Leadership Southeast Georgia, a premier regional leadership development program, is pleased to announce 30 program participants have been named from across the region for its class of 2018. The five-month program is designed to grow and inspire engaged community leaders to improve the overall quality of life in our area.

Since in January 1999, leaders representing the business, local government and education communities in 10 southeast Georgia counties have taken part in the task of creating a regional strategic plan for community and economic development.

Participants live and work within Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh and Screven counties, which together are known as Georgia’s Coastal Region. Leadership Southeast Georgia offers a unique opportunity for this area to build close working relationships, promote positive growth and develop strategic common goals that positively benefit our coast.

The members of the Leadership Southeast Georgia class of 2018 are:

Paulo Albuquerque, Georgia Power (Glynn)

Scott Allison, City of Richmond Hill (Bryan)

Cecilia Arango, Thomas & Hutton (Chatham)

David Austin, Glynn County Board of Commissioners (Glynn)

Dawn Baker, WTOC-TV (Chatham)

Andrew Boerger, Gulfstream Aerospace (Glynn)

James Bonney, Evans General Contractors (Chatham)

Jason Boyles, City of Statesboro (Bulloch)

Stephanie Dammen-Morrell, Hussey Gay Bell (Bryan)

Keely Fennell, NeSmith Construction & Land Development (Bulloch)

Gloria Goosby, Georgia Southern University (Bulloch)

Robert Grant, Junior Achievement (Effingham)

Steve Hart, U.S. Army – Hunter Army Airfield (Bryan)

Richard Jackson, Envirovac (Chatham)

Talmadge Johnson, Dabbs, Hickman, Hill & Cannon, LLP (Bulloch)

Cedric King, Pinova, Inc. (Glynn)

Sarah Lamar, HunterMaclean (Chatham)

Krystal McGee, YMCA of Coastal GA (Liberty)

William McHugh, Sea Island Company (Glynn)

Carl Miller, C. A. Miller Publishing Co. (Chatham)

Diana Morrison, Advertising Specialty Services (Chatham)

Jennifer O’Sako, Sterling Seacrest Partners (Chatham)

Michael Owens, Tourism Leadership Council (Chatham)

Renee Reese, Department of Defense (Liberty)

Michelle Ricketson, Hinesville Downtown Development Authority (Liberty)

Seth Roesel, TQ Constructors, Inc. (Bulloch)

Steban Sainz, Camden Family Connection (Camden)

Michael Swain, United Community Bank (Camden)

Julie Wade, Park Place Outreach Youth Emergency Shelter (Chatham)

Chandra Yadav, Gope Food Market Inc. (Camden)

“We had an overwhelming number of civic and business leaders nominated from across Coastal Georgia this year,” said Lee Beckmann, a graduate of the class of 2013 and chairman of the 2018 board of directors, who also is the manager of governmental affairs with the Georgia Ports Authority. “Many factors are considered during the selection process to ensure that each class reflects the diversity of the regions we serve.”

Participants were nominated by the alumni of the Leadership Southeast Georgia program and by community business leaders in the coastal region. They will spend one weekend a month in surrounding counties learning about topics that affect the region such as healthcare, education, economic development and transportation.

“I’m excited to see the ideas and results that this group will generate and produce that will benefit our region and community,” said Beckmann.