The Cobb Chamber released the list for the 2025 class of its influential 10-month Leadership Cobb program.
Leadership Cobb began in 1983; since then, much of the county’s political and business leadership has been through the program.
Here is the 2025 Leadership Cobb roster:
Benjamin Andrews: Advanced Technology Development Center
Eliese Bernard: Wellstar Health System
Melanie Brueggemann: Croy Engineering
Toby Carmichael: City of Acworth
Colt Chambers: The Alley Stage
Ollie Clemons, Jr: City of Austell
Elizabeth Colletti: Cobb Chamber of Commerce
Carl Crumbley: Cobb County Fire & Emergency Services
Denise Czarnik: Smyrna Public Safety Foundation
Sean Ditzel: Abernathy Ditzel Hendrick, LLC
Mariel Ellis: Gas South
Owen Farist: Gregory, Doyle, Calhoun & Rogers, LLC
Sean Ferrell: LGE Community Credit Union
Kellie Fletcher: BDR Partners
Rachel Franklin: Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Kim Franz: Cobb Travel & Tourism
Molly Gillis: Gillis Law Firm, LLC
Christopher Gulledge: Cobb County Government
BJ Haisten: Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC
Brad Humphrey: HNTB Corporation
Evan Ingram: Goshen Valley
Anthony Iorillo: CROFT & Associates, INC
Rich Jakob: Atlanta United FC
Earnest Johnson: Georgia Power Company
Chyeena Kellogg: Cultured Ag Inc.
Brittany Lambert: Walton Communities, LLC
Adebola Lamikanra: Genuine Parts Company
AikWah Leow: Cobb County District Attorney’s Office
Alyssa Liguori: Northside Hospital
J.D. Lorens: Cobb County Department of Transportation
BJ Martin: W&A Engineering
Jesus Martinez: Peach Tree Commercial Capital, LLC
Jenn McNeely: Delta Air Lines
Lisa Mello: LiveSafe Resources
Stephanie Meyer: Chattahoochee Technical College
Cheryl Morgan: Dobbins Air Reserve Base
Stacey Nicely: Atlanta Braves
Angela Orange: Marietta City Schools
Nehemiah Pace: Atlanta Falcons Football Club
Ashley Palmer: Cobb County State Court
Kirstin Popper: kirpop
Kevin Pounds: MUST Ministries
Troy Refuge: Refuge Law, PLLC | DTSpade Specialized Real Estate
Keisha Register: City of Marietta
Nick Rider: Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC
Rico Short: Apex Endodontics P.C
Rick Shumpert: Kennesaw Police Department
Douglas Simmons: Cox Communications
Kelli Spearman: Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP
Alina Stevens: All-Pro Pest Services, Inc
Casey Tanner: Kennesaw State University
Eric Trehern: The Home Depot
Joy Ugi: American Council of Engineering Companies Georgia
Naporsha Valentine: Allstate – Law Office of Marcus A. Blackwell
Danny Vander Maten: Cresa
Gretchen Walton: Cobb County School District
Chris Wasserman: Wasserman Talent Solutions
Chad Williams: GB’s Lake & Stable
Jen Willis: Summit Heating and Air
Nick Winbush: T. Dallas Smith & Company, LLC
About the Cobb Chamber
The Cobb Chamber, incorporated as the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce, is the largest business organization in the county.
Sharon Mason is the Cobb Chamber’s president and CEO, Dana Johnson is its Chief Operating Officer, and Mike Plant of the Atlanta Braves organization is its chairman of the board of directors.
The Cobb Chamber’s projects include Cobb Executive Women, Cobb Young Professionals, and the Area Councils: Cumberland, East Cobb, Marietta, Northwest Cobb (Acworth, Kennesaw, West Cobb), Smyrna, and South Cobb.
On its website, the Cobb Chamber promotes itself as follows:
As one of the most influential business advocacy organizations in Georgia and one of the top three chambers in the nation, the Cobb Chamber is dedicated to bringing the community and its leaders together to create jobs and strengthen the economy and quality of life so businesses and the community can achieve more.
Who We Are: We are a community of businesses working together to advance a vibrant economy.
Why We Do It: When businesses thrive, communities flourish.
What We Do (Our Mission): Together, with diverse partnerships, we:
- Attract, recruit and retain jobs.
- Help companies start, grow and prosper.
- Advocate and collaborate to enhance our state’s business climate.
- Connect members to opportunities, new networks, and resources.
- Develop workforce and support education.
- Cultivate current and future leaders.
