Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA) is pleased to announce the Class of 2024 Board Members. The BGCMA Board of Directors plays a key role in shaping the strategic direction of the organization and working to secure vital funding to support BGCMA’s 26 Clubs across 10 counties in and around the city.
“We are thrilled to welcome our newest Board members to Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta,” said David Jernigan, President & CEO of BGCMA. “Each of these exceptional individuals brings a wealth of talent, passion, and diverse industry expertise to our organization. Their commitment to our mission—helping kids and teens ignite their unlimited potential—is truly inspiring. With their invaluable counsel, we are confident in advancing our RISE2025 strategic plan to serve more kids, more often, and with greater impact.”
“As we welcome our new cohort of board members to Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, we continue to uphold our commitment to building a ‘dream’ board of dedicated individuals who bring not only their resources and connections but also a deep-seated passion for our mission,” said BGCMA Board Chair Larry Patrick. “Our innovative approach to board recruitment ensures that each member joins us not just as a supporter, but as a catalyst for positive change in the lives of our youth and communities.”
BGCMA welcomes 8 new Board Members of diverse backgrounds & perspectives, as well as expertise & skillsets:
Marissa Ahrens is the Director of Community Engagement for Atlanta United. In 2016, Marissa came on-board to curate the club’s outreach efforts in the community. In this role, Marissa is responsible for the development of the club’s community programming and engagement with the club’s registered supporter groups. In the fall of 2016, Marissa helped launch the present-day Atlanta United Community Fund – the Atlanta United associate led giving committee. The Atlanta United Community Fund has granted over 3 million dollars since its inception to provide free and accessible soccer programming, pitches, and equipment to Georgia’s youth across the state.
Susanne Hall is Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc. (UNITED). Founded in 1902 and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, Coca-Cola UNITED is among the largest bottlers and distributors of Coke products in the U.S. Hall leads sales and marketing, revenue growth, planning and analytics, as well as digital and E-commerce. She previously served as Vice President of Coca-Cola UNITED’s West Region. Hall also served as Senior Vice President of Region Sales and Operations at Coca-Cola Refreshments, where she was responsible for sales and field operations in 22 states along the East Coast and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Hall has been with the Coca-Cola System since 1996 and is a graduate of the University of New Orleans, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting.
Courtney Smith is the Senior Vice President of Community Development at PNC Bank. Mr. Smith joined PNC Financial in 2013 and leads the bank’s Community Development efforts for the Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee markets. He has an impressive background as a community development professional with experience in expanding nonprofit capabilities, addressing housing affordability, leading diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, cultivating small business and micro-lending activities, and managing retail and commercial banking activities. He is passionate about minority and small business development, neighborhood revitalization and enjoys promoting financial mobility for all people and businesses.
Temano Shurland is a Life Sciences and Health Care Principal (Partner) within Deloitte and is the US Healthcare Finance Transformation Leader. He serves Deloitte’s largest and most complex clients within the Healthcare and Life Sciences industry. He has more than 20 years of progressive finance transformation lifecycle experience and provides thought leadership and strategic advice to Chief Financial Officers, Chief Accounting Officers, and their finance and controllership functions.Temano has advised clients across a broad range of operational issues within the accounting and finance space focusing on helping them find and provide value that effectively positions the finance function to better serve their key stakeholders through process, technology, and/or organization and talent transformation.
Aparna Shah is the SVP and General Manager of the U.S. Information Solutions Direct to Consumer (D2C) business at Equifax. She joined the D2C business in 2022 and is responsible for driving revenue growth of identity and credit monitoring and lead generation services across digital and call center channels. Aparna joined Equifax in 2009 and has held several roles across the organization including SVP of Strategic Initiatives – responsible for managing business transformation efforts, M&A integrations, and new product introductions – and VP in Marketing – with roles in product innovation and strategic pricing. Prior to Equifax, Aparna was a management consultant in Strategy and Operations at Deloitte. She has her MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and a Mechanical Engineering degree from Georgia Institute of Technology.
Brooks McElyea is a Partner at Ernst & Young, LLP in the Atlanta office. With nearly 20 years of experience in professional services, Brooks has worked extensively with some of the market’s largest accounts, helping them identify ways to transform finance from a compliance function into a significant value driver. He has a strong interest in leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance finance operations, streamline data analysis, and improve compliance processes, facilitating more strategic and value-driven management approaches. Brooks’s expertise in managing dynamic situations and complex regulatory responsibilities in a global environment makes him a valuable asset to any organization.
Renee Pearson (GVP & CTO at Rollins, Inc.) is a business technology executive with experience leading teams, cultivating change, and executing strategies to achieve business and enterprise goals. She is a transformational leader consistently sought out to define and execute first-of-a-kind practices, teams, and projects enterprise wide including multi-year digital transformation efforts. Over the course of her career, she has held leadership positions at Kimberly-Clark, Georgia Pacific, and Republic National Distributing Company. In her current role, she manages Rollins IT spanning Data & Analytics, Application Development, M&A / Technology Integration, Technology Transformation, Infrastructure, and Business Relationship Management. She is engaged in the Atlanta community through various board engagements and an advocate and mentor for women in technology.
Ricardo “Rico” Simon is a Managing Director and Head of Structured Credit Products Origination at Truist, where he brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the financial services industry. In this role, Rico manages three distinct businesses including Asset Based Lending, Equipment Finance, and Working Capital Solutions. Prior to his current role, Rico was the Head of Real Estate Syndicated Finance leading the loan syndication efforts for Truist Bank’s Commercial Real Estate and Real Estate Investment Banking businesses. Rico graduated with a BS in Finance and an MBA from Florida A&M University. He also currently serves on the Governing Board at Woodward Academy, where he currently chairs the Finance Committee and serves on the Executive Committee.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA): For more than 85 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA) has ignited the unlimited potential of kids and teens by creating safe, inclusive, and engaging environments. Our 26 Clubs located in 10 counties across metropolitan Atlanta serve approximately 7,000 kids & teens (ages 6-18) each year, offering youth development programs during critical non-school hours that promote academic success, healthy lifestyles, and character & leadership. BGCMA also oversees Camp Kiwanis, a 160-acre outdoor residence camp. To learn more about BGCMA, follow us on social media: Twitter (@BGCMA_Clubs), Facebook (BGCMA), TikTok (BGCMAtl), LinkedIn (Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta), and Instagram (bgcmATL), or visit us online at www.bgcma.org.