2023-2024
Board of Directors
Kelly Dean | Chairman of the Board
Kelly Dean is the principal at East Laurens Elementary School. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Special Education/Intellectual Disabilities from Georgia Southern University. She holds a Master's degree in Learning Disabilities and Behavior Disorders from Armstrong Atlantic State University and her Specialist degree in Education Leadership is from Georgia College and State University.
Kelly has over 25 years of experience as a classroom teacher, Assistant Principal and Principal.
She is married to Jack Dean and they have two daughters, Kaitlyn and Peyton. Kaitlyn is a junior at Mercer University and Peyton is a sophomore at WLHS. Kelly is a graduate of Leadership Dublin-Laurens County (2020).
O.J. Hall | Past Chairman of the Board
Dr. Otha J. Hall is an associate superintendent of curriculum and instruction with the Laurens County School System. He graduated from West Laurens High School in 2002. He attended Georgia Southern University where he graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science degree in history education. He later attended Georgia College and State University where he received a master's and specialist's degree in educational leadership in 2007 and 2008 respectively. In 2014, he graduated from Georgia Southern University with his Doctorate in Education in curriculum studies. His dissertation centered around the influence of African-American males on the academic achievement and lives of African-American teenage males.
Throughout his professional career, he has worked as a history teacher at West Laurens High School from 2006-2011. During this time, he also served as the assistant boys' basketball coach and middle school boys' track and field coach. He then went on to become an assistant principal and head boys' basketball coach at West Laurens High from 2012-2015. In 2015, he was named the head principal at East Laurens Middle School, and was head principal of East Laurens Middle/High School in 2016. He continued to lead East Laurens High School through the end of the 2020 school year. He is a graduate of Leadership Dublin-Laurens County (2017).
Kate Dean| Programs Chair
Kate Dean is the Talent Acquisition and Retention Manager of Nichols, Cauley & Associates, LLC. She is a graduate of Valdosta State University with Bachelor’s degrees in Management and Marketing, and received her Masters of Science in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. She joined Nichols, Cauley & Associates, LLC in 2012 as assistant firm administrator. In her current role, Kate focuses on recruitment, employee relations, team member retention and public relations. Kate has been a member of the Dublin-Laurens Human Resources Association for 10 years and currently serves as chapter president. Kate is also a member of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM), and holds a SHRM Certified Professional certificate, as well as a Professional in Human Resources certificate.
Kate is a native of Valdosta, Georgia, but has been a part of the Dublin-Laurens community for over 10 years. She is married to JT Dean, and they have two daughters, Claire and Ruthie. Kate is a graduate of the 2022 Leadership Dublin Laurens County Class.
Amber Coleman | Treasurer
Amber Coleman is a Banking Officer and Branch Manager at Bank of Dudley’s Veterans Boulevard branch in Dublin. She’s been employed with Bank of Dudley for almost 10 years. She graduated from East Laurens High School and has attended Middle Georgia State University and Brewton Parker College pursing a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. Currently, Amber is enrolled in Georgia Bankers Association Georgia Banking School at the University of Georgia. As a leader at Bank of Dudley, Amber has spearheaded past Relay for Life fundraisers and attends many community events.
Amber is married to Blake Coleman and they have two sons, Gunner & Brax. They attend Dudley Baptist Church. In her spare time, she enjoys following both of her son’s sports activities. She is very active and volunteers many hours with Dudley Little League.
Bill Middlebrooks| Secretary
Bill Middlebrooks is a native of Dublin-Laurens County and joined the Curry Maffett Insurance team in 2012. Bill is married to the former Kassie Daniel of Dublin, and they have son named Will.
Bill graduated from West Laurens High School in 2006 and earned his bachelor’s degree in history at Georgia Southern University in 2010. Bill completed insurance coursework and holds the designation for Certified Authority on Workers Compensation. Bill is a Deacon at Poplar Springs North Baptist Church and an active member of Dublin Exchange Club. Bill is a 2022 graduate of Leadership Dublin Laurens.
Whitney Kilgo | Marketing Chair
Whitney Kilgo is the Marketing Director at Morris Bank. She earned her Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in Advertising and Public Relations from The University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!). Whitney is also a proud graduate of the 2019-2020 class of Leadership Dublin-Laurens County. As a native to Dublin, she returned home in 2018 after working for a corporate office in Nashville, Tennessee for several years.
Whitney has been involved in several organizations since her return, including the Georgia Bankers Association (GBA) Marketing Committee, Dublin Service League, and the St. Patrick's Festival Committee. She also serves as a Sunday School teacher at First United Methodist Church and the Executive Director of the Morris Bank Community Foundation Board. In her free time, she and her husband, Forrest Kilgo, enjoy spending time with their daughter and their Goldendoodle.
Duana Cooper | Leprechaun Contest Chair
Duana Cooper recently accepted the position of HR Manager at Nichols, Cauley & Associates in Dublin, GA. She is thrilled to join this wonderful team and looks forward to growing professionally in this role in the years to come. She is also a Realtor at Coldwell Banker Curry Residential. She has been employed at Coldwell Banker for 3 years. Prior to joining their team, Duana was employed by Turner Broadcasting in Atlanta as Sr. Director of Operations for TNT Brand Creative and was responsible for on-air promotions and marketing for the TNT network. She was born in Athens, GA, and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Georgia. Duana is a proud graduate of the 2020 Class of Dublin-Laurens County Leadership and is looking forward to heading up the Leprechaun contest activities again this upcoming year.
Duana and her husband, Lee, have been married 18 years and they reside in Montrose with their two children, Kinsey and Rhett. Their children are active in FFA, equestrian, band, and theater. The Cooper family loves to travel, attend sporting events, horse shows, and spend quality time together in their home.
Bill Glisson| Programs Committee
Bill Glisson is a graduate of Georgia Southern University and is an Education Supervisor for Georgia Power Company. He has worked with Georgia Power for 31 years in various roles across the state. Bill has resided in Laurens County, with his wife Betsy, since 2014. Prior to moving to Laurens County, Bill lived in Harris County, Georgia for 21 years where he was active in the community by serving on the Board of Directors for the Harris County Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors and Development Board for Twin Lakes, LLC, Booster Club President for Harris County High School sports programs, served on the Harris County Board of Equalization and was a graduate of Leadership Harris in 2009. He has led as Chairman of the Board from 2008-2011, the Hydro Power Safety Issues group which is a National Organization committed to safety around the nation’s public reservoirs and recreation areas.
Bill is a graduate of the 2020 Dublin -Laurens County Leadership class and looks forward to serving the community by serving on the Dublin- Laurens Leadership board.
Pat Brock| Programs Committee
Pat Brock is the Public Information Officer for the Laurens County Board of Education, where she specializes in news media (print, photography, and television). She has hosted Real Talk on TV-35 WDIG since her return to Georgia in 2013. In 1988, Pat graduated from Dublin High School and received athletic and academic scholarships to Gordon College in Barnesville, Georgia. She later received a bachelor’s degree in business management from Georgia College & State University and a master’s degree in drama therapy from Kansas State University. Pat also studied On-Camera/Film Acting in Kansas City and Virginia, where she performed in a traveling theatre troupe and one-woman show.
Pat faithfully serves on the Hope in Darkness Global Foundation Team as a Dramatic Arts Expert. She is also a Youth Leader, Media Specialist, and Pastor’s Aid President at The House of Refuge Ministries International. She recently began her term on the Board of Directors for Dublin-Laurens County Leadership. In 2018, Pat received the KR3 & Co. Choice Award for Setting Standards in television broadcasting and was featured in Standard Magazine. She received the Dublin-Laurens Chamber of Commerce’ Willie Paulk Professional Businesswoman of the Year Award in 2020. And in 2022, she was named Woman of the Year by the Dublin/Laurens Black History Festival Community Committee. She is happily married to Pastor Martin L. Brock, and they share 7 children together.