Speakers

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Dr. Richard J. W. Harker is the President & CEO of Historic Oakland Foundation at historic Oakland Cemetery, Atlanta, GA.

Since joining Historic Oakland Foundation in 2019 Richard has served as the organization’s Director of Programming & Volunteers (2017-2019), Co-Executive Director with long-time Executive Director David Moore (2019-2020), and as Executive Director and President & CEO since January 1, 2022.

Prior to working at HOF, Richard worked at the Museum of History & Holocaust Education at Kennesaw State University and Educational Cultural Exchanges in London, England. Richard has a Ph.D. in History from Georgia State University and Masters degrees in History from Durham University, England, and the University of St. Andrews, Scotland.

Originally from Croydon, England, Richard also serves on the Boards of Civil Bikes and the Cherokee Garden Library.

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Ariel Fristoe is a national leader in community engagement and business model innovation in the arts. Ariel is the founder and Artistic Director of Out of Hand Theater, winner of The New York Times Best Theater of 2020, the Bloomberg Public Art Challenge 2023, and the Governor’s Award for the Arts and Humanities 2021. Ariel advances social justice through programs that combine theater with information and conversation. She leads Emory’s Concentration in Arts Management and she’s been an Innovator in Residence at The Hatchery. Ariel is published in the International Journal of Arts Management and American Theater Magazine. Harvard Business School published a case study on Out of Hand’s business model. Ariel is a graduate of Leadership Atlanta and a LINK Trip delegate. The AJC named her an Everyday Hero, and she’s won the Women of Influence Award and Emory's Entrepreneur Award and been named one of Georgia’s Most Influential Leaders and Atlanta's Most Powerful Leaders. 

INTRODUCTION: Kathy Colbenson

 

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Lee Beckmann joined the Georgia Ports Authority team in 2003.  As the General Manager of Community and Government Affairs, Lee’s current responsibilities include managing governmental relations, statewide community outreach and the oversight of navigational priorities for the GPA.

Prior to joining the GPA, Lee served as a Legislative Assistant to Congressman Jack Kingston - helping to secure funding for various projects such as harbor deepening in Savannah and Brunswick.

Lee is a proud alumnus of Wake Forest University, a member of the Metro Savannah Rotary Club, a graduate of both Leadership Savannah and Leadership Southeast Georgia and is a member of the Leadership Georgia Class of 2025.  His other civic & community interests include serving as Chairman of the Effingham College and Career Academy as well as on the boards of the Georgia Forestry Foundation, the Educate Chatham Foundation, Ronald McDonald House and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia.

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Carol Burrell served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) from 2011 to 2025, leading the health system through an era of unparalleled success and growth.

She has been named Georgia’s Most Respected Business Leader by Georgia Trend magazine and has appeared on the list of the 100 Most Influential Georgians for twelve years in a row. She is also included in Atlanta Magazine’s 2025 Atlanta 500.

Under Carol’s leadership, NGHS grew from a one-hospital system with a few employed physician practices and satellite outpatient locations to one of the largest and well-respected healthcare organizations in the state – with an economic impact of nearly $7.5 billion each year. Until her retirement in March 2025, Carol led more than 12,000 employees across:

• Northeast Georgia Medical Center – five acute care hospitals, including a Level I Trauma Center, with more than 1,000 combined beds and a medical staff of more than 1,300 providers representing more than 50 specialties
   
• Northeast Georgia Physicians Group – the sixth largest multispecialty physician group in the state
   
• Georgia Heart Institute – the state’s most forward-thinking heart and vascular program
   
• Graduate Medical Education – one of the state’s largest programs, empowering the physician leaders of tomorrow through residencies in seven specialties and multiple fellowships
   
• Plus dozens of medical office buildings, urgent care centers, imaging centers, long term care facilities, rehabilitation clinics and more

Carol was born and raised in Carl, Ga. She received her bachelor’s degree in Medical Technology from Georgia Southern University and Emory University, and she earned her master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Central Michigan University.  She has more than 30 years of experience in a variety of clinical operations, in both for-profit and non-profit settings, and was a member of NGHS’ senior management staff for more than 25 years.

Carol is a past board chair for the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce and is active in Gainesville Rotary, United Way and the Georgia Hospital Association.  She is also a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and Vizient MidSouth. She was named 2024 CEO of the Year by the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals and the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia’s 2025 Gainesville Woman of Distinction. She received the 2025 Leadership Legacy Award from the Georgia Commission on Women, the 2024 W. Daniel Barker Leadership Award from the Georgia Hospital Association and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Atlanta Business Chronicle. She was inducted into Junior Achievement’s Northeast Georgia Business Hall of Fame as a 2024 Laureate.

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A proud Jew and Zionist, Dov Wilker has been Regional Director of the American Jewish Committee Atlanta since 2011 and AJC's National Director for Black Jewish Relations since 2018. After earning his International M.B.A. from Tel Aviv University, Dov worked for an Israeli software start-up. Dov began his career with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Southeastern United States and previously served as AJC Atlanta’s Assistant Director. Dov is currently a board member of BAMAH, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival and an advisory board member for the Atlanta Ballet.

In 2023, Dov was recognized by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as a Civic Diversity Champion and has been previously recognized as a 40 under 40 by both the Atlanta Jewish Times and the Atlanta Business Chronicle and received the Asian American Heritage Foundations Distinguished Service Award. Active in the community, Dov is an alum of LEAD Atlanta (2015) and the Wexner Field Fellowship (Class 5). He is married to Julie Jacobson and together they have two daughters.

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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 200%.

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 PowerMyLearning 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.

INTRODUCTION: Raphael Holloway

Kathryn McClymond was appointed as the 18th President at Oglethorpe University in November 2023 and is the university’s first female president. She previously served as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Oglethorpe University as well as Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences at Georgia State University. Dr. McClymond is a scholar of comparative religions. She is the author of numerous articles and books, including a co-edited volume exploring how humanities disciplines contribute to research on moral injury among veterans. She has served on the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Religion and the American Society of the Study of Religion, and she currently sits on the Southern Athletic Conference Executive Committee as Incoming Chair and Treasurer.

Intro: Thornton Kennedy

INTRODUCTION: Emily Acker

General and Artistic Director of The Atlanta Opera since 2013, Israeli born Tomer Zvulun is also one of opera’s most exciting stage directors, earning consistent praise for his creative vision, often described as cinematic and fresh. His work has been presented by prestigious opera houses around the world, including The Metropolitan Opera, the opera companies of Israel, Buenos Aires, Los Angeles, Montreal, Wexford, Glimmerglass, Houston, Washington National Opera, Seattle, Dallas, Detroit, San Diego, Minnesota, Boston, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, New Orleans and Wolf Trap, as well as leading educational institutes and universities such as The Juilliard School, Indiana University, Boston University, and IVAI in Tel Aviv.

Since taking the leadership in Atlanta a decade ago, he personally directed thirty of the company’s productions. He increased the operations of the company from three to six productions per season, while stabilizing the financials and in the course of his first decade tenure, secured Atlanta’s position as one of the top 10 opera companies in the US. Some of his noted achievements includes launching the successful Discoveries series, creating the first young artist program in the company’s history, tripling the company’s annual fund raising, launching the company’s first RING cycle, creating The Atlanta Opera Film Studio, and building a theatre in a circus tent where performances were conducted safely during the pandemic.

His work at The Atlanta Opera attracted international attention by earning numerous awards and prizes including the nomination of The Atlanta Opera for the International Opera Awards in London and the selection of his production of Silent Night as both the Irish Times and Atlanta Journal-Constitution production of the year. His focus on innovation led to an invitation to deliver a TED talk as well as a case study that is being taught at Harvard Business School. His productions travel the world and bring wide exposure to the company. Next season his productions of Rigoletto travel to Los Angeles Opera, his La bohème returns to The Dallas Opera, and his acclaimed production of The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs will make its Kennedy Center debut at the Washington National Opera.

Mr. Raphael Holloway serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Gateway Center. He is an accomplished leader with over 30 years of experience in the social services sector, specializing in behavioral health, re-entry, homelessness, child welfare, and public health. He possesses strong nonprofit and business acumen and has a deep understanding of how to create and manage organizational change when change is difficult.

Mr. Holloway is a proven professional with expertise in mobilizing communities, cultivating resources, and fostering collaborations between multiple stakeholders—both private and public—with seemingly divergent objectives and priorities, all working toward a common goal. He serves on several local nonprofit boards, including Open Doors, T2S C.A.R.E.S. and the Community Advisory Board for Agape Youth & Family Center.

He is an alumnus of Leadership Atlanta’s 50th Anniversary Class of 2020 and a member of the Atlanta Kiwanis Club. In 2021, he received the TechBridge Bill Bolling Non-Profit Leadership Award and was recognized by Atlanta Magazine’s "The Heroes Who Inspire Doctors." He has also been named one of Atlanta Magazine’s 500 Most Powerful Leaders from 2021 through 2025. Additionally, in 2024 he was recognized by Georgia Trend as one of Georgia’s Most Influential Leaders and in 2023 and 2024 he was honored as part of Georgia’s Titan 100 for his leadership. Mr. Holloway is a proud member of W.C. Thomas Lodge No. 112, PHA and the Atlanta Chapter of 100 Black Men. He is a native of Toledo, OH and earned his B.A. in Child and Family Services and M.A. in Mental Health Counseling from Bowling Green State University.

James “Jay” M. Bailey serves as the President and CEO of the H.J. Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE), where he leads the world's largest entrepreneurial hub dedicated to growing, scaling, and developing Black businesses.

In just five years, under Jay's visionary leadership, RICE supports more than 600 entrepreneurs full time, sustaining 4,125 jobs in the community, and sparking a staggering $557 million of new economic impact in the Metro Atlanta area. Jay and his team have transformed RICE into an economic empowerment and innovation powerhouse.

Jay is an Atlanta native, three-time TED Talker, and die-hard Georgia Bulldog. He has been recognized with the prestigious National Point of Light Award, named one of Atlanta's "Most Admired CEOs" by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, ranked on Atlanta Magazine's "POWER 100" list of the most dynamic leaders in the city, and honored by Georgia Trend Magazine as one of the "100 Most Influential” leaders in the State. His leadership and commitment to the community have been recognized by three U.S. Presidents. In 2012, he was one of eight Americans honored at the White House as a "Champion of Change: Following in the Footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr."

Currently residing in East Atlanta, Jay shares his life's journey with his wife, Dateline NBC correspondent Blayne Alexander, and their cherished daughters, Sage and Skylar.

Lane Strickland (she/her) has served as the Director of Development for Global Village Project (GVP) since December 2023. GVP is the only middle school in the U.S. dedicated to meeting the educational needs of refugee girls, preparing them for success in the American high school system and beyond. In this role, Lane leads the school’s fundraising, marketing, and communications efforts, driving strategic initiatives to strengthen GVP’s impact and reach.

Lane brings over a decade of experience in nonprofit development, with a focus on organizations committed to empowering youth and advancing health equity. Her passion for youth, human rights, and health equity stems from her time as an HIV/AIDS Outreach Specialist with the U.S. Peace Corps in South Africa.

Lane holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management from The University of Alabama and is an alumna of Leadership Austin’s Emerge Program (2018). She is also a Team Co-Captain for her cycling team, “All Ride, All Ride, All Ride.”

Delvecchio S. Finley, FACHE, is Georgia Market president for Atrium Health and holds responsibility for providing leadership and strategic direction for meaningful and measurable goals that will position Atrium Health Navicent and Atrium Health Floyd for strategic growth and success. Atrium Health is part of Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the United States and a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care.

With more than 20 years of health care leadership experience, Finley joined Atrium Health Navicent in 2021, following Navicent's strategic combination with Atrium Health. Previously, Finley served as chief executive officer of Alameda Health System. Additional leadership positions held throughout his career include chief executive officer of LA County/Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and interim chief operating officer for Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center.

A Georgia native, Finley received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Emory University in Atlanta before obtaining a master’s degree in public policy from the Sanford Institute for Public Policy at Duke University in Durham, N.C. Through hard work and a solid educational foundation, Finley quickly established himself within the health care industry, becoming a first-time CEO in his mid-30s.

A Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Finley currently serves as Immediate Past Chair for the organization and as Nominating Committee Chair. In 2024, he was appointed to serve as a board member for Georgia’s newly created Comprehensive Health Coverage Commission which is tasked with assessing access and quality of health care for Georgia’s low-income and uninsured populations, and making recommendations for opportunities for improvement.

Finley is also a former board member for the American Hospital Association, a member of the Council on Healthcare Spending and Value and the past-chair of the America’s Essential Hospitals Institute. He serves on the Georgia Hospital Association's board of trustees, on the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals’ board of directors and executive committee and is a board member for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Central Georgia Health Network, Secure Health, Phoenix Healthcare Management Services, and the Georgia Research Alliance.

He has previously served as chair-elect of the California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems and a member of the California Hospitals Association board of directors, as well as multiple locally based health boards, prior to his selection to lead Atrium Health Navicent.

Finley has been recognized by industry peers for several awards and commendations, including Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Minorities in Healthcare Watch List and its Up and Comers Award, Becker’s Hospital Review Top Healthcare Executives under 40 and received the Robert S. Hudgens Young Healthcare Executive of the Year Award by the American College of Healthcare Executives organization. He was also named one of Modern Healthcare's Top 25 Diversity Leaders in Healthcare for 2021 and 2023, and was included on Georgia Trend’s GEORGIA 500 list of most influential leaders of 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Hala Moddelmog is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Woodruff Arts Center. Moddelmog has spent 30 years in President and CEO roles and served as a Corporate Director for four New York Stock Exchange companies and a Carlyle Group private portfolio company board. She has spent the majority of her career in Atlanta.

Moddelmog became President and CEO of the Woodruff Arts Center in September 2020 after serving almost six years as the first female President and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, where she represented 15 Fortune 500 companies and the business community in the country’s sixth largest metropolitan area. Prior to that role, Moddelmog was President of Atlanta-based Arby’s Restaurant Group, then a division of the Wendy’s Arby’s Group. Previously, Moddelmog served as President and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world’s largest breast cancer organization. Under her leadership, Komen achieved its first Four-Star Charity Navigator rating. From 1995 to 2004, Moddelmog was the first female president of an international QSR chain at Church’s Chicken, leading the brand through a complete transformation.

Moddelmog has spent more than a decade in volunteer leadership at the Woodruff Arts Center, having served on the Arts Center’s Governing Board since 2017 and the Arts Center’s Board of Trustees since 2011. She also served on the Alliance Theatre Board of Directors from 2011 to 2020 and led the Alliance Theatre Board as Co-Chair from 2017 to 2019.

Moddelmog serves as a director on the boards of Corpay (NYSE:CPAY) and Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW). Her service in Atlanta’s nonprofit community includes the Executive Committee of Midtown Alliance and the Board of Trustees of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, where she chairs the Quality Committee.

In 2007, Georgia Southern University awarded her an Honorary Doctorate of Letters. She earned her Master of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Georgia and her Bachelor of Arts in English from Georgia Southern University. She has attended executive education programs on board leadership and director development at Harvard Business School and Kellogg School of Management.

Moddelmog lives in Ansley Park with her husband Steve. They have two adult children, two sons-in-law, and three grandchildren