Governor Perdue Announces Executive Appointments

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the following executive appointments.  Brief biographies are provided below:

Board of Directors of the Georgia Lottery Corporation

Frances Rogers, 49, Atlanta − Rogers is the founder and president of Checks & Balances, Inc. and the president of WH Capital, LLC. She serves on the Waffle House, Inc. Stand-By Board of Directors, a trustee and officer of The Lovett School, and a member of the Georgia Tech Foundation Board of Trustees. Rogers earned a bachelor’s degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She and her husband, Joe, have five children.

Board of Economic Development

James E. Stephenson, 60, Johns Creek, At Large Representative − Stephenson is the president and chief executive officer of Yancey Bros. Co. He serves on the boards of the Shepherd Center, Grady Memorial Hospital and Piedmont Bank. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority. Stephenson earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a law degree from Duke University. He and his wife, Donna, have three children.

Board of Trustees of the Subsequent Injury Trust Fund

Barbara E. Tempel, 67, Atlanta, At Large Representative − Tempel is a special assistant to Governor Sonny Perdue. She served as the membership director of the GAGOP, outreach director for Congressman Tom Davis of Virginia, and spent fifteen years in the education field. Tempel earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri. She has two daughters and four grandchildren.

Board of Community Health

Mary Eleanor Wickersham, Ph.D., 60, St. Simons Island − Wickersham is an assistant professor at Valdosta State University. She is past health and human services policy advisor for Governor Sonny Perdue. She serves on the Georgia Commission on Family Violence. Wickersham earned a bachelor’s degree from Emory University, a master’s degree from Georgia College and State University, and a doctorate from Valdosta State University. She and her husband, David, have two children and three grandchildren.

GeorgiaCommission for Service and Volunteerism

Ceasar C. Mitchell, 42, Atlanta, Local Government Representative − Mitchell is president of the Atlanta City Council. Prior to being elected council president, he served two terms as a citywide post 1 councilmember. He is past chairman of the Board of Directors of Hands on Atlanta. He has been featured in Georgia Trend’s “Top 40 under 40” list. Mitchell earned a bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College and a law degree from the University of Georgia.

Governor’s Office for Children and Families Advisory Board

Gaylyn L. Cole, 41, Forsyth – Cole is a resource teacher in the Great Leaps Program at Stratford Academy in Macon. She has 16 years of educational experience in public and private schools. She is a member of the Forsyth Woman’s Club and a 2005 graduate of Leadership Georgia. Cole earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree from Georgia Southwestern University. She and her husband, Jim, have two children.

State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors

Matthew W. Baxter, 28, Atlanta, At Large Representative − Baxter is the energy, natural resource, economic development, and tax policy advisor for Governor Sonny Perdue. He previously served as a budget analyst for the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget. Baxter earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgia College and State University and a master’s degree from the University of Virginia.

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