Staff

Julie Phillips, M.Ed.
CCR&R Director
(706) 556-6820

ECE Experience: 28 years
Years with Leap: 27 years
Hometown: Martinez, GA
Education: Georgia Southern and Augusta University

Regina Little
Assistant Director
(478) 365-1798

ECE Experience: 33 years
Years with Leap: 15 years
Hometown: Livingston, TN
Education: Tennessee Tech and GCSU

Jason Jacobs
Assistant Director
(478) 365-1858

ECE Experience: 30 years
Years with Leap: 18 years
Hometown: Clarksburg, WV
Education: Queens University of Charlotte

Tambe Arline
Early Childhood Specialist
(470) 527-9301

ECE Experience: 20+ years
Years with Leap: 4 years
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Education: Fort Valley University

Amanda Blizard, M.Ed.
Zone Manager
(478) 972-6956

ECE Experience: 35 years
Years with Leap: 13 years
Hometown: Griffin, GA
Education: Mercer University and Georgia College & University

Rebecca Cowan
Lead Early Childhood Specialist
(470) 426-5432

ECE Experience: 25+ years
Years with Leap: 9 years
Hometown: Killen, AL
Education: Brenau University

Candy DeHart
Professional Development Coordinator
706-834-7978

ECE Experience: 30+ years
Years with Leap: 3 years
Hometown: Roswell, Georgia
Education: Florida State University

Pamela M. Fields, M.Ed.
Early Childhood Specialist
(404) 821-0778

ECE Experience: 20 years
Years with Leap: 11 years
Hometown: Lexington, KY
Education: Southern Crescent AS, Mercer University, and Ashford University

Deidra Fitzpatrick, MS
Early Childhood Specialist
(478) 297-7298

ECE Experience: 20+ years
Years with Leap: 8 years
Hometown: Barnesville, GA
Education: MUW and TWU

Aleta Gass
Professional Development Specialist
(762) 685-8119

ECE Experience: 40+ years
Years with Leap: 6 years
Hometown: Knoxville, TN
Education: Tennessee Technological University

Kalinda Hathorn, MS
Early Childhood Specialist
(762) 685-8097

ECE Experience: 7 years
Years with Leap: 2 years
Hometown: Leah, GA
Education: Grand Canyon University and Walden University

Adrienne Humphries
Early Childhood Specialist
(678) 591-6338

ECE Experience: 25 years
Years with Leap: Less than 1
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Education: National-Louis University

Allegra Jackson, M.Ed.
Early Childhood Specialist
(770) 317-8834

ECE Experience: 25+ years
Years with Leap: 16 years
Hometown: Trenton, NJ
Education: Rutgers University

Tomekia Kemp, M.Ed.
Lead Early Childhood Specialist
(770) 317-9414

ECE Experience: 16 years
Years with Leap: 14 years
Hometown: Soperton, GA
Education: Georgia Southern University

Tanisha Knight, M.Ed.
Zone Manager
(404) 556-3327

ECE Experience: 24 years
Years with Leap: 10 years
Hometown: Pike County
Education: Ashford University

Gail Ledezma-Smith, M.Ed.
Zone Manager
(404) 304-2923

ECE Experience: 25 years
Years with Leap: 7 years
Hometown: Miami, FL
Education: Florida Atlantic University

Leslie Lewis
Early Childhood Specialist
(706) 993-0439

ECE Experience: 25+ years
Years with Leap: 3 years
Hometown: Augusta, GA
Education: Albany State University and Augusta University

Ricci Lewis-Johnson, M.Ed.
Early Childhood Specialist
(404) 556-3341

ECE Experience: 20+ years
Years with Leap: 8 years
Education: Georgia Southern University

Traci Lewis, M.Ed.
Early Childhood Specialist
(478) 508-7145

ECE Experience: 22 years
Years with Leap: 11 years
Hometown: Sparta, GA
Education: GMC, Troy University, and Walden University

Rachael Charles McKenzie
Professional Development Specialist
(706) 840-7523

ECE Experience:  24 years
Years with Leap:  5 years
Hometown: Conference, St. Andrew’s Granada
Education: Georgia State University and Ashford University

Quantisha Perkins
Data Operations Coordinator
(706) 755-3650

Years with Leap: 7 years
Hometown: Macon, Georgia

Kim Reid
Lead Early Childhood Specialist
(706) 993-5748

ECE Experience: 25+ years
Years with Leap: 9 years
Hometown: Greensboro, GA
Education: Georgia College & State University/University of Phoenix/Ashford University

Ashley Shook, M.A. Ed.
Professional Development Specialist
(706) 726-1229

ECE Experience: 25+ years
Years with Leap: 2 years
Hometown: Tuscaloosa, AL
Education: East Tennessee State University

Mina Sutton
Early Childhood Specialist

ECE Experience:7 years
Years with Leap: Less than 1 year
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
Education: Texas A&M University – San Antonio

Shay Tharp
Program Assistant
(706) 922-7185

Years with Leap: Less than 1 year
Hometown: South Bend, Indiana
Education: Ivy Tech Community College

Shantel Thomas
Early Childhood Specialist
(770) 639-7172

ECE Experience: 10 + years
Years with Leap: 5 years
Hometown: Valdosta, GA
Education: Mercer University and Waldon University

Christina Thompson
Fiscal and Operations Coordinator
(706) 755-6447

ECE Experience: 6 years
Years with Leap: 6 years
Hometown: Army Brat/Augusta, GA
Education: Cairn University

Lois Walker, M.Ed.
Early Childhood Specialist
(678) 780-8204

ECE Experience: 20+ years
Years with Leap: 15 years
Education: Mercer University and Grand Canyon University