THESE VOLUNTEERS ARE THE UNITED WAY.
Volunteer community leaders engage in every aspect of our business, including fundraising, marketing, and grant decisions. More than 250 volunteer leaders, organized throughout 13 advisory boards and committees, help United Way make smart decisions about ongoing issues in our communities and urgent needs as they arise.
Committees
Fiscal Year 2024-2025
Chair
Sarah Jones, Truist
Member At Large Member
Leigh Acevedo, ELA Consulting
Dr. John Bennett, Savannah State University
Will Gruver, Jan-Pro
Molly Keating, South University
Chip Kelley, Synovus
Laura Lane McKinnon, Housing Savannah
Chelsea Sawyer, Chatham Emergency Management Agency
Austin Sullivan, Community Volunteer
Agency Representatives
Neil Ligon, Living Independence for Everyone (LIFE)
Doris Williams, Mary’s Place
Effingham County Representative
Dr. Sandra Nethels, Ph.D., Effingham County Board of Education
Chair | Joseph Tallent, Effingham Health System
Caila Brown, Bike Walk Savannah
Dr. Tonia Howard-Hall, Savannah Chatham County Public School System
Paula Kreissler, Healthy Savannah
Patricia Lyons, Senior Citizens, Inc.
Laura McKinnon, Housing Savannah
Clyde Newton, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System
Lisette Ricelli, Agenda Latina
Samuel Rodriquez, Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana de Savannah
Treasurer | Mark Sprosty, Savannah Economic Development Authority
Linda Cramer, Chatham County, County Manager’s Office
William Kelso, Goodwill of Southeast Georgia, Inc.
Jeff O’Connor, First Citizens Bank
Ken Rabitsch, Synovus
Thomas Reilly, Community Volunteer
Bard Way, Community Volunteer
Chair | Somi Benson-Jaja, Shot by Somi
Immediate Past Chair | Robert Klausmeier, Community Volunteer
William Armstrong, WJCL-TV
Erica Baskin, Connect Savannah
Cynthia Cradduck, Savannah Technical College
Daniel Flaxer, WSAV-TV
Marianne Ganem-Poppell, Savannah Master Calendar
Stacy Jennings, Savannah-Chatham Public School System
Andrew LaViola, WTOC-TV
Mia Mance, Mia Talks
Paul Mazo, Stage Front Presentation Systems
Tanya Milton, The Savannah Tribune
Diana Morrison, Advertising Specialty Services
Betsy Nolen, Chatham County Police & Marine Patrol
Suzanne Smith, Cecilia Russo Marketing, LLC
Cecilia Tran Arango, Thomas & Hutton
Jason Usry, WJCL-TV
Christine Williams, WTOC-TV
Andrea Wood, Savannah Morning News
Co-Chair | Kimberly Ballard-Washington, Community Volunteer
Co-Chair | Austin Sullivan, Community Volunteer
Dr. Bertice Berry, Community Volunteer
Katrina Bostick, Family Promise of the Coastal Empire
William Haile, Community Volunteer
Antwone Mohammed, World Trade Center Savannah
Larry Silbermann, WRHQ – FM
Pastor Ricky Temple, Overcoming By Faith Ministries
Chair | Ryan Sewell, Sterling Seacrest Pritchard
Mark Bennett, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
Jennifer Davenport, Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce
Justin Farquhar, RISE
Kay Ford, BankSouth
Aileen Gabbey, Productive Nonprofits
Brynn Grant, Liberty County Development Authority
Sarah Jones, Truist Bank
Michael Kaigler, Chatham County, County Manager’s Office
Jeff Kole, Kole Management Co.
Samuel McCachern, Thomas & Hutton
Jeff O’Connor, First Citizens Bank
Ken Rabitsch, Synovus
Lizann Roberts, Community Volunteer
Larry Silbermann, WRHQ – FM
Bob Spell, Community Volunteer
Austin Sullivan, Community Volunteer
Dr. Michael Toma, Georgia Southern University – Armstrong Campus
Judge Derek White, Chatham County State Court
Taffanye Young, City of Savannah
Chair | Ansley Threlkeld, Ansley Bell Threlkeld, LLC
Ken Gassiot, Georgia Southern University – Armstrong Campus
Matt Gill, M&K Pressure Washing
Michael Kaigler, Chatham County, County Manager’s Office
Darrell Naylor-Johnson, Savannah College of Art and Design
Betsy Nolen, Chatham County Police & Marine Patrol
Charles Pennington, Georgia Ports Authority
Julie Wade, Wade Law and Consulting
Chair | Tara Nobles, Colonial Group, Inc.
Vice-Chair | Caitlin Teuton Burwinkel, Thomas & Hutton
Immediate Past Chair | Andrew Cosey, Corcoran Austin Hill Realty
Secretary | Makenzie Mullins, Cure Childhood Cancer Inc.
Director of Marketing | Rachel McDermott, Savannah College of Art and Design
Director of Events | Ruben Ramos, Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty
Director of Membership Recruitment | Erica McDonald, HCA – Memorial Health
Director of Membership Retention | Whitney Benberry, Senior Citizens, Inc.
Director of Professional Development | Azsha Hankerson, Comcast
Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | Antwone Mohammed, World Trade Center Savannah
Director of Community Involvement | Kayce Bradbury, AECOM
Member at Large | Craig Tootle, Junior Achievement of Georgia
Media Partners
