Eshonda Blue ’98, ’99
GSW Alumna & CEO of Innovative Senior Solutions
Eshonda Blue, RN, is the CEO of Innovative Senior Solutions and a nationally recognized leader in senior care with over 28 years of experience. She co-founded ISS in 2007 with her sister, Jessica Wright, inspired by caring for their grandmother, their first client. What began as a mission of love has grown into a multimillion-dollar enterprise.
Beyond ISS, Eshonda launched Innovative Senior Care Consultants to mentor new providers and manages a diverse portfolio including Adult Day Centers, Personal Care Homes, Non-Emergency Medical Transportation, and real estate ventures. She also co-founded the Caring 4 Seniors Foundation, providing vital support for vulnerable older adults, and co-hosts the Green Table Senior Care Show to educate family caregivers. In 2025, she was elected to the Board of the Georgia Association of Community Care Providers, advancing statewide aging policy.
Jennifer Hopkins
Lead Education Ranger at the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park
Jennifer Hopkins is a historian, educator, and podcast host. As an interpretive Park Ranger with the National Park Service, she encourages visitors to not only take in the natural aspects of national parks but to also lean into the cultural richness of history preserved by parks. In her current role at Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, she interprets the theme of community and how it can shape a person.
Likewise, through her work with The Closet History Podcast, Jennifer encourages listeners to think about historical events and people from non-mainstream perspectives. Her work has been included in articles published by HuffPost, National Museum of Civil War Medicine, and Wesleyan Magazine.
Dr. Mark Laughlin
Dean of GSW’s College of Arts and Sciences
Sam Mahone
Co-Founder & Chair of the Americus-Sumter County Movement Remembered Committee
Sam Mahone, a 1964 graduate of Sumter County High School, is co-founder and Chair of the Americus-Sumter County Movement Remembered Committee, a nonprofit preserving the local Civil Rights Movement and restoring the historic Americus Colored Hospital as a cultural center. As a teenager, Sam joined the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) under John Lewis, organizing voter registration, literacy classes, and community activism across Southwest Georgia.
He continued his advocacy at Tougaloo College, where he supported displaced sharecroppers and helped lead the first anti–Vietnam War protest at a historically Black college. Sam went on to a long career in archives, art, and cultural institutions, including the Georgia Department of Archives and History, Ancestral Art Gallery, the High Museum of Art, and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Through ASCMRC, he remains dedicated to preserving civil rights history and extending its lessons to new generations.
King Randall, I
Founder of The X for Boys & The Life Preparatory School of Boys
King Randall, 26, is a community builder, educator, and civic leader from Albany, Georgia. He is the founder of The X for Boys and The Life Preparatory School for Boys, where his work focuses on education, mentorship, and life skills for young men.
Beyond the classroom, King leads citywide initiatives such as the “We Are the Traffic” movement, turning early-morning runs into a symbol of unity and discipline for hundreds in Albany. His efforts also include developing civic-tech platforms, mentoring fathers, and using storytelling to encourage personal responsibility and community action. Through each project, King demonstrates his belief that ordinary citizens have the power to create extraordinary change.
John Schroeder
Host of The Americus Podcast & Lead Pastor at The Well Church
John Schroeder is the Planter and Lead Pastor of The Well Church in Americus, Georgia, where he is passionate about helping people walk with God and others while welcoming those far from Him. He is also the founder of Next Level Neighbor, a community initiative equipping residents to create a place they enjoy with the people they love, and the host of The Americus Podcast, which highlights local leaders, entrepreneurs, and neighbors shaping the future of the city.
With a background in church planting, leadership development, and community engagement, John has a heart for seeing small towns thrive through faith, collaboration, and innovation. He and his wife, Jill, live in Americus with their two children, Judah and Jessah, and love investing in the next generation of leaders.
Rene Smith
President and CEO of Sumter EMC
Rene Smith is President and CEO of Sumter EMC, a not-for-profit electric cooperative serving 11 counties in Southwest Georgia with more than 3,900 miles of power lines. He joined Sumter EMC in 1988 and advanced from entry-level engineer to CEO in 2020. A registered professional engineer, Rene represents Georgia’s electric cooperatives on statewide issues and serves on the boards of Georgia EMC, Georgia Energy Cooperative, Green Power EMC, and the Georgia Cooperative Council.
Nationally, he serves on the NRECA’s IEEE NESC Subcommittee 5, helping shape utility safety standards. Locally, Rene is active with the One Sumter Economic Development Foundation, Phoebe Sumter Medical Center, and Georgia Southwestern’s College of Business and Computing Advisory Council. A dedicated Rotarian and past club president, he holds an MBA from Auburn University and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering technology from Kennesaw State University. He and his wife, Angela, live in Americus and have five children and nine grandchildren.
Macy Taylor
GSW Student & Miss Thomasville 2024
Macy Taylor is a junior marketing major at Georgia Southwestern State University with a strong passion for advocacy and community building. Growing up in pageantry, she developed public-speaking skills, confidence, and meaningful connections that inspired her to launch Just Say Hi, an initiative dedicated to destigmatizing disabilities and showing how pageantry can foster inclusivity.
On campus, Macy is an active member of Kappa Delta, where she has held leadership positions on the chapter council. Her work reflects a commitment to service and empowering others, whether through her advocacy projects, pageant experience, or campus involvement. Macy strives to build communities where everyone feels valued and inspired to reach their full potential.