Who We Are

MENTOR Georgia is a statewide affiliate of MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, and provides the leadership and infrastructure necessary to support the expansion of quality mentoring relationships across Georgia.

MENTOR Georgia is housed within and coordinated by the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development and serves as a clearinghouse for training, resources, and public awareness. In addition, MENTOR Georgia provides links between MENTOR’s national efforts and local organizations and programs that foster and support quality mentoring relationships.

To learn more about MENTOR Georgia’s strategic plan, mission, vision, and values visit our about section.

  • Staff
    • Leslie Hale – Executive Director, MENTOR Georgia | Public Service Faculty Member, J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development
    • Charlyene Botley – Program Operations Coordinator, J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development
    • Rylee Dickinson – Graduate Assistant
  • Advisory Board

    The MENTOR Georgia Advisory Board’s role: provide advice, insight, and thought leadership, often from unique vantage points approaching youth, youth development, and statewide systems. The board is composed of systems-level youth development professionals, educators, and business leaders who support the collective impact of MENTOR Georgia by leveraging services and contributions across their professional and personal networks. 

    • Amara Lynch – Independent Consultant 
    • Brad Bryant – Retired, education, fundraising, and law 
    • Careshia Moore – Usher’s New Look 
    • Cathy Smith-Curry – Department of Juvenile Justice
    • David Meyers – J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development 
    • Elise Brockenberry – Student, Georgia State University
    • Emmanuel Little – Independent Consultant 
    • Gabe Kuperminc – Georgia State University
    • Justice Brown – Student, Landmark Christian School
    • Katie Landes – Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network 
    • Matt Bishop – J. W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development 
    • Monty Green – Elevance Health
    • Mike Armstrong – Georiga Campaign for Adolescent Power and Potential 
    • Sandy Welfare – Women Who Code
  • Provider Council

    The MENTOR Georgia Provider Council plays a crucial role in informing MENTOR Georgia’s understanding of the needs of youth mentoring programs. Made up of leaders from mentoring programs and direct service practitioners, the Provider Council ensures the direct services that MENTOR Georgia provides are in tune with the needs of programs and organizations.

    • Amy McIntosh – Live 2 Create
    • Anna Blount – Team Up Mentoring 
    • Chris Woods – Artportunity Knocks 
    • Elton Dixon – Enay Coaching 
    • James Rayford – Gwinnett County School District 
    • June O’Neal – The Mentors Project 
    • Jennifer Herring – UNG First-Gen mentoring initative 
    • Jessica Washington – Usher’s New Look 
    • Kimberly Bennett – Cultivating a Lifetime of Legacy 
    • Lynn Hill – Boys & Girls Clubs of North Georgia 
    • Marie Davis – Consultant 
    • Megan Arthur – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta
    • Rolandria Tolbert – Central Georgia Technical College REACH Mentoring Program 
    • Toya Russell-Phillips – Girls of Excellence, Inc. 
    • Wesley Fondal – Starbase Robins 
    • Charlyene Botley – J.W. Fanning Institute of Leadership Development
    • Leslie Hale – J.W. Fanning Institute of Leadership Development