WHO WE ARE
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The Drug Free Fayette Coalition is driven by the combined efforts of 25 Fayette County community leaders. Members of the coalition represent 12 distinct sectors of the community as shown in the graphic to the left. Photos and bios of all Coalition members are provided below.
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Coalition Leadership
BECKY SMITH - Project Director
Becky has been in community social service work and non-profit management for over 30 years. She has been Executive Director of FACTOR for 12 years and has led the organization to establish a number of ongoing programs for the purpose of educating and strengthening the community regarding the issues impacting our families and our community. Becky and her husband have resided in Fayette County for 19 years, have three grown children, and one totally awesome grandson. |
PAM REID - Project Director
Pam has been a business executive and strategist for 28 years. This past April began her 7 th year as Executive Director of AVPRIDE, where she leads the organization in its mission to grow, develop and open doors for the young people in Fayette County. Pam is a Fellow Rotarian; the Vice Chair for Fayette Visioning; and Scholarship Chair for the McIntosh Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association. Pam is married to her high school sweetheart and together they have 3 children. |
MICHAEL MUMPER -
Program Coordinator Michael is a non-profit consultant with particular experience in marketing. His recent clients include AVPRIDE, Fayette Chamber of Commerce, City of Fayetteville, and The Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta. He has lived in Fayette County since 2008 with his wife Jennifer and two recent high school graduates, Anderson and Sophie |
DAWN OPARAH - Program Coordinator
Dawn is the Co-Founder of Amadi Leadership Associates, Inc. She serves as a trainer and consultant for school systems, community based organizations, and businesses. She currently is a board member for Fayette Chamber of Commerce, Fayette FACTOR, the School Superintendent’s Community Advisory Board and several non-profit organizations. She has worked in prevention for over 25 years. Dawn has been married to Bernard for 38 years and together they have 5 children and 2 grandchildren. |
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SHARAF CHENAULT - Youth Coordinator
Sharaf is a life-long learner, with a diverse business background. She spent most of her life in Alaska, moving to Georgia in 2013. Passionate about youth development, the opportunity to work for AVPRIDE with the Fayette Youth Leadership Program is an optimal fit. She is married to Don Chenault, and they have three adult children. |
Youth Sector
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ELENA WERNECKE
Elena is a senior at Starr’s Mill High School. She is a member of National Beta Club, student government, and the school tennis team. She received the Positive Athlete award and attended the Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership seminar. She is the president of National Spanish Honors Society. Elena is passionate about raising awareness and funds for CURE Childhood Cancer, which sparked her interest in pediatric oncology. She is thrilled to be back at AVPRIDE’s FYLP program! |
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KELLY PADILLA
Kelly is a junior at Whitewater High School. She is a member of Beta Club, Spanish National Honors Society, Orchestra, the Whitewater swim team, and the Drug Free Fayette coalition. Kelly enjoys expanding her multicultural background and bilingual nature. Kelly has enjoyed meeting new people with different backgrounds as part of the FYLP program. She hopes to attend Georgia Tech University and become a civil engineer. |
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MEREDITH RAINES
Meredith is a senior at Sandy Creek High School. She serves as the Treasure of the Interact Club, and is an active member of the Beta Club, Future Business Leaders of America, SkillsUSA and the AVPRIDE FYLP program. Her hobbies include swimming on the varsity swim team at her school, and serving as a small group leader for kindergarteners and 1st graders at her church. |
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RHEANNA MCKENZIE
Rheanna is a Senior at Fayette County High School. She is 16 years old and has lived in Fayette County for four years. She is a member of Junior ROTC and the Rifle Team. She became a member of the Drug Free Fayette coalition addressing youth substance abuse. She enjoys reading, working on her public speaking skills, and aspires to be a cardiologist. |
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TAYLOR MILLIGAN
Taylor is a a recent alumna of Starr's Mill High School. She has participated and volunteered for the AVPRIDE FYLP and BRIDGES programs over the past 5 years. She has had summer internships since her freshman year including shadowing three Fayette County attorneys and her last being at the Fayette County Newspaper. Her hobbies include singing and playing piano. Taylor will be attending Georgia State University in the fall of 2017 where she will be majoring in English in hopes to become an attorney or editor. |
Parents Sector
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CATHERINE SANDERSON
Catherine is a local trail attorney who has lived in Fayette County for 25 years. She has three children: Austin (23), Sarah (11), and Andrea (10). Catherine has been involved in a number of community service organizations, including AVPRIDE, Promise Place, Southern Conservation Trust, the YMCA, and the Rotary Club of Peachtree City. Catherine's passion is to make a positive impact on the community. |
Business Sector
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CHUCK POPOV
Chuck is a counselor well-versed in all treatment modalities to assist clients with any psychological/emotional issues. With children and youth who are oppositional, the primary treatment approach is assisting parents with more effective parenting approaches, and specifically, applying behavioral methodology. He is also a certified substance abuse counselor (CDAC-II), and a therapist certified in clinical sexual offender's treatment (CCOTS). Chuck has worked in Fayette County for 6 years. |
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STEVE BLANKENSHIP
Steve is Human Resources Manager at TDK Components USA. He began his career in education and spent several years as a college instructor in Japan. After returning to the U.S. his passion for working with people, education and cross-cultural understanding led him to pursue a career in human resources. He has worked closely with educational institutions and has been involved in several state and local initiatives relating to workforce training and development. |
Media Sector
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CHRISTOPHER DUNN
Chris is a lifelong resident of Fayette County. A 2001 graduate of McIntosh High School and later, Georgia State, he started writing for the Fayette County News and Today in Peachtree City in 2009. He has been the Managing Editor since 2015. |
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MIKE BOYLAN
Mike Boylan has been a resident of Fayette County for 25 years. He worked for 14 years at The Citizen newspaper and is currently the communications specialist at Piedmont Fayette Hospital. Mike has been involved with numerous local organizations including Young Professionals of Fayette County, Southside Theatre Guild, Bloom, and Clothes Less Traveled Thrift Shop. His is invested in the growth and strength of Fayette County. |
Schools Sector
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KIM BRYAN
Kim has served Fayette County Schools as a social worker for 16 years and has lived in Fayette County since 1999. She holds a B.Mus. in Music Therapy, an MSW, and an Ed. S. in Leadership. Kim is Co-Chair of two Fayette interagency committees: CHINS and L.I.P.T. As a Certified Facilitator for "Darkness-to-Light's" Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Training, she has trained over 500 Fayette employees, and has been twice honored as FSCA's Advocate of the Year. |
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MIKE SANDERS
Mike is in his first year as the Assistant Superintendent of Operations for Fayette County Schools. He is a 22-year veteran educator with experience as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent. Mike is married to Susan Sanders who is also an educator. They have three children, Lauren (19), Justin (17), and Cole (13). Lauren is a sophomore at LaGrange College. Justin will be a junior and Cole will be an 8th grader in the Fayette County School System. |
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DR. TED LOMBARD
Ted is the Coordinator for Safety, Athletes & Discipline for Fayette County Schools. A resident of Fayette County since 1993, he is a 23-year educator after 20 years as a combat arms Army Officer. He has taught at the elementary, middle school, and college levels and has been a high school assistant principal and middle school principal in Fayette County for 14 years. He has been married to retired educator, Linda Lombard, for 38 years and has three adult children and three grandchildren. |
Youth Serving Organizations Sector
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RAYMONDE NEELY
Raymonde has lived in Fayette County for 9 years with his wife, Leslie, and their 2 children. He enjoys working and partnering with various organizations to help create a better Fayette County. He is actively involved with FAYMA, Fayette Visioning Initiative, Fayette Chamber and coordinates the Annual Christian Music Festival in Fayette County. He is currently serving on staff with FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) as an Area Representative/Director of Community. Raymonde says he loves this county!!! |
Law Enforcement Sector
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THE HONORABLE BEN COKER
Mr. Benjamin D. Coker is the District Attorney for the Griffin Judicial Circuit, which is comprised of Fayette, Pike, Spalding, and Upson Counties. Prosecuting in the Griffin Judicial Circuit for over a decade, Mr. Coker presents cases in a variety of courts including: Juvenile, Probate (traffic), Magistrate, and, particularly, Superior Court. He believes in swift justice, but always with an eye towards fairness. |
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SERGEANT BRENNAN KERSEY
Brennan is a Sergeant with the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, currently assigned to the Training Section. He has been a certified Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) since 2014 and has made over 200 D.U.I. arrests in the last three years. Brennan is also a member of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office S.W.A.T. Team, currently assigned as a Team Leader. Brennan has been in law enforcement since 2009 and has been with the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office since 2012. |
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DETECTIVE JOSHUA MEADE
Joshua spent 22 years as a resident of Fayette County, graduating from Fayette County High School and later from Georgia Southern University. Joshua has been employed with the Fayetteville Police Department since 2013 and was selected to take over the Juvenile Detective position in 2017. Joshua’s goals are to serve the community to the fullest and keep the county a safe place to reside. |
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LIEUTENANT MATT MYERS
Matt is the Commander of the Criminal Investigations Division for the Peachtree City Police Department and a widely recognized expert on drugs and human performance impairment. He is a graduate of the Robert F. Borkenstein Course on The Effects of Drugs on Human Performance at the Chemical Heritage Foundation in Philadelphia, and has provided expert testimony before numerous courts and the Georgia Senate. Matt has worked in Fayette County for 21 years, 13 with the Peachtree City Police Department. |
Civic/Volunteer Organizations Sector
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LEE DODDS
Lee has lived in Fayette County for 15 years with her husband and daughter. She is a member of Fayette Presbyterian Church and Fayette Daybreak Rotary Club. With a background in writing and graphic design, she spent four years as Editor/Publisher of Fayette- Coweta Volunteer - a free newspaper focused solely on the work of area non-profits. She recently worked for two years as Grant Writer/Communications Manager for Christian City. Currently, she has returned to freelancing with FACTOR as one of her clients. |
Religious/Fraternal Organizations Sector
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HUMA FARUQI
Huma is a special needs teacher who has served in education for 25 years. Born in Pakistan, Huma volunteers at two mosques in the Atlanta area teaching numerous classes including the interpretation of the Quran, Arabic and Tajweed (elocution). She is the bookkeeper for her husband's aviation company, and is a certified speaker for the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta. She is a mother of four and a grandmother of four. She has lived in Fayette County since 1998. |
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MIKE STACHURA
Mike is the pastor/elder for Community Ministries of Grace Church, Fayetteville, GA, where he has served for 19 years. He previously served as the president of Operation Mobilization, an international missions organization, based in Tyrone, GA. He is currently a Board member for Fayette Vision and Fayette FACTOR. |
Healthcare Professionals Sector
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LOIDA BONNEY
Loida Boney, MD, MPH is a compassionate primary care physician who enjoys serving the Fayette County community. She is Executive Director and Medical Director of Fayette C.A.R.E. Clinic, Inc., which serves patients in Fayette County that have nowhere else to turn. Dr. Bonney is originally from Brooklyn, NY and is of Panamanian heritage. She has been married for 12 years and has a 6 year-old son. |
State/Local Government Sector
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HELEN TROUTH
Helen has served as program manager for the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice in Fayette County for the past seven years. For the past six years she has served as a Board Member for Fayette FACTOR. She is also the chair for the Fayette County Local Interagency Planning Team (L.I.P.T). Ms. Trouth holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling. |
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KATHALEEN BREWER
Originally from California, Kathaleen has been active in the community ever since moving to Fayette County in 2005. She was Founder/Owner of Artworks on the Square in Fayetteville for five years and remains active in both visual art and screenwriting. She worked with Becky Smith on Fayette’s Grandparents Raising Grand Kids group and is currently taking government classes through the Carl Vincent Institute of Government. Kathaleen also serves as the first woman elected to the Fayetteville City Council. |
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PHIL PREBOR
Phil is a local business owner who has lived in Peachtree City since 1991. He presently serves on Peachtree City Council, Post 1. Phil is married to his wife Lali and together they have three children. They attend Southside Church. Phil graduated from Georgia State University with a Business degree in Marketing. He hopes that his actions inspire others to get involved in keeping Fayette County a great place to live, work, and play. |
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RAY GIBSON
Ray has served as the City Manager for the City of Fayetteville since October of 2014 and has worked in various capacities with local government for over 17 years. He is also a board member for the Fayette Chamber of Commerce and Vice Chair of the Fayette Visioning’s Place Committee. In his spare time he enjoys many sports including golf and tennis. Ray currently lives in Fayetteville and is married to Sonja and is the step-father to three children, Tyler, Bailey, and Courtney. |
Substance Abuse Organizations Sector
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JOHN BRINGUEL
John has been active in individual and community social change since 1986 and have lived in Fayetteville since 1980. John works for the Council on Alcohol and Drugs and is the Project Director for the Georgia Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Initiative which is funded by DBHDD/DAD/OPSP. John’s 25+ years in social work has centered on promoting healthy living and engaging people in community environmental change related to the safety, well-being and success of all people in the community especially the youth. |
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NICK RUSSO
Nick Russo is the Senior Counselor for the Insight Program in Tyrone, Georgia. Raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Nick began his recovery in July of 2008. For the last 10 years he has dedicated his life to helping teenagers and young adults find a better way of living through recovery. Nick lives in the Tyrone area with his wife Lindsey. |