The Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire – Savannah, Ga.’s leading organization dedicated to helping citizens proactively manage conflict – is pleased to announce the officers who will lead the organization’s 2025 Board of Directors and to welcome eight new board members.

The elected officers for The Mediation Center’s Board of Directors for 2025 include:

• President – David Purvis, The Manely Firm, P.C.

• Vice President – Stephanie Burgess, Burgess Law Group LLC

• Vice Treasurer – Sean Vega, Small Business Assistance Corporation

• Secretary – DeAnna Hall, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System

“We’re delighted to announce our new board leadership, who will help us make Savannah a more conflict-resilient community,” said Jill Cardenas, executive director of The Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire. “Our new board members represent different sectors of our community, but they all share a passion for building peace. Together, we look forward to positively impacting Savannah and the surrounding area through peacebuilding initiatives, educational programs and family-friendly events.”

The Mediation Center’s new board members include:

Flora B. Devine, J.D., Vice President/Chief Legal Affairs Officer

Savannah State University

A certified mediator and employment lawyer with extensive professional in-house legal experience in local and federal government, private practice and higher education institutions, Flora B. Devine, J.D., has served in leadership roles at Kennesaw State University, Albany State University, Georgia State University, the Environmental Protection Agency and the City of Atlanta. She earned a B.S. in Political Science and Government from Tennessee State University, graduating as a university scholar with the highest distinction, and a J.D. from Emory University. Devine is the founding board member of Women in Defense-Georgia, Inc. and is an active member of the State Bar of Georgia, Gate City Bar Association, National Bar Association and the National Association of College and University Attorneys.

Marianne Ganem-Poppell, Owner

Savannah Master Calendar

A third-generation Savannahian, Marianne Ganem-Poppell is dedicated to helping local businesses succeed and giving back to her hometown community by championing philanthropic initiatives and serving on the board of directors for the Downtown Business Association and the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce and on the marketing committee for United Way of the Coastal Empire. She earned a B.B.A. from Valdosta University and is a graduate of Leadership Savannah. To date, she has been recognized by Savannah Morning News as a Next Generation Rising Star and honored with the Helen V. Head Business Advocate Award by the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce.

Julie Gerbsch, Executive Director of Development

Georgia Southern University

Julie Gerbsch has 35 years of experience in nonprofit management, fundraising and event management, previously serving as the Executive Director of the St. Louis Ronald McDonald House, Executive Director of Children’s Miracle Network Telethon of Greater St. Louis and President and CEO of Parent & Child Development Services in Savannah, Ga. Originally from Illinois, she earned a B.A. in Speech Communication from the University of Illinois and a M.A. in Professional Communication and Leadership from Georgia Southern University. Gerbsch is a graduate of Leadership Savannah as well as Leadership Southeast Georgia and previously served as Rotary Club of Savannah, Savannah Health Mission and Savannah Youth Futures Authority board member.

Deanna L. Hall, Executive Director of Human Resources Support Services

Savannah-Chatham County Public School System

A Savannah, Ga. native and a graduate of Savannah High School, Deanna L. Hall has been serving Georgia public school systems in numerous roles for 20 years, including Director of Benefits and Compensation and Director of Employment Services. She earned a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Information Systems from Paine College and a M.S. in Human Resource Management from Capella University. Hall serves as the Vice President of the Savannah Chapter of the Paine College Alumni Association and is an active member of the American Association of School Personnel Administrators, Georgia Association of School Personnel Administrators and Georgia Association of Educational Leaders.

The Honorable Judge Benjamin W. Karpf

Chatham County Superior Court

Elected to the bench in 2018, The Honorable Judge Benjamin W. Karpf hears criminal, civil, equity and family law cases. A Savannah, Ga. native, Karpf earned a J.D., with honors, from Georgetown University. Prior to his court appointment, Karpf was a partner at Bouhan Falligant in Savannah, Ga. and a part-time judge in Chatham County’s Magistrate Court. He remains active in the community, serving on the board of directors of Park Place Outreach and the Jewish Educational Alliance.

Carol McCarthy, retired lawyer and healthcare leader

A 10-time Best Lawyers in America honoree, Carol McCarthy practiced health law and served as the CEO of hospital associations for 15 years. Throughout her career, she was appointed to the National Regulatory Review Committee under President Carter’s administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Advisory Committee on Catastrophic Illness under President Reagan’s administration and the U.S. Department of Defense’s Blue Ribbon Defense Panel. McCarthy earned a B.A. from Trinity College, an M.S. in Health Services Administration from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, a Ph.D. from New York University and a J.D., summa cum laude, from Temple University. She has volunteered with The Mediation Center for nearly a decade, earning the organization’s 2020 Mediation Award and 2023 General Civil Mediation Award.  

Charles P. Roberson, Sr., Senior Pastor, Kingdom Life Christian Fellowship, Inc.

Chaplain Coordinator, Savannah Police Department

Chaplain, Chatham County Police Department

Pastor Charles P. Roberson, Sr. is a passionate servant-leader dedicated to transforming lives through faith, service and community engagement. A Savannah, Ga. native and graduate of Leadership Savannah, Pastor Roberson earned a Bachelor of Ministry, Master of Ministry and honorary Doctor of Divinity degree. He currently serves as the board chair of Step Up Savannah and as a board member of the Chatham-Savannah Authority for the Homeless, J.C. Lewis Primary Health Care Center, Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce and the Savannah Economic Development Authority.

Sean Vega, Loan Officer

Small Business Assistance Corporation

Sean Vega serves as a Loan Officer with the Small Business Assistance Corporation, where he originates and underwrites Micro Loans and City of Savannah Loan Programs, covering a territory that includes 53 counties in southeast Georgia and six counties in South Carolina. He previously worked as a Senior Relationship Banker at Truist and in management roles at AT&T, where he received The Whitacre Award, which is the company's highest accolade. Vega serves an Ambassador for the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce and on the Men's Fellowship board at The Cathedral church. He earned an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.