Dr. Linda M. Scales, Board Secretary. Linda has a Music Education BS and Education. She obtained her Administration MS from Kansas State University; Masters in Educational Counseling from Boston University; and Education Doctorate from Temple University. Linda taught public school music for 3 ½ years; was Director of Religious Education for the US Army for 16 years; and supervised Military Early Childhood programs for 15 years. She is now retired and serving as ordained Deacon at Church of Our Savior, Martinez, GA. Linda served on the first Board of Directors for Rachel Longstreet Foundation and helped establish the Jessye Norman School of the Arts.

Ellis M. Johnson. Ellis has degrees from Paine College and Ft. Valley State University and additional study at Seton Hall University, Montclair State College, Harvard University, and Augusta State University. He was a U.S. Army chapel choir director and winner of the Third Army Vocal Competition Award. Public School music teacher and retired Director of Student Services at Aiken Technical College. Ellis is a member and former president of the Board of the Greater Augusta Arts Council and past member of the Board of Directors of the Augusta Opera. Mr. Johnson was a member of he Augusta Choral Society for more than 20 years and served as its first minority president. He has served as Board of Advisors of the Augusta Museum of History. Ellis was honored as Augusta Opera, Opera Man of the Year in 1998 and recipient of the AKA Regional Arts Award in 2004. Presently he is the Music Director of the seventy-five member Augusta Chorale, a group that has been invited to perform in the Piccolo Spoleto Festival (Charleston, SC) five times.

Sandra R. Blackwood. Sandra has had extensive work in field of international youth exchange. She is a current member and former president of the Summerville Neighborhood Association. She is a former board member as well as former president of the Augusta Opera Company. In addition to being former Director of Development for the Augusta Opera, she is an Amateur violinist.

William T Mills. William is the Operations Manager of CSRA EOA, INC. HEAD START. Presently responsible for providing directions to fourteen (14) Center Directors for the day-to-day operation of twenty-four (24) sites, three hundred plus (300) employees providing services for 1,573 children and their throughout the CSRA and Bulloch County. His past positions include Director of Patient Financial Services, Medical College of Georgia; Management Consultant, Superior Consultant Company, Inc. He is a member of the Rachael Longstreet Foundation, Inc., Board Member of Georgia Head Start Association. William has a Master of Business Administration, Loma Linda University and Bachelor of Science, Business Administration Management, Paine College.

Pat Knox. Pat is a former member of the board and kindergarten music teacher of the Bethlehem Community Center. She has served as a member of the board for The Augusta Richmond County Museum, The Augusta Symphony, The Augusta Choral Society and Sacred Heart Cultural Center. She is a founding member of The Open Door Kindergarten, the first integrated kindergarten in Augusta.

Dr. Samuel Sullivan. Samual has a B.S. Degree in physics and mathematics from North Carolina Central University Ph.D. in physics from Howard University. His past positions include acting provost and vice president for academic affairs at University of the district of Columbia; Interim provost and vice president for academic affairs at Morris Brown College. His present position is Vice President for academic affairs at Augusta State University. Samual’s Community Involvement includes Board of Directors of United Way of the CSRA, Inc. and Board of Directors of Rachel Longstreet Foundation.

Rhian Swain-Giboney. Rhian is President of RedWolf, an Augusta-based design and marketing agency. She possesses a Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree and has provided professional design and marketing services for over 25 years. She serves as the art director as well as the lead designer for RedWolf. She has won numerous awards for her design work. She is an active member of Leadership Augusta and a recognized supporter of Augusta's arts, attractions and economic development initiatives. Served as Chairman for the Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival, Marketing Chair for RedCarpet Tour and Augusta Showcase for several years. She currently serves on the Greater Augusta Arts Council Executive Board of Directors, The Rachel Longstreet Foundation Board of Directors, Destination 2020 PR Committee, Wycliffe Gordon Scholarship Committee, as well as several other community committees.

Elizabeth M. Morrison. Beth is a partner with the certified public accounting firm, Cherry, Bekaert & Holland, L.L.P. She received her accounting degree from Augusta State University and has over eighteen years experience in public accounting. She has been actively involved in the Georgia Society of CPAs and various Chamber activities, including Leadership Augusta. She is also active in the community, currently serving on the board of The Augusta Ballet, Inc., and the Junior League of Augusta. Beth is married and has a one year old daughter.