JumpSTART Your Career...
Staff & Board Of Directors
Suze Surdyk Jones, IIDA
″I look forward to a time when a woman can expect equal pay and promotion for equal work; when she can enter or re-enter the workforce without fear of discrimination due to her age, sex or race; and when she has unlimited opportunities open to her.″
Suze Jones started her career teaching marketing, business, retailing, and related fields at the college level. She also taught vocational education at the high school level. She is founder and principal of Suze Surdyk Jones Interiors. A master′s degree in marketing, a background in European studies, experience in building custom homes, and a wealth of creative yet cost-effective ideas compliment her expertise in interior design. Since her firm′s inception in 1984, her work has been recognized by the International Society of Interior Designers and by the Atlanta Gift Mart. She received a National Award in l997 for Outstanding Interior Design and was named Southeastern Designer of the Year 2008. Her work has been featured in many magazines.
Rebecca R. Smith, CMP, CSEP Executive Director
″It is endlessly rewarding to meet women who enter the workshop classes frozen with anxiety about their futures and see them leave with a heightened sense of purpose and renewed self-esteem.″
Rebecca Smith has had a wide variety of work experiences in her 30-year career which include banking with SunTrust Bank and managing her own children′s clothing import company. For the past 20 years she has produced 35 different charitable fundraising events and has raised over $8 million for organizations in the arts, health and social services industries. Smith graduated with honors from the University of Georgia with a B.S. in Sociology. As President of Smith Parker & Associates she currently works as a consultant for non-profit organizations and is a certified meeting and event-planning professional.
Eugene F. Parker, Jr., Director of Education
″It is such a pleasure to see women learn to become more focused and decisive in our workshops and to choose a more abundant life and career.″
Gene Parker served as the Regional Director for Corporate and External Affairs with Bellsouth for over 10 years. He also directed the work of Bellsouth′s public relations department in Georgia as the Director of Corporate Information. During a career of over 35 years in business and education, Parker served as vice president of a national advertising and public relations agency and as Assistant Dean and faculty member of the College of Communications at the University of Georgia where he earned his A.B. and M.A. degrees. He has served on 32 Boards of Directors and won over 25 awards for business documentary films. Parker currently teaches courses for The Art Institute of Atlanta and the Shorter College School of Management.
| Board Of Directors | Advisory Board | Partners |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Allen−Board | Meggan Arp | Atlanta Smiles |
| President | Ashley Ashkouti | Atlanta Women′s Alliance Christ |
| Diane Ashkouti | Danielle Berry | Church Presbyt. |
| AlbertAshkouti | Meaghan Boyd | Community Action Center |
| Sally Dorsey | Kelley Brownlee | Dress for Success |
| Jessica Jones | Katherine Burge−Callaway | Hair Studio 102 |
| Justin Jones | Melissa Burton | Men Stopping Violence |
| Suze Jones | Hala Carey | New Learning Center |
| Emily Thomas Kendrick | Betsy Crawford | Partners Against Domestic |
| Lorri Leonaitis | Mary Crouse | Violence |
| Jane Dean | Peachtree Presbyt.Church | |
| Bren McLeod | Susan Forehand | Pursue Your Passion, LLC |
| Tami Rehmert | Anna Glaser | Shepherd Center, Bridge & |
| Tim Sheehan | Erin Harris | Pathways Programs |
| Linda Swan | Inny Ross Laterveer | VisionsAnew |
| Inny Ross Laterveer | VisionsAnew | |
| Natalie McElveen | Women′s Employment Opportunity | |
| Merry Morrow | Project, Inc. | |
| Kristen McCord | Women′s Resource Center | |
| Ann McCord | YWCA of NW Georgia | |
| Betsy Oberholtzer | ||
| Alden Potts | ||
| Lois Puckett | ||
| Anne Sheehan | ||
| Sarah Kathryn Smith | ||
| Susan Lundeen Smith | ||
| Karen Spiegel | ||
| Stephanie Stephens | ||
| Patty Thomas | ||
| Clay Underwood | ||
| Sharon Umphenour | ||
| Jody Weatherly | ||
| Brooke Weinmann | ||
| Jessica Ziegler |
At 62 I am deciding what to do with the rest of my life. So when I came to JumpStart I wasn′t sure what to expect, but the leaders at JumpStart encouraged me to do new things and to reach out and meet new people. With the knowledge I gained in the workshop classes, I have helped my husband rework his resume for a new job and who knows what wonderful, fun job may lie just around the corner for me! I really appreciate all I learned from JumpSTART! It was motivational and educational; and it has helped me continue to grow.
Karen
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