Special to the Herald
SAVANNAH -- Six new members recently joined Georgia Southern University's Alumni Association Board of Directors.
"We are thrilled to welcome our newest members to the Georgia Southern Alumni Board," said Ava Edwards, director of Georgia Southern's Alumni Relations. "Their diverse backgrounds and experiences will undoubtedly contribute to the continued growth and success of our alumni network and University.”
Founded in 1933, Georgia Southern’s Alumni Association’s Board of Directors is made up of alumni volunteers who are leaders in their communities and who have given tirelessly of their time in order to promote Georgia Southern.
The new board members include:
Jessica Hood (‘07, ‘15)
Hood is vice president of the Effingham County Industrial Authority (ECIDA), specializing in business attraction and retention for the entity. A cum laude graduate with a bachelor’s of business administration in economics and a master’s in business administration, Hood is actively involved on the board of the Georgia Economic Developers Association and Leadership Southeast Georgia. She is a graduate of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development, Leadership Liberty, Leadership Burke, Leadership Effingham and Leadership Southeast Georgia. She is also an economic development finance professional as designated by the National Development Council, and a certified economic developer as designated by the International Economic Development Council. Hood was honored as one of Effingham Living's 20 under 40 in 2021 and 2022, and was named to Georgia Southern’s 40 under 40 list in 2022.
James Hammond (‘06)
Hammond is a managing partner for Ikon Filmworks, a premier videography company based in Metro Atlanta. In addition to more than 20 years of industry experience, Hammond is passionate about serving and developing communities across the state. He is a member of the Outstanding Atlanta Board of Trustees, and was a member of 2020 Leadership Buckhead, 2018 LEAD Atlanta, 2016 Georgia Forward Young Game Changers, 2016 Georgia Southern University 40 Under 40, 2015-18 Georgia Southern Young Alumni board, and the inaugural 2016 class of Emerging Leaders of DeKalb. Hammond, who graduated from Georgia Southern with a bachelor’s in broadcasting, is also a 2015 Project Understanding Fellow, a 2012 New Leaders Council Atlanta Chapter alumnus, and a 2012 recipient of the Most Valuable Progressive Award from the New Leaders Council.
Kim Hartsock (‘00)
Hartsock is the managing partner in the Atlanta office of accounting firm Warren Averett, LLC, and is a co-host of the firm’s podcast, “The Wrap.” With a bachelor’s in business administration in accounting, Hartsock is also a valued community leader who was named a 2023 Georgia Titan 100 and a 2022 honoree of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Most Admired CEOs. She is an executive board member of Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia, and past president of the Susan G. Komen Atlanta affiliate.
Crandall Jones (‘81, ‘83)
Jones is the municipal administrator of Norristown, Pennsylvania, and founder and CEO of ENOSHA Management Services, LLC, a management development consulting firm that facilitates organizational and individual excellence. Jones, who holds a bachelor’s in political science and a Master of Public Administration from Georgia Southern, has served in both city and county manager roles in Maryland, South Carolina and Georgia. He also served as a state agency head in Florida and as a national association executive director in Washington, D.C. Jones is a co-author of “In Our Own Words: A Story Untold: From Segregation to Integration to Assimilation 1965-1985: 21 Essays by Georgia Southern University’s Black Alumni,” founder of the Alpha Phi Alpha Scholarship Endowment, and a co-founder of the First 500 Scholarship Endowment at Georgia Southern.
Tonya Kincaid (’92)
Kincaid, who earned a bachelor’s in business administration in accounting, has served as a fiscal steward to the state of Georgia for the last 14 years, and currently serves as the accounting director of finance and shared services for the State Accounting Office. Previously, she worked for the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Governor's Office of Highway Safety and Georgia Department of Public Safety.
Latoya Stackhouse, Ed.D. (‘02, ‘16, ‘22)
Stackhouse, who has worked in education for 20 years, is the dean of students at Gordon State College. She holds a Doctor of Education in curriculum studies, a Master of Education in higher education administration and bachelor’s in sport management from Georgia Southern.
Stackhouse has vast experience in intercollegiate athletics and several areas of student affairs, including admissions, Federal TRIO programs, academic advising, residence life, student activities, Greek life, recreation and wellness, and student leadership. Stackhouse is also an editorial board member at the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice.
