Nonprofit University Faculty

Meet our core team of accomplished faculty members. 

GCN’s Nonprofit University has a core faculty team of experienced professionals in all fields of the nonprofit sector. From fundraising, accounting, grant writing, marketing, and more, our knowledgeable instructors are adept at providing high quality training experiences that will help you become more skilled in your organization. 

	Chris Allers Chris is Partner with Advantage Consulting, LLC and former Executive Vice President of the Georgia Center for Nonprofits. He received his Doctorate in Counseling (Georgia State University, 1993). Chris has excelled as a non-profit professional for more than 30 years, performing a variety of nonprofit sector roles including as an executive director, “funder,” researcher and independent consultant. Read more
	Becky Burkett Becky is an experienced non-profit professional with expertise in board and committee management, strategic planning, organization and leadership and development.  She has extensive experience in all aspects of fundraising including major gifts, special events, planned giving, annual campaign and corporate giving and corporate sponsorship. Read more
	Mike Haberman Mike is Vice President and co-founder of Omega HR Solutions, Inc., a consulting and services company offering complete human resources solutions. Prior to Omega HR Solutions, Mike founded MDH Consulting, a Human Resources consulting firm working with small to mid-sized companies. Read more
	Stephanie Hodge Stephanie is CEO and Principal Consultant for Essex Consulting, LLC, a consulting firm providing human resource and business consulting for small and mid-sized companies. She has over 20 years of global HR experience leading teams in North America, Canada, and South America in the financial services, software/technology, and nonprofit industries. Read more
	Jack Beckford Jack is considered the small organization specialist of GCN's consulting team, bringing both a wealth of experience and a passion for working for nonprofits with small budgets and limited or no staff. Read more
	Brenda K. Johnson Brenda is a nonprofit development professional with a passion for connecting donors at every level to the causes they are passionate about.  Her areas of expertise include capital campaigns, data-driven fundraising strategies and donor database systems. Brenda held senior development positions at several national organizations addressing human rights, civil liberties and women and girls’ empowerment. Read more
	Yvonne Bryant Johnson Yvonne is CEO of Bryant & Associates, LLC, an executive coaching, consulting and training company focused on building high performing teams and leaders in the work place. She has over 25 years of corporate experience at AT&T where she coached, developed high performing teams, and provided leadership to sales and customer service employees. Read more
	Kathy Keeley   Kathy’s expertise includes strategic planning and solution-building, project design, performance assessment and management, board and staff retreats, social enterprise, finance and economic development, and executive coaching. Read more
	Tracey Knight   Coach Tracey Knight is an accomplished trainer, speaker, and certified life, career, and personal empowerment coach. She leverages more than 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur, nonprofit executive and educator to help organizations shift culture and build high-performing teams. Read more
	Victor McCarty Vic serves as Managing Partner of McCarty Collaborative Consulting, LLC. - offering consultation services to nonprofits, schools and faith based organizations. Since 2000, Vic has been involved in nonprofit organizations and fundraising where he has demonstrated excellent knowledge of creating and improving signature events, managing budgets and timelines, working closely with planning committees and volunteers and has a strong background in building events in statewide market areas. Read more
	Shelley Parnes Shelley is a CPA with over 30 years of accounting experience. For the past 16 years she has provided accounting and consulting services to non-profit organizations.  Prior to that, she served as the Accounting Director for the Arthritis Foundation’s national office, the Controller for a manufacturing company and an Auditor for a public accounting firm.  Shelley has extensive experience with QuickBooks software including set-up, data file analysis, and staff training. Read more
	Stanley Romanstein Stanley, as Professor of Practice in Music & the Arts, brings his deep passion for music of many genres to GSU’s Creative Media Industries Institute. Read more
	Brandon Smith Brandon is passionate about helping nonprofit organizations deliver their missions effectively. Brandon is a Certified Public Accountant at Mauldin & Jenkins, where he has more than nine years of experience serving tax-exempt organizations of all shapes and sizes, through capacity building, management consulting, and traditional accounting services. Read more
	Shirley Anne Smith Shirley Anne is the founding Executive Director of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation and joined the Foundation back in August of 2016. She brings over a decade of nonprofit management experience, including significant leadership roles at Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta and most recently as Assistant Director of LaAmistad, Inc. Shirley has successful experience in nonprofit fundraising, event management and operations management. Read more

	Matthew Terrell Matthew works as communications director for Dad's Garage Theatre in Atlanta. In this role, he provides much of the written word across multiple platforms for Dad's Garage—including newsletters, annual reports, grantwriting, board and staff updates, building signage, and policy documents. Read more
	Daniel Summers, Jr. Daniel is the head cat at Summers.Solutions, which specializes in nonprofit or cause-driven arts, culture, and destination marketing. He helps others to improve their marketing and business practice, so they may better fulfill their altruistic mission. Read more

April Voris April is co-founder and Chief Zealotry Officer at GRM. She takes a highly customized approach, and believes that the best marketing work is a multi-faceted, creative blend of all related touchpoints for a particular brand. April’s professional career began as a client services manager for renowned advertising agency Cole Henderson Drake, where she became Director of Client Services. Read more

Brandi Rae Hicks Brandi Rae is a Grant Writer and Nonprofit Consultant that has raised and managed more than $1 Billion for tax-exempt organizations, institutions of higher education, and government entities. Brandi Rae supports nonprofits and their rise to the next level and provides the right tools and resources to help leaders to continue the great work of giving back to our most deserving neighbors. Read more