Leadership Southeast Georgia (LSEGA), an innovative leadership program serving a 10-county area of southeast Georgia, has announced its Board of Directors. Brynn Grant now chairs the board, assuming the role filled previously by Lee Beckmann of the Georgia Ports Authority.

Grant is the chief operating officer of the Savannah Economic Development Authority, where she has been on staff for more than 18 years. COO since 2013, Brynn also serves as vice president of the World Trade Center of Savannah, a role she has held since the organization was launched in 2011. The Liberty County native holds a journalism degree from the University of Georgia and is a graduate of Leadership Savannah, Leadership Southeast Georgia and Leadership Georgia.

LSEGA’s new vice-chairman is Jared Downs with the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce. He, too, is a product of the program he now helps lead — in addition to completing the Leadership Georgia program in 2019, he and his wife Kathryn graduated from LSEGA in 2015 and 2016 respectively, and Jared participated in Leadership Savannah in 2008.

Other members of LSEGA’s executive board include:

Treasurer: Jesse Bentley, Evans General Contractors (Chatham Co.);

Secretary: Margaret VanHouten, DS Smith North America Packaging and Paper (Liberty Co.); and

Immediate Past Chairman: Lee Beckmann, Georgia Ports Authority (Chatham Co.)

Additional board members are:

Alyce Thornhill, Georgia Lottery (Camden Co.);

Brianne Yontz (Bryan Co.);

Cedric King, Pinova (Glynn Co.);

Frank Fortune, The Fortune Image (Bulloch Co.);

James Coughlin, Camden County Joint Development Authority (Camden Co.);

Jason Coley, Georgia Power (McIntosh Co.);

Jessica Hood, Effingham County Industrial Development Authority (Effingham Co.);

Joe Marchese, Joe Marchese Construction (Effingham Co.);

Jon Seagraves, Citizens Bank (Bryan Co.);

Kendria Lee, Georgia Southern University (Bulloch Co.);

Marcus Sack, P.C. Simonton (Liberty Co.);

Patton Dugas, SunTrust Bank (Chatham Co.);

Robert Grant, Junior Achievement (Effingham Co.);

Stephanie Dammen-Morrell, Hussey Gay Bell (Liberty Co.); and

Wade Herring, HunterMaclean (Chatham Co.).