Board and Staff

Georgia Charter School Association
2007 - 2008 Board of Directors

Mr. Neil Shorthouse (Chairman)
President, Communities in Schools of Georgia, Inc., Atlanta, GA
(Term ends 2008)

Mr. Gene Eidelman (Vice Chairman - Development)
Co-founder and President, Mosaica Education, Inc., Atlanta, GA
(Term ends 2008)

Mr. B.J. VanGundy (Vice Chairman - Operations)
Senior Manager, Capital Principles, Norcross, GA
(Term ends 2009)

Dr. Kathy Harwood (Secretary)
Director, Charter Conservatory for Liberal Arts and Tech., Statesboro, GA

Mr. Tim Pinson (Treasurer & Finance Chair)
Founder, Baconton Community Charter School, Baconton, GA
(Term ends 2008)

Mr. Stuart Bennett
Deputy Superintendent for Policy and External Affairs;
Georgia Department of Education, Atlanta, GA
(Term ends 2008)

Ms. Beverly Ferguson-Riggins
Senior Director of Alumni Relations and Development,
Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA
(Term ends 2009)

Dr. Lars Leader
Assistant Professor, Curriculum and Instructional Technology,
Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA.

Mr. John McEachern
President, Premier Academy, Hamilton, GA
(Term ends 2009)

Ms. Martha Nesbit
Founder and Curriculum Coordinator,
Oglethorpe Charter School, Savannah, GA

Dr. Noris Price
Associate Superintendent, Instructional Services,
Clarke County School District, Athens, GA
(Term ends 2009)

Mr. Otho Tucker
CEO, Lake Oconee Academy, Greensboro, GA

Mr. Jim S. Grien
Managing Director, TM Capital Corp., Atlanta, GA
(Term ends 2009)

GCSA Staff

Tony Roberts
Chief Executive Officer

Tony has significant experience in the areas of associational and nonprofit management, resource development, advocacy, and government relations. His first experience in the field of charter schools came while serving as Vice President of Development for Texans CAN! Academies based in Dallas, Texas. At Texans CAN!, he was responsible for raising awareness and support for ten charter high schools, serving 7,000 at-risk youth annually in five major Texas cities.

He previously served as the Executive Director of Camp Fire USA, a children and youth development agency located in Dallas, TX. He has also served as Vice President of Development for Evergreen Foundation, where he was in charge of all fund-raising, board development, marketing and public relations. Prior to this, he served as CEO for Sertoma Center, Inc., an agency serving persons with disabilities in Knoxville, Tennessee. Additionally, he served as the CEO of a local affiliate of the National Home Builders Association in the Greater Knoxville, Tennessee area.

Tony has been a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) since 1986. He was a founding and charter member of the Smoky Mountain Chapter of AFP in Tennessee. He is also a member of the American Society of Association Executives.

A native Tennessean, Tony earned the M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. degrees from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He received his B.A. degree from Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee.

Tony and his wife Cindy live in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

Andrew Lewis
Chief Programming Officer

Andrew holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Alabama. Prior to accepting his position at GCSA, he spent five years teaching middle school social studies - most recently at the Academy of Lithonia, where he was the lead teacher.

Andrew, an avid traveler and committed philanthropist, also volunteered his time in the Mentorship Program at the Inman Middle School. In addition, he taught Sunday school at his synagogue and spoke on behalf of environmental awareness at the Carter Center.

Andrew is a Decatur resident, where he and he his wife Alisa are the proud parents of two young children, Ansel and Analisa.

Jeniffer Collins
Administrative Assistant and Business Manager

Jeniffer received her certificate in Secretarial Studies from Katharine Gibbs School in New York. Before joining GCSA, Jeniffer was the Administrative Assistant and Parent Coordinator at the Academy of Lithonia. Prior to that, she worked in several industries, ranging from investment banking, Mutual Funds to property management.

Jeniffer splits her free time by volunteering with her church and the charter school her daughter attends. She is the proud parent of Cory, Christina and three "adopted" sons, Jared, Noah and Isaiah.