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 2025-2026
Community Investments
Chair
Taffanye Young, City of Savannah
Member At Large Member
Leigh Acevedo, SEGA Consulting
John Bennett, PhD, Savannah State University
Ivory Brown, Community Volunteer
Will Gruver, Jan Pro of the SC/GA Coast
Molly Keating, South University
Laura Lane McKinnon, Housing Savannah
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
Finance
Treasurer | Mark Sprosty, Savannah Economic Development Authority
David Burkoff, HunterMaclean
Linda Cramer, Chatham County
Ethan Cox, First Citizens Bank
William Kelso, Goodwill Southeast Georgia
Ken Rabitsch, Synovus
Tom Reilly, Community Volunteer
Bard Way, Community Volunteer
Marketing
Chair | Somi Benson-Jaja, Shot by Somi Studios
Immediate Past Chair | Robert Klausmeier, Rise & Flow
Betsy Nolen Able, Chatham County Sherrif’s Office
Bill Armstrong, WJCL-TV
Erica Baskin, Connect Savannah
Cynthia Cradduck, Savannah Technical College
Christine Edwards, WTOC-TV
Dan Flaxer, WSAV-TV
Marianne Ganem-Poppell, Savannah Master Calendar
Stacy Jennings, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System
Andy LaViola, WTOC-TV
Mia Mance, Mia Talks
Paul Mazo, Stage Front
Tanya Milton, The Savannah Tribune
Diana Morrison, Advertising Speciality Services
Suzanne Smith, Savannah Technical College
Cecilia Tran Arango, Thomas & Hutton
Andrea Wood, Savannah Morning News
Race, Equity, & Opportunity
Co-Chair | Kimberly Ballard-Washington, Community Volunteer
Co-Chair | Austin Sullivan, Community Volunteer
Dr. Bertice Berry, Bertice Berry Productions, Inc.
Katrina Bostick, Family Promise of the Coastal Empire
William (Bill) Haile, Community Volunteer
Antwone Mohammed, World Trade Center Savannah
Larry Silbermann, WRHQ FM Q105.3
Pastor Ricky Temple, Overcoming By Faith Ministries
Resource Development
Business Champions
Chair | Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Ely, Community Volunteer
Vice Chair | Emily Holmes, Sterling Seacrest Pritchard
Patrick Blume, Queensborough National Bank & Trust Company
Luke Boyd, BankSouth
Greg Finch, Bouhan Falligant, LLP
Mary Catherine Holloway, Hussey Gay Bell
Andrew ‘Drew’ Lonker, Thomas & Hutton
Conrad Martin, Sterling Seacrest Pritchard
Antwone Mohammad, Savannah World Trade Center
Tania Powell, Senior Citizens, Inc.
Suzanne Smith, Savannah Technical College
Campaign Cabinet
Key Accounts
Carliss Bates, City of Savannah
Tameka Edwards, Savannah Chatham County Public Schools System
Michelle Finch-Wirth, Savannah Chatham County Public Schools System
Jeffery ‘Jeff’ Hadley, Chatham County Government
Jack McCutchen, City of Savannah
Freddie Milton, Savannah Chatham County Public Schools System
Traditional
Conor Buchanan, Jacobs, Coolidge & Company, LLC
Andrew Cosey, Austin Hill Realty
Michelle Hetager, Truist Bank
Ryan Martin, Truist Bank
Peter Mierke, OpX Solutions, LLC
LeAndrea Mikell, Savannah State University
Tina Mock, Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce
Catherine Rudder, South State University
Nontraditional
Somi Benson-Jaja, Shot by Somi Studios
Juli Coble, Savannah Taste Experience
Mindy Shea, Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce
Strategic Planning
Chair | Ryan Sewell, Sterling Seacrest Pritchard
Kimberly Ballard-Washington, Attorney
Mark Bennett, Gulfstream
Jennifer Davenport, Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce
Justin Farquhar, Regional Industry Support Enterprise
Kay Ford, BankSouth
Aileen Gabbey, Productive Nonprofits
Brynn Grant, Liberty County Development Authority
Sarah Jones, Truist
Michael Kaigler, Chatham County
Jeff Kole, Kole Investment Co.
Sam McCachern, Thomas & Hutton
Ken Rabitsch, Synovus
Lizann Roberts, Community Volunteer
Larry Silbermann, WRHQ
Bob Spell, Heritage Capital Group
Austin Sullivan, Community Volunteer
Joseph Tallent, Effingham Health System
Michael Toma, Georiga Southern University
Derek White, Chatham County State Court
Jay Wilson, International Paper
Taffanye Young, City of Savannah
Volunteers
Chair | Ansley Threlkeld, Ansley Bell Threlkeld, LLC
Ken Gassiot, Georgia Southern University
Matt Gill, M&K Pressure Washing
Michael Kaigler, Chatham County Manager’s Office
Darrell Naylor-Johnson, Savannah College of Art & Design
Betsy Nolen, Chatham County Police Department
Charles Pennington, Georgia Ports Authority
Julie Wade, Tharro’s Place
Young Leaders
Chair | Caitlin Burwinkel, Thomas and Hutton
Vice-Chair | Azsha Hankerson, Comcast
Secretary | Victoria Waters, KPMG
Director of Marketing | Rachel McDermott, Savannah College of Art and Design
Director of Events | Ruben Ramos, Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty
Director of Recruitment | Madeline Jacobs, Jacobs, Collidge and Co.
Director of Retention | Whitney Benberry, Senior Citizens, Inc.
Director of Professional Development | Ashlyn Flowers, Goodwill of Southeast GA
Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | Antwone Mohammed, World Trade Center Savannah
Director of Community Involvement | Laura Schmarkey, Goodwill of Southeast GA
Member at Large | Erica McDonald, HCA Memorial Health
Member at Large | Kayce Curtiss, AECOM
Media Partners
