meet our team
Behind every life-changing mentoring relationship is a team of passionate, dedicated professionals committed to empowering young people and helping them reach their full potential.
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM
KWAME JOHNSON
president & ceo
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Kwame Johnson was named the “Most Admired CEO” by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Kwame serves as the President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters Metro Atlanta, overseeing the largest and most effective youth mentoring agency in the state of Georgia. Kwame has drastically transformed the organization’s operations, programs, and fundraising, increasing overall revenue by 80%. Kwame is also the award-winning author of The Hope Inside: Harnessing the Power of Mentorship in Life and Career. Kwame is a highly sought-after public speaker and consultant in the areas of fundraising, leadership development, strategy, marketing, and program innovation. Kwame found his passion while incarcerated during his senior year of high school. During this challenging time, he decided to change his life and made history by becoming the first youth to ever take his SATs in jail. Kwame was accepted into Hampton University and decided to leave college at the age of 19 to become a social entrepreneur. He has dedicated his life to service.
Kwame’s passion led him to Washington, DC, where he served as the National Program Director for the Woodson Center, which focused on helping residents of low-income neighborhoods address the problems of their communities. Kwame also served as the Director of Corporate Relations for the national office of Communities In Schools, the nation’s largest dropout prevention organization. Kwame moved to Atlanta in 2015 to serve as the CEO of Power My Learning Atlanta, focused on improving educational outcomes for students, where he increased the organization's revenue by 65% and program reach by 115% within three years. Kwame has received national recognition for his work, including the Social Entrepreneur Program of the Year Award from the Manhattan Institute. Kwame received the highly distinguished Atlanta Business Chronicle Most Admired CEO Award and the Atlanta Business League Men of Influence Award. Kwame has received both the Atlanta Business Chronicle and the Georgia Trends 40 Under 40 Award. Kwame was recently named one of Atlanta’s Top 500 Most Powerful Leaders by the Atlanta Magazine and featured on WSB-TV Channel 2 as a Georgia Game Changer.Kwame is a graduate of Leadership Atlanta and holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Maryland and an executive Education Certificate in Nonprofit Strategy from Harvard University.
PIERRE GAITHER
Chief Operating Officer
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A proud Atlanta native, Gaither brings more than 15 years of leadership experience in both government and nonprofit management to the agency, along with a deep commitment to the youth and families of the metro Atlanta community.
Gaither joins BBBSMA with a proven track record in strategic operations, organizational development, and community engagement. Most recently, he served as Executive Director of the Atlanta Board of Education. Prior to that, he served as Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Community Improvement Association. He is also a Big Brother in the BBBSMA program.
Gaither holds a Bachelor of Arts from Morehouse College and a Master of Public Administration from Clark Atlanta University. His leadership and service have been recognized throughout the city, including being named Citizen of the Year by the Atlanta Police Foundation and honored in the Apex Power 30 Under 30. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Outstanding Atlanta, and the 100 Black Men of Atlanta.
Dionte' Lee
VICE PRESIDENT of Human Resources
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Dedicated to transforming organizational landscapes, I am a seasoned Talent Management and Acquisition professional with a track record of driving change and delivering impactful outcomes. With over 16 years in Human Resources, I specialize in change management, cross-functional collaboration, training, communication, leadership, and data analysis.
Consulting Excellence Across Industries:
Higher Education Leadership:
Pioneered HR best practices for both for-profit and non-profit universities. Launched Employee Learning and development divisions at both institutions, resulting in an outstanding 80-90% improvement in employee satisfaction
Venture Capital Firms:
Strategically managed talent acquisition for startup ventures, achieving a 30% reduction in time-to-fill critical positions
High-Level Tech Firm:
Led to the successful identification of elusive talent in FinTech, Cloud Solutions, and CIO positions
Small-Midsize Businesses:
Provided tailored consulting, resulting in a 25% enhancement in HR efficiency
Startups:
Advised startups on effective talent strategies, contributing to a 20% improvement in recruitment effectiveness
Change Management Advocate:
A dedicated advocate for effective change management, I have cultivated successful partnerships with internal and external stakeholders. My solutions focus on fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within the workplace, contributing to organizational success.
I am passionate about driving positive change and achieving transformative results. Let's connect to explore opportunities for collaboration and discuss how I can contribute to your organization's success.
Harold Mizell
Vice President of Information Technology
Andres Rubio
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
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𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗙𝗣&𝗔, 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶-𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲.
After 15+ years leading international finance, accounting operations, FP&A, and multi-entity reporting across nonprofits and global organizations, I’ve seen the same recurring challenge: teams are committed and capable, but lack the systems, visibility, and processes needed to scale responsibly and make confident decisions.
Most organizations don’t need a full-time CFO, but they do need clarity.
I help leadership teams understand where their cash, operations, and financial risks stand, and then build the systems and processes that allow them to move forward with confidence.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗗𝗼
• Strengthen cash flow visibility and forecasting discipline
• Redesign AR, AP, and GL processes to improve speed, accuracy, and compliance
• Improve month-end close, reporting cycles, and multi-entity consolidation
• Build forecasting models, dashboards, and KPI tools for data-driven decision making
• Map financial processes end-to-end to eliminate inefficiencies and control gaps
• Provide Fractional CFO and Interim Controller support during transitions or restructuring
• Guide organizations through compliance readiness, audit preparation, and process stabilization
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀
Many advisors provide strategy OR spreadsheets, I provide both.
My background combines deep technical accounting expertise with strategic FP&A leadership, allowing me to diagnose issues quickly and implement practical solutions that stick.
The result: faster close cycles, stronger controls, improved cash flow visibility, and leadership teams who finally have a financial system they can trust.
𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀
Fractional CFO Services • Interim Controller • Cash Flow Forecasting • AR/AP/GL Process Mapping • Month-End Close Optimization • Multi-Entity Accounting • Financial Modeling & Dashboards • Internal Controls • FP&A Leadership • Nonprofit & SMB Finance
David stokes
Vice President of philanthropy
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Experienced Information Technology professional with a demonstrated history working in the non-profit organization management industry.
Our Team
Meet the people behind our mission. Explore our agency leadership, department leaders, program teams, and school-based mentors.
Executive Leadership
Philanthropy & Special Events
Traditional Programs
Program & Department Managers
Enrollment
Match Support
Customer Relations & Regional Programs
Innovative Programs
Big Futures & Beyond School Walls
Level Up — School Teams
Mentoring supervisors appear first within each school team.
Bunche MS
Jonesboro MS
Sylvan MS
Lithonia MS
Russell MS
Young MS
Marketing & Recruitment
Technology & Facilities
Human Resources
Finance
Directory updated with recent staffing changes. Confirm roster details before publishing.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Our Board of Directors brings together community and business leaders committed to expanding opportunities for young people across metro Atlanta.
Executive Committee
Jennifer Burns
Equifax
Richard Makerson
Blue Fletch, LLC
David Duncan
Georgia-Pacific
Clifford Stanford
Alston & Bird
Nelson Boyce
Matt Gonsalves
Insight Global
Susan Minch Starnes
Community Volunteer
Directors
Charlton Barker
Southern Company
Malcolm Berkley
UPS
Terry Brantley
Brantland, LLC
Alton Brooks Jr.
City of Hope Cancer Center
Shaunda Edmonds, PhD
Urcel Fields
Point32Health
Carly Garrett
KPMG
Thomas Hamlin
DMSS Holdings
Dr. Tiffany Jamison-Rand
Rand & Co
Michael Lipton
Colliers International
Forrest McClain
Reicon Capital, Inc.
Vans Nelson
Inspire Brands
Joe Pierce
AMBSE Sports and Entertainment
Bryan Stewart
The Superior Group
Clyde White
Georgia Peach State/Centene
Lori Wittman
Cox Automotive
Anqi Zou
Truist
James Singleton
EY
Toni Brown
Greenberg Traurig
Kenya Wilson
Church’s Chicken
Emeritus
Amy Agami
Douglas J. Hertz Family Foundation
Angela Blank
Community Activist
Julie Branicki
EY
Rita Breen
Georgia Power Company
Gerard Gibbons
Go-To-Market Strategy E-Commerce
Peter Lauer
PEL Ventures
John (Jack) Markwalter
CIBC Private Wealth Management
Gregory Pope
Masters Capital
Ron Stewart
Investor
Mark Tipton
Investor
Richard Wells
KPMG
Timothy (Tim) Wilkerson
The Home Depot
Professional affiliations and board roles are based on the supplied roster and requested additions. Please verify before publishing.
YOUNG LEADERS COUNCIL
Meet the emerging leaders who support our mission through service, advocacy, and community engagement. Our council officers and committee chairs help guide the Young Leaders Council’s work, alongside dedicated members from across metro Atlanta.
Council Leadership
OfficersEllen Marsh
Client Services Associate
LinkedIn profile ↗Bradford Wynn
Chief Operations Officer
LinkedIn profile ↗Shanice Stewart
Senior UX Researcher
LinkedIn profile ↗Zoë Grace Hargrove
Administrative Assistant
LinkedIn profile ↗Christian Gehrke
Senior Specialist, Board Engagement
LinkedIn profile ↗Committee Chairs
Council leadership rolesHayden Holmes
Vice President of Sales
LinkedIn profile ↗Curtis Johnson
Associate Director of College Counseling
LinkedIn profile ↗Council Members
15 membersKeith Bell
Investment Manager
LinkedIn profile ↗Tony Poon
Co-Founder & Executive Producer
LinkedIn profile ↗Judson Wallace
Private Wealth Advisor
LinkedIn profile ↗Charis Wright
Community Impact Relationship Manager II
LinkedIn profile ↗Destorian Cash
Founder
LinkedIn profile ↗Archie “AJ” Wilson
Startup & Venture Capital Attorney
LinkedIn profile ↗Sean Rolle
Global Corporate Banking Analyst
LinkedIn profile ↗Kate Taylor
Business Development Manager
LinkedIn profile ↗Allie Ponder
Attorney
LinkedIn profile ↗Julissa Santoyo
Commercial Banker
LinkedIn profile ↗Taylor Carter
Assistant General Counsel
LinkedIn profile ↗DJ Lewis
Director of AI Implementation
LinkedIn profile ↗Ashlynn Lindsey
Manager, Strategy Execution & Partnerships
LinkedIn profile ↗Avery Lewis
Senior Performance Marketing Manager
LinkedIn profile ↗LaDarrien Gillette
Senior Associate Director
LinkedIn profile ↗Council roles and professional affiliations reflect the supplied membership directory. Contact information is intentionally excluded.
BBBSMA Open positions
We’re thrilled to invite passionate and driven individuals to join the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta team! If you’re looking to make a lasting impact in the lives of young people and be part of a mission that truly matters, we want to hear from you. If you have direct questions, please contact us at [email protected].
Explore our exciting career opportunities by clicking on the job titles below to learn more. Together, let's ignite and inspire the power and promise of the next generation!
