Diverse 2021 Cohort of Corporate and Community Leaders Bring Decades of Experience to Support the Youth Development Nonprofit’s RISE 2025 Strategic Vision
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA) is pleased to announce the Class of 2021 Board of Directors. Board members play a key role in shaping the strategic direction of the organization and working to secure vital funding to support Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta’s 25 locations across 11 counties in and around the city.
“It is a continuous effort of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta to recruit, appoint & maintain Board Members who are passionate about our organization and have the relationships we need to support our mission to help kids & teens ignite their unlimited potential,” said BGCMA President & CEO David Jernigan. “We are so thankful for the counsel of each of our new Board Members as we work collectively towards our RISE 2025 strategic plan to serve more kids, more often, and with greater impact.”
“As our youth continue to battle social-emotional and academic challenges exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, volunteer leaders are especially essential,” said BGCMA Board Chair Simon H. Bloom, Esq. “Over the past year, BGCMA has taken a strategic approach to identify the best volunteer leaders who reflect the communities we serve and hold positions at Atlanta-based industries where we lacked representation.”
BGCMA welcomes 12 new Board Members of diverse backgrounds & perspectives, as well as expertise & skillsets. Our Class of 2021 cohort includes 9 people of color, 5 women, and 7 men from a myriad of industries:
Darius Bates is a partner in McKinsey’s Atlanta office and a leader in the firm’s Transformation Practice, where in his day-to-day he is focused on helping organizations unlock sustained top & bottom-line impact. He is excited to join the BGCMA board and give back to an organization that played a key role in shaping his formative years.
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rica J. Bolden is Head of Diversity, Inclusion & Equity Engagement at Mercedes-Benz USA, where she implements global change management and inclusive program design strategies to maximize diverse talent and community engagement. She was recently recognized in ELLE as a 2021 Empowered Women honoree, presented the 2020 Diversity Leadership in Action Award by Career Mastered magazine, and featured in Savoy magazine’s list of 2019 Most Influential Women in Corporate America. Bolden is excited to join BGCMA in this capacity as part of her personal commitment to improve society’s focus on who is “at the table” and ensure that future generations are given fair access to meaningful opportunity with both a seat and voice.
John Bottini is an Associate General Counsel of Environmental, Health, & Safety at Koch, where he provides legal support in environmental, health & safety, product stewardship, and internal investigations. He is past chair of the Environmental Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia. As a father of 3 boys with a commitment to service in the Atlanta area, Bottini looks forward to contributing to BGCMA’s impactful work with youth in the Atlanta area.
Solange Claudio is President of Moxie | MRY, two agencies within the Publicis Groupe marketing network. She possesses more than 20 years of experience spanning multiple facets of advertising and marketing—from general awareness, digital platforms and CXM to online media, social and technology solutions. As a youth who benefited from community organizations like BGCMA, Claudio brings a personal experience and perspective with the communities we aim to support.
Jerald Estime is VP of Real Estate, Construction and Facilities at Levi Strauss & Co. With more than 25 years in commercial real estate, construction & facilities management, Estime brings extensive focus on strategic planning, data driven decision making, profit optimization, and collaborative leadership. He worked with BGCMA while attending Clark Atlanta University and later lead corporate teams in volunteer initiatives at the Club. As a youth sports coach for the last 20+ years, he has provided a full 360-degree view of the challenges and opportunities to affect the wellbeing or underprivileged youth. He strongly believes his business acumen and real-life experiences are the perfect match for the BGCMA board.
Charisse Evans is the VP of Employee Relations at Delta, where she also serves as the executive sponsor of SHE, an employee business resource group for women. In 2019, she was named one of Moves Magazine “Power Women,” and TravelPulse.com listed her as one of the 20 influential women in the travel industry. Evans has been an engaged volunteer with BGCMA and looks forward to reconnecting with the organization.
Derek Goshay is the VP of Safety & Sustainability at Genuine Parts Company, where he supports global safety, ESG, and DE&I initiatives for the organization. A business professional with over 25 years of leadership experience, Goshay is a Columbus, GA native, Georgia Tech alum, and proud member of 1990 National Championship Football team. Goshay credits his local Boys Club with helping to develop his competitive drive to succeed, and he is committed to paying forward the service he once received.
Eric Hagen is VP of Finance for Supply Chain at The Home Depot, where he serves as the primary finance partner to the Supply Chain organization. Hagen joined The Home Depot in 2005 and has held roles with increasing responsibility in Supply Chain and Store finance functions. As the son of an educator, Hagen is passionate about working to ensure kids and teens in Metro Atlanta area reach their full potential.
Jamael Hester is Chief of Staff to the President and a member of Coca Cola’s North America Executive Leadership Team. He has nearly two decades of experience in top FMCG organizations beginning in sales operations to leading multiple strategy assignments accountable for driving growth on National Retail Customers, leading billion-dollar brands, and owning the relationship with Coca-Cola’s Franchise Bottlers. Hester’s deep passion for community, and commitment to mentoring youth and young adults is what has inspired him most about the work of the Boys & Girls Club of America and Metro Atlanta specifically.
Cloteen Jasmin, Esq., is Atlanta Market Leader & Senior VP of Development at Ryan Companies US, Inc., with more than 20 years of experience in corporate real estate, accounting, and law. She is responsible for defining Ryan’s goals throughout the Southeast Region, directing and managing the development team in the Atlanta office, and expanding Ryan’s regional and national presence in the industrial, multifamily, and healthcare sectors. Spending time at the Boys & Girls Club as a child was pivotal in putting Jasmin on an early path to success; serving on the BGCMA board enables her to create new pathways to success for the next generation.
Judy Starkey is a Special Investment Partner at Glen Partners and Founder of Chamberlin Edmonds & Associates, Inc. for the past 22 years. She serves on several private company boards and on the Executive Committee for Baddour Memorial Center, a privately run center for adults with challenges. What drew her to BGCMA is the individual and group guidance that allows Club members to grow and learn in new directions.
Michael Sullivan is the VP and Chief Information Officer at Southern Company Gas, with over 35 years in technology dedicated towards driving transformative technology strategies across complex organizations. He has held leadership roles at multiple fortune 500 companies and has been recognized for his outstanding leadership. He currently serves on multiple Boards and on the Executive Committee for the Technology Association of Georgia. In July 2021, he was awarded the Racial Justice Champion Award by the Racial Justice Institute. As a child, Boys & Girls Clubs exposed him to many experiences; he has great passion to reach back and use his influence to do the same for the next generation.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA): For more than 80 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 25 Clubs located in 11 counties across metropolitan Atlanta have traditionally served nearly 3000 Club members (ages 6-18) each day, 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), LinkedIn (Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta), and Instagram (bgcmATL), or visit us online at www.bgcma.org.