ABOUT US
Volunteer Teams
Effective July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027
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
Community Investments
Chair | Taffanye Young, City of Savannah
Leigh Acevedo, Community Volunteer
John Bennett, PhD, Savannah State University
Ivory Brown, Effingham County Public Schools
Will Gruver, Jan Pro of the SC/GA Coast
Molly Keating, South University
Nia Landry, Community Volunteer
Laura Lane McKinnon, East Savannah United
Martin (Marty) Minnich, Day Family Foundation
Sandra Nethels, EdD, Effingham County Board of Education
Zachary Ott, Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA)
Shirley Perry, Community Volunteer
Nikeisha (Nikki) Simpson, South University
Elsie Smalls, PhD, Healthy Savannah
Austin Sullivan, Community Volunteer
Bard Way, Community Volunteer
Jim Wellen, Community Volunteer
Doris Williams, Mary’s Place
Finance
Treasurer | Ken Rabitsch, Synovus
David Burkoff, HunterMaclean
Ethan Cox, First Citizens Bank
Linda Cramer, Chatham County Government
Bill Kelso, Goodwill of Southeast Georgia
Tom Reilly, Community Volunteer
Mark Sprosty, SEDA
Bard Way, Community Volunteer
Marketing, Volunteers & Events
Chair | Somi Benson-Jaja, Shot by Somi Studios
Bill Armstrong, WJCL-TV
Cynthia Cradduck, Savannah Technical College
Christine Edwards, WTOC-TV
Marianne Ganem-Poppell, Savannah Master Calendar
Fitz Haile, Consultant
Stacy Jennings, Savannah-Chatham County Public School System
Bob Klausmeier, Rise & Flow
Andy LaViola, WTOC-TV
Mia Mance, Savannah Downtown Business Association
Barri Marshall, WSAV-TV
Paul Mazo, Stage Front
Tanya Milton, The Savannah Tribune
Diana Morrison, Advertising Specialty Services
Darrell Naylor-Johnson, SCAD
Charles Pennington, GPA
Shannon Phillips, Abshire Public Relations
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
Cabinet
Chair | Cecilia Tran Arango, Thomas & Hutton
Carliss Bates, City of Savannah
Somi Benson-Jaja, Shot by Somi Studios
Juli Coble, Savannah Taste Experience
Andrew Cosey, Corcoran Austin Hill Realty
Tamika Edwards, SCCPSS
Michelle Finch-Wirth, SCCPSS
Jeff Hadley, Chatham County Government
Ryan Martin, Truist Bank
Freddie Milton, SCCPSS
Tina Mock, Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce
Cindy Robinett, Sterling Seacrest Pritchard
Katie Rudder-Fender, Community Volunteer
Mindy Shea, Visit Savannah
Trip Tolson, SEDA
Courtney West, West Construction
Business Champions
Chair | Emily Holmes, Sterling Seacrest Pritchard
Luke Boyd, Bank South
Melody Boyd, Colonial Group
Taylor Coleman, Sterling Seacrest Pritchard
Greg Finch, Bouhan Falligant, LLP
Mary Catherine Holloway, Hussey Gay Bell
Andrew Lonker, Thomas & Hutton
Tania Powell, Senior Citizens Inc.
Conni Reynolds, Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce
Suzanne Smith, Savannah Technical College
Eli Vandiver, Georgia Ports Authority
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
Young Leaders Executive Committee
Chair | Caitlin Teuton Burwinkel, Thomas & Hutton
Vice Chair | Kayce Curtiss, AECOM
Immediate Past Chair | Tara Nobles, Colonial Group, Inc.
Secretary | Victoria Waters, KPMG
Director of Marketing | Emily McClure, Otterbox
Director of Events | Steven Napolitano, Gulfstream
Director of Membership | Madeline Jacobs, Jacobs, Coolidge & Company
Director of Professional Development | Ashlyn Flowers, Goodwill Southeast Georgia
Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | Antwone Mohammed, World Trade Center Savannah
Director of Community Involvement | Laura Schmarkey-Holtzinger, Goodwill Southeast Georgia
Member at Large | Whitney Benberry, Senior Citizens, Inc.
Member at Large | Ruben Ramos, Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty
Board of Directors &
County Advisory Boards
Media Partners
