a variety of leadership roles, including vice president of clinical services, director of the Spinal Cord Injury Program, director of the medical/surgical and ICU programs, manager of the Spinal Cord Injury Day Program, physical therapist, and physical therapy supervisor. Morrison has written many peer-reviewed publications, presented nationally and internationally, and participated in research studies; in 2003, she received the award for Clinical Excellence in Neurology from the Neurology Section of the American Physical Therapy Association.
Education: University of Miami, Georgia State University (MBA, MHA)
Hometown: Fredonia, New York
Why I chose this work: While on the University of Miami diving team, I injured my back severely enough to be in a body cast for nine months. During my recovery, I underwent physical therapy and realized what I wanted to do with my life—help others recover.
First job: Baskin-Robbins
Robert Quattrocchi
President and CEO
Northside Hospital
Robert Quattrocchi is president and CEO of the Northside Hospital health system, which provides care to more than 4.3 million patients annually; Quattrocchi oversees a system reaching across 25 counties with five acute-care hospitals, over 250 outpatient facilities, 4,000 providers, and 24,500 employees. In 2017 the Atlanta Business Chronicle named Quattrocchi one of the area’s Most Admired CEOs, and he was included in a list of the country’s top 100 CEOs in the 2019 Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Awards. He was also one of the 25 best CEOs of 2020, ranked by female employees across large companies, on the career website Comparably. Quattrocchi has been part of Northside Hospital’s senior management team since 1987; prior to assuming the top job in 2004, he served as chief operating officer and executive vice president of finance and administration, chief financial officer, and director of fiscal services.
Suresh S. Ramalingam, MD
Executive Director
Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University
Dr. Suresh Ramalingam serves as executive director of Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Georgia’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Ramalingam is past president of the Georgia Society of Oncology and a member of the board of Georgia CORE. He is a fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and a Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Cancer Scholar. The Chennai, India, native’s present research involves developing immune checkpoint inhibitors and improving outcomes for patients with EGFR mutation. He has authored more than 350 scientific publications. He serves as editor-in-chief of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.
Education: Kilpauk Medical College, India (MBBS)
Notable accomplishments: Developed new treatment options for lung cancer
Most inspiring person: Mahatma Gandhi
Lesson learned: No success is everlasting, and no setback is permanent.
Favorite travel destination: Alaska
Nonprofit: India Literacy Project
Candice L. Saunders
President and CEO
WellStar Health System
Candice L. Saunders is president and CEO of Marietta-based Wellstar Health System. Saunders has led the non-profit health system to reinvest strategically in the communities it serves by providing charity care; developing a pipeline of nurses and physicians; cultivating and retaining local talent to serve local communities; and developing state-of-the-art facilities. Under her leadership, Wellstar acquired six additional hospitals in 2016 and expanded its clinically integrated network, Wellstar Clinical Partners, extending Wellstar’s footprint and ensuring thousands of Georgians have access to the right care, at the right place and time.
Education: University of South Florida, University of Alabama at Birmingham (MBA, MHA)
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale
First job: Administrative assistant
Why I chose this work: I have always had a passion to help others, and it was this purpose that called me to nursing and healthcare.
Notable achievements: Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Women Leaders (2019), Georgia Hospital Association W. Daniel Barker Leadership Award (2017), National Association of Female Executives Healthcare Champion (2015)
Anne Schuchat, MD
Principal Deputy Director
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
First joining the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1988 as an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer, Anne Schuchat has filled a number of leadership roles within the organization, including acting director; she’s currently principal deputy director. The author of more than 230 scientific articles, chapters, and reviews, Schuchat has played key roles in CDC emergency responses including to the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic and the 2003 SARS outbreak in China. She was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2008.
Education: Swarthmore College, Dartmouth Medical School (MD)
Toughest challenge: Testing an Ebola vaccine in Sierra Leone in the midst of an epidemic
Few people know: Hiked the length of Vermont (on the long trail) after high school
Who’d play me in a biopic: Kate Winslet already did (see Contagion).
Pamela Stahl
President
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Georgia
Pamela Stahl is the president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Georgia, and has more than 25 years of experience across the healthcare spectrum. She joined Anthem in 2018 as vice president of the company’s sales operations and effectiveness team; previously, she served as chief commercial officer for InVivo Therapeutics, a biomaterials and biotechnology company. Stahl has also held leadership positions at UnitedHealth Group, Merck, Astra Merck, AstraZeneca, Orphan Medical (acquired by Jazz Pharmaceuticals), and American TeleCare.
Education: Saint Olaf College
Notable achievement: Built the marketing and sales organization for the first in-home, video-based telemedicine company in the U.S. two decades ago
Hidden talent: I know how to bake a pretty darn good gingersnap cookie. My mother took first place at the Nebraska State Fair many years ago with this family recipe.
Hobbies: I love interior design. We bought a charming house in Atlanta that was built in 1938, and that gives me plenty of opportunity to dream about possibilities.
Bassam Tomeh, MD
CEO
First Medical Care
Bassam Tomeh became the CEO of First Medical Care after acquiring the practice from his mentor, Dr. Gulshan Harjee. Tomeh, whose practice serves refugees and immigrants from Middle Eastern, African, and Asian countries with cultural sensitivity and care, has a special interest in disease prevention and primary care for ages 15 and up. An Atlanta native, Tomeh serves as an active voting member on the Emory Healthcare Board of Managers and Dekalb Physicians Hospital Organization board and is an active member and a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and a member of the National Arab American Medical Association. He was an assistant professor at Mercer University School of Medicine.
Education: Emory University, Medical College of Georgia (MD)
Inspiring people: My father, Dr. Mohammed Tomeh, and Dr. Gulshan Harjee. These two invaluable public servants taught me that it is vitally important to be an active part of our patients’ lives and that compassion and commitment should be foremost in our daily work.
Charities: Al Farooq Masid of Atlanta and RAKSHA, which advocates for the South Asian community
Kathleen E. Toomey, MD
Commissioner and State Health Officer
Georgia Department of Public Health
As commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health, Kathleen E. Toomey oversees 159 county health departments in 18 health districts and has helped lead the response to the coronavirus pandemic in Georgia, fostering critical partnerships with hospitals, physicians, and other healthcare organizations, business leaders, the agricultural community, and statewide public health and community organizations. Formerly, she was director of Fulton County’s Department of Health and Wellness. She is an epidemiologist and board-certified family practitioner with a long career in national and global public health, including a stint as Botswana country director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Education: Smith College, Harvard Medical School (MD), Harvard School of Public Health (MPH)
Rochelle P. Walensky, MD
Director
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Rochelle Walensky is the 19th director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the ninth administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Her pioneering research has helped advance the national and global response to HIV/AIDS, and she is an expert on the testing and treatment of deadly viruses, including Covid-19. Formerly, she was the chief of the division of infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital (2017-2020) and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School (2012-2020). She has been recognized internationally for her work to improve HIV screening and care in South Africa and nationally for motivating health policy and informing clinical trial design and evaluation.
Education: Washington University, Harvard School of Public Health (MPH), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (MD)
Vonda Wright, MD
Chief
Northside Hospital Orthopedic Institute Sports Medicine
Vonda Wright is the inaugural chief of sports medicine at the Northside Hospital Orthopedic Institute. A board-certified orthopedic surgeon and internationally recognized authority on active aging and mobility, Wright is the founding director of the Performance and Research Initiative for Masters Athletes (PRIMA) at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, where she was the inaugural medical director of the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. Wright cares for athletes and active people of all ages and skill levels, including members of the Georgia State Panthers, Olympic track and field athletes, and dancers in the Atlanta Ballet.
Eduaction: Wheaton College, Rush-Presbyterian-Saint Luke’s Medical Center (MS), University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine (MD)
Notable achievements: Writing Fitness After 40 (2008) and creating a nonprofit, Women’s Health Conversations
LEGENDS
William Foege, MD, MPH
Considered a titan of epidemiology, Dr. William Foege was instrumental in the successful campaign to eradicate smallpox in the 1970s. At Emory University, he holds the title of Emeritus Presidential Distinguished Professor of International Health, in addition to being a Gates Fellow and former Carter Center leader.
David Satcher, MD, PhD
A renowned physician, public health leader, and scholar, Dr. David Satcher is best known for serving as the 16th U.S. Surgeon General. Prior to that, he was director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He is the founding director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine.
Alana Shepherd
Shepherd and husband Harold cofounded Atlanta’s Shepherd Center in 1975. The facility has grown from a six-bed unit to a world-renowned hospital specializing in research, medical treatment, and rehabilitation for people with spinal cord and brain injuries and other neurological conditions.
Louis W. Sullivan, MD
With the exception of his four-year tenure as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which ended in 1993, Sullivan was president of Morehouse School of Medicine for more than 20 years. Today, he’s the chairman of the National Health Museum in Atlanta, the Washington, D.C.-based Sullivan Alliance to Transform the Health Professions, and the Georgia Global Health Alliance, which seeks to advance global health equity by facilitating collaboration among business, academic, nonprofit, and government partners.
Beverly Tatum
A noted scholar, teacher, author, administrator, and race relations expert, Tatum was the ninth president of Spelman College. Tatum is a licensed clinical psychologist with an MA and PhD from the University of Michigan, as well as an MA in religious studies from Hartford Seminary, and is the author of the acclaimed 1997 book Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations about Race.
Comer Yates
A champion of education and literacy, Emory Law graduate and former high school teacher Yates has served since 1998 as executive director of the Atlanta Speech School.