Management
Neil Shorthouse
President and Founder
Neil Shorthouse has dedicated his adult life to improving educational opportunities for all children. Neil is one of the founders of Communities In Schools, a nonprofit organization with more than thirty-five years of service to the State of Georgia's public school students. CIS serves as a model for dropout prevention programs and has been replicated throughout the nation.
Communities In Schools is a community-based organization whose primary goal is to help kids succeed in school and prepare for life. Neil's vision for the community is a holistic investment of resources dedicated to student success. With this belief in mind, Neil has garnered the support of some of the largest businesses and private foundations in the US to invest in local ideas and solutions. Through Neil's leadership, Communities In Schools retains its grassroots approach while producing a replicable, sustainable model for student success.
Realizing the connection between communities and public education, Neil is an active member of the educational and business communities. Neil serves on numerous boards of directors, including the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Charter Schools Association, Kids In Need of Metro Atlanta, and Creating Vibrant Communities. Neil is a respected leader and consultant to numerous organizations and assists the Georgia Department of Education in its work with the state's children. Neil and his wife, Patty Pflum, are members of St. Luke's Episcopal Church. They have four children and six grandchildren.
Reginald Beaty
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Reginald Beaty has been involved in shaping the lives of adolescents and young adults for more than twenty years. In his position as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Reggie steers CIS of Georgia toward its overall vision to foster educational success throughout Georgia.
A former dropout himself, Reggie turned his life around with the assistance of a community-based intervention program. Inspired by the help he received, Reggie has dedicated his adult life to reaching out to young people. Reggie honed his educational skills as an ROTC instructor during a 20-year career in the US Army, then later established The Beaty Foundation in 1997. The Foundation seeks to bridge the communication gaps between difficult-to-reach youth and the adults who work with them.
Reggie has garnered numerous awards for his community efforts throughout the country. As COO, Reggie now leads a team of like-minded educators as CIS of Georgia seeks to boost student success throughout the state.
Albert Coleman
Vice President for Government Relations
Albert Coleman is a lifelong educator who has been active in developing curricula to help students succeed in his native Liberia and the US.
Albert served as Assistant Minister for Teacher Education where he was responsible for restructuring Liberia's teacher education program. Albert brought his passion for quality education to the US where he served as an educational consultant to Florida State University.
Albert brings his experience in education and public service to his position with Communities In Schools of Georgia, where he advocates for federal, state, and local government investment in school systems. Through his work with the government, Albert connects legislators with the citizens they serve.
Raymond H. Reynolds, Jr.
Vice President for Development
Raymond Reynolds joined CIS of Georgia in 2005 as Vice President for Development. Raymond supports the local network affiliates that directly serve students.
Raymond has raised tens of millions of dollars to support higher education in Georgia, first with Georgia Tech and later with the Goizueta Business School at Emory University. Raymond brings this passion for quality education to CIS of Georgia. As Vice President for Development, Raymond seeks to engage individuals, corporations and foundations into the work and mission of CIS. Raymond's commitment to improving educational opportunities for all of Georgia's children is a driving force for his active pursuit of financial support for CIS of Georgia.
Raymond is a native Georgian and graduate of the Stewart School of Industrial & Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech and Goizueta Business School at Emory University. He is an active member of the Buckhead Rotary Club and Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. Raymond has a long history of volunteer service in his community that includes coaching youth basketball and baseball teams. Raymond is married to Bobbie Ann Harrison. He and Bobbie Ann are the proud parents of two sons, Graham and Matthew.
Catherine Broussard
Communications Manager
Catherine Broussard has been the Communications Manager for Communities In Schools of Georgia since 2000. One of the things Catherine is most proud of is the development and continued success of the Student Achievement Month contest, an annual event that recognizes students who are sometimes overlooked and often expected to underachieve. The contest honors hundreds of kids yearly and she looks forward to interacting with students during this event.
Since joining CIS Catherine has worked with Communities In Schools National, CIS of North Carolina, CIS of Florida, CIS of South Carolina and other offices to help increase the organization's visibility regionally and nationally.
She has an extensive marketing and public relations background holding prior positions with city and state agencies, a college, and an international public relations firm. Additionally, Catherine has been a marketing consultant and the owner of a small business that sold wholesale stationery products nationally and to Kroger and Cub Foods in the southeast.
Dan Derby
Coordinator of Operations, CISGA 
Dan Derby is the Coordinator of Operations for Communities In Schools of Georgia. He is a graduate of Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, where he majored in English and minored in music. Dan taught middle school for two years in southwest Atlanta as part of the Teach For America program, after which he joined CIS as the Executive Assistant for Development and Communications. After three years in this position, Dan moved into his current position, where he works closely with the COO in coordinating the day-to-day operations of the staff.
Linda Kelley
Evaluation & Technology Manager
Linda Kelley first began serving Communities In Schools nine years ago as an information and evaluation specialist. Linda engages both her creative and scientific talent by helping local CIS sites communicate their daily work through numerical and graphical data analysis and reports. She is often in awe of what local sites are able to accomplish with limited resources and likes to be in a supportive role for them.
Linda holds a Masters of Arts degree in Sociology and Applied Social Research from Tulane University, and Bachelor degrees in Sociology and Biology from Newcomb College at Tulane University in New Orleans. She has taught in both pre-school and university classrooms and enjoys helping communities and individuals look at data to improve programs. Her interest in applied research has led her to past roles as freelance social researcher, evaluator and tutor. Linda has been married to her husband and fellow CIS evaluation professional for nineteen years.
Prosper Kpentey
Finance Manager
Prosper Kpentey joined CIS as a staff accountant in 2001. His prior work with the Ghana Statistical Service provided expertise for his current role as Finance Manager and team leader to two CIS staff accountants. Prosper manages, controls and reports the status and use of the financial resources of Communities In Schools of Georgia. His work includes preparing and interpreting financial reports for management, donor agencies and regulatory bodies.
Prosper received his Master of Science in Accounting and Financial Management (MAFM) degree from the Keller Graduate School of Management. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Accounting Information Systems from DeVry University in Decatur, GA.
Carol Lewis
Community Development Manager
Carol F. Lewis first became involved with Communities In Schools as a volunteer and mentor to CIS students in 1989. She is skilled at many levels of the organization having served as a local Board member, CIS Executive Director and Community Development Specialist in the state office. In her role as manager, Carol has provided her staff with opportunities for growth and is proud of the expansion of the CIS Network in Georgia, the new PIRC and Compassion Capital grants and the renewal the of AmeriCorps*VISTA , AmeriCorps and RIF grants that are a direct result of her department's efforts.
A graduate of Mercer University, Carol is an avid volunteer and believes that in order to solve our many world problems we have to work to redirect existent resources to where they are most needed. Her dedication to community extends to Scouting, where she works to make sure that scouting is available to those not traditionally involved with the program.
She lives in her birthplace of LaGrange, GA, where she attends church, sings in the choir and serves as chairman of board of trustees and scouting ministry, and is a member of the Board of Directors of Maidee Smith Memorial Child Care Center, member of LHS PTO and Band Boosters. Carol is a devoted mother of three and a role model as BSA District Scout Commissioner and Assistant Scout Master to many young people.
Saadia Mazhar
Human Resources & Office Manager
Saadia came to CIS of Georgia in 2007 with a background in Human Resources Management from Georgia State University. She has worked with several non-profit agencies, including CIS of Atlanta, DUNS Educational Facility, and the Atlanta Fulton County Library. Working with non-profits has been worthwhile for Saadia because they have a purpose aside from personal gain. Working with CIS, in particular, adds value to her work, because not only is she here to help ensure employees are happy, but to also support and assist the organization in its mission to ensure kids graduate. She enjoys working with people and being of service to staff members.
Thomas Roman
High School Graduation Coach Coordinator
Thomas Roman recently joined CIS of Georgia as the Coordinator of Georgia's new High School Graduation Coach (HSGC) Initiative. The initiative is a collaboration between CISGA and the Georgia Department of Education that places a specialist in each high school across the state to help improve graduation rates.
Tom is committed to helping young people find their purpose and reach their potential. He has over thirteen years of experience working in youth development, juvenile justice and alternative education. He most recently ran Partnership for Learning, a non-profit organization serving juvenile offenders with learning deficiencies. He has developed and run alternative education and vocational programs as well as served as a school guidance counselor.
Tom holds a Bachelor's degree from Michigan State University, a Master's in Education from Loyola College in Maryland, and a Law Degree from the University of Maryland.
LuWanna Williams
Performance Learning Center® Executive Director
LuWanna Williams joined CIS in 1998 as a field facilitator and was instrumental in planning, implementing and replicating the Performance Learning Center® program. Through the dedication of the PLC staff, the model has received recognition from State Superintendent of Schools, Kathy Cox, as one of the best recommended strategies for drop-out prevention.
LuWanna graduated from Mercer University with a Bachelor of Science in Education and holds a Master's degree in Educational Leadership & Administration from Troy State University. She was a teacher and coordinator of the Success Program in Bibb County Schools. She has also been instrumental in the development of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice's educational curriculum. As a mother of two children, LuWanna visualizes a future where all students have equal opportunities and choices to become successful regardless of economics or any other barriers.