The Leadership Georgia Board of Trustees is proud to announce the participants for the organization’s Class of 2026. Each year, Leadership Georgia seeks out emerging leaders and selects sixty-three participants from a pool of several hundred applicants to participate in the yearlong leadership program.

Heather Abbott | Thomasville

Tasha Allen | Dacula

Rick Anderson | Atlanta

Alyssa Baskam | Atlanta

Will Beasley | Watkinsville

Phil Bonelli | Gainesville

Joseph Brannan | Columbus

Ben Chambers | St. Simons Island

Matthew Chancey | Monroe

Amy Cheng | Atlanta

Rob Clifton | Evans

Alvie Coes | Athens

Adriana Collins | Gainesville

Laura Lyn Coody | Perry

Omari Crawford | Decatur

Kade Cullefer | Atlanta

Jesse Dillon | Savannah

Gala Jackson Dobbins | Valdosta

Ken Eason | Eastman

Corey Ferguson | Mableton

Salvia Fox | Jonesboro

Houston Gaines | Athens

Garrett Green | Augusta

Marshall Guest | Decatur

John Hardman | Atlanta

Ray James | Atlanta

Wendi Jenkins | Midland

Tal Johnson | Statesboro

Will Keyes | Macon

Megan Kocikowski | Roswell

Kaitlynn Kressin | Macon

Katie Leonard | Cumming

Josh Lovett | Moultrie

Angel Maldonado | Tyrone

Marissa Maldonado | Smyrna

John Manly | Savannah

Tiffany McBride | Midland

Arthur McPhaul | Gainesville

Jocelyn Merisca | Newnan

Shaun Mock | McDonough

Aprille Moore | Decatur

Arren Moses | Uvalda

Creshema Murray | Atlanta

Clay Neely | Newnan

LaRhonda Patrick | Warner Robins

Christy Payne | Dalton

Mark Pettitt | Gainesville

Lizzie Piazza | Sea Island

Josh Pittman | Vidalia

Britney Pooser | Augusta

Malini Reddy | Watkinsville

Russ Richards | Atlanta

Tyler Riddle | Tifton

Stuart Sinyard | Albany

Haley Smith | Rome

Jamelia Smith | Smyrna

Brad Stockton | Rome

Randell Trammell | Cartersville

Sarah Watchko | Roswell

Mitchell Weltman Tatar | Valdosta

Natalie Williams | Atlanta

Champa Woodham | Martinez

Bo Wren | Newnan

The purpose of Leadership Georgia is to prepare strong and effective leaders for the future development of this state. Those who participate are emerging leaders from every nook and cranny of Georgia…the small town, the open country, the big city. Over the course of the program year, the class participants experience five hard-hitting programs that deal with crucial issues facing the towns, cities, suburbs, and rural communities of Georgia. Together, the class participants of Leadership Georgia seek mutual understanding of the challenges of the state and the solutions developed and implemented to drive change and success for all Georgians.

The 2026 Leadership Georgia Class will be led by President Chandra Harris of Atlanta. “Resilient – Resourceful – Rising Higher” is the 2026 program theme.