We Are 10 Women of Hope
Fran Sutton, Chair
A lifelong resident of Marietta, GA, Fran Sutton is one of the founding members of 10 Women of Hope and its current Chair. She is a graduate of Marietta High School and the University of Georgia where she received her BBA in Business Management.
She served as the Chair of the Marietta Housing Authority and as a member of many community groups including Leadership Cobb, Leadership Georgia, and Cobb Landmarks. She currently serves on the Marietta Development Authority and as Stewardship Committee Chair for her Church, First United Methodist Marietta.
Fran’s passion for giving back to her community led her to working with NW Metro Atlanta Habitat for Humanity and most recently, Cole Street Development Corporation, a non-profit that provides affordable housing in Cobb County.
Fran lives in Marietta with Don and their 2 Boykin Spaniels, Allie and Bailey. They have two daughters, Lauren and Anna who is married to Aaron White and has their most special granddaughter, Etta Grace.
Alexis Blackmon
Alexis Blackmon is a Georgia native who was raised in Marietta, Georgia. She received her bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and her Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Georgia. Alexis has spent her career advocating for the underprivileged. Alexis is an Outpatient Social Worker at Wellstar.
Alexis enjoys helping others by providing the best support to those who are in need. Alexis is excited to be a new member of 10 Women of Hope and grow within her community. Alexis resides in West Cobb with her two sons.
Amanda Seals
A native of Marietta, GA, Amanda Seals is the executive vice president of advocacy and government relations for the Cobb Chamber. Amanda has over 25 years of advocacy and government relations experience at the local, state and federal levels. She is a graduate of Young Harris College with Associates of Arts in Journalism; holds a Bachelor of Science in Media Communication from Kennesaw State University; and Masters of Higher Education Administration from Georgia Southern.
Passionate about her community and giving back, she is the past-president of the Junior League of Cobb-Marietta, a graduate of both Leadership Cobb (2018) and Leadership Georgia (2013 and 2014 program chair), co-chair of the Marietta Pilgrimage Tour of Homes, previous member of the Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theatre Board of Directors, and served on the Board of Directors for both the Kennesaw State University Alumni Association and the Young Harris College Alumni Board. She is a past president of the North Georgia Camp and Retreat Ministries Board of Directors and is honored to have become a member of the 10 Women of Hope in 2022.
She and her husband, Paul, live in historic Marietta with their daughter, Trinity, a freshman at LSU. They are members of Marietta First United Methodist Church.
Angie Davis
Angie Davis is the owner and principal of ATD Consulting, LLC, a firm specializing in court technology and court management. She previously served as the inaugural clerk of the Georgia State-wide Business Court, appointed by Governor Brian P. Kemp in July 2020. Before that appointment, Angie spent two decades with the State Court of Cobb County Clerk’s Office, first as Deputy Clerk of Court and later as Clerk of Court. She also served as Clerk and Court Administrator for the Cobb County Magistrate Court
prior to joining the State Court.
Angie earned her Bachelor’s Degree in English from Georgia Southern University and her Master’s in Public Administration from Kennesaw State University. She received a Certificate of Local Government Management from the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government and was designated a Fellow of the Institute for Court Management. She has conducted training in Mediation and Communication Skills at Georgia State University and Kennesaw State University.
Angie is a graduate of Leadership Cobb class of 1998 and Honorary Commanders class of 2023. She serves on the Kennesaw State University Master of Public Administration Advisory Board and the Mount Paran Christian School Board of Trustees. Angie is a past nominee for the YWCA Tribute to Women of Achievement and was named the 2013 Executive of the Year by the Cobb County Executive Support Professionals organization. She is a founding member of 10 Women of Hope, a non-profit which assists single-parent families experiencing a financial emergency.
A resident of Cobb County for over 40 years, Angie and her husband, Shawn, attend Stonebridge Church in Marietta and live in West Cobb and have two adult daughters, Riley and Reagan.
Heather Johnson
Heather, a proud native of Valdosta, holds a Sociology degree from Valdosta State University. Raised in a family that operates a children's home for orphaned, neglected, and abused youth in South Georgia, she learned the values of service and strong work ethic from an early age. Growing up helping at the home, Heather saw firsthand how compassion and mentorship could transform young lives.
With a career spanning various levels of government, Heather's leadership has consistently centered on serving others. Currently, she brings her expertise to ADDO, a leadership consultancy. As a proud graduate of Leadership Cobb Class of 2024, she is deeply passionate about her community and committed to giving back. Her community involvement includes past presidency of the Metro Marietta Kiwanis Club and volunteer work with multiple local organizations. Heather treasures time with her husband and three children, who inspire her commitment to creating a brighter future for all families.
Jacki Payne
Jacqueline L. "Jacki" Payne has spent most of her 40 plus year legal career as a lawyer for the Atlanta Legal Aid Society where she has devoted time and talents to helping low-income, vulnerable, and often minority families and to protecting victims of domestic violence. She currently serves as managing attorney for the Kinship caregiver project at Atlanta Legal Aid. Jacki often uses her experiences at Atlanta Legal Aid, both legal and social, as she volunteers with and leads other community organizations that seek to benefit the same population. Jacki genuinely enjoys serving others and is always looking for ways to help.
Jacki has spent most of her professional life serving others in her community. She has been involved with several Atlanta-area organization including serving as a board member of the 10 Women of Hope (and being one of the original 10), serving on the Board of the Innovative Solutions for Disadvantage and Disability, serving on the Marietta Schools Foundation Board, acting as a legal advisor for her church and congregation while also singing in her church choir, serving on the Atlanta Bar Association’s Lawyer’s referral service (LRIS),and leading various Cancer Society walk teams. In the past she has taught Sunday school, served as a Girl Scout leader for a group of twenty rambunctious girls, served on the PTA at several levels, and served on the Atlanta-Fulton Commission on Children and Youth. If she joins your group, she always does so with willing hands, and a faithful heart.
Jacki received her B.A. in Sociology/ Criminology, cum laude, from Spelman College in May 1977, and her J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1980. She is the proud mother of three daughters, Alexis, Brooke and Jordan, and grandmother to three grandsons, William, Gavin and Grant.
Jaclyn Wood
Jaclyn Wood is a life-long resident of Marietta, GA, and a proud graduate of Marietta High School. With a passion for serving others, Jaclyn pursued a career in healthcare, earning a BS in Nursing from Georgia State University and an MS in Nursing from Kennesaw State University. Over the past 15 years, Jaclyn has worked as both a Registered Nurse and Nurse Practitioner, honing a deep understanding of the healthcare field. Seeking to broaden her impact, Jaclyn transitioned into real estate, driven by the desire to empower her community from a new perspective. Her goal is to help others build stability in both their personal and financial lives.
Outside of her professional life, Jaclyn enjoys spending time with her husband Zack and two children Charlie and Dean in Marietta, where she strives to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those around her.
Kate Gaffney
Kate Gaffney was thrilled to join 10 Women of Hope in 2024. As the Director of Pro Bono at Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Kate develops, manages and oversees the many ways Atlanta Legal Aid Society works with private attorneys, law students and volunteers to help further the organization’s mission of helping low-income people meet basic needs, removing barriers to justice through civil legal assistance.
Prior to her current role, Kate worked with Atlanta Legal Aid’s Kinship Care Project, representing low-income caregivers raising children in the place of deceased or otherwise absent parents. For nearly 10 years, Kate directed the Temporary Protective Order Project in Atlanta Legal Aid’s Cobb County office, connecting survivors with pro bono attorneys for representation at their court hearings. Kate has had the honor of standing with survivors at their hearings to help them navigate the court system on their path out of abusive relationships towards securing safety and stability for themselves and their children. She previously served in leadership roles for the Cobb County Domestic Violence Task Force.
Kate is a graduate of Boston College Law School and the University of Notre Dame. A New England transplant, Kate moved to Cobb in 2008 and loves the community, people and weather. She lives in East Cobb with her husband, John; their teenage sons, Tad and Jack; and goofy dog Boots.
Kimberly Harmon
Kimberly Harmon is a seasoned administrative professional with over 11 years of experience supporting C-suite executives. She currently serves as the Executive Assistant to Sharon Mason, President & CEO of the Cobb Chamber, and Dana Johnson, Chief Operating Officer. In addition to providing high-level administrative support, Kimberly oversees the facilities and manages the Chamber’s front desk operations. During her tenure, she has increased revenue for the Chamber’s room rentals program and successfully organized the Administrative Professionals Mixer, which welcomed over 100 attendees.
A native of Cherokee County, Kimberly has lived in Cobb County for over 20 years. She studied Business Administration at West Georgia Technical College and began her career as a receptionist at the State Road and Tollway Authority, where she developed a passion for executive support and operations management.
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Kimberly serves on the Board of Directors for the Center for Family Resources, and she appreciates the chance to collaborate with the 10 Women of Hope. Passionate about helping those in need, she actively participates in initiatives that assist those that are less fortunate in her community.
Kimberly resides in East Cobb with her husband Troy, two of their 4 daughters, and their beloved cat, Jack. In her free time, Kimberly enjoys going to church, volunteering, and cooking for her family.
Lindsey Crooks
A lifelong resident of Marietta, GA, Lindsey Crooks grew up in the Charlton Forge neighborhood, where she now lives with her own family. She is a graduate of Hickory Hills Elementary, Marietta High School, and the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism, where she received her degree in Mass Media and Telecommunications. After college, she spent six months living and working in London before returning home to begin a career in marketing and events. Today, Lindsey offers event coordination and wedding planning services in Marietta and the surrounding metro-Atlanta area.
Passionate about her community and giving back, Lindsey has held several leadership roles with the Hickory Hills Elementary PTA, including President, and chaired the school's annual art show fundraiser at the Marietta-Cobb Museum of Art. She mentors students at Hickory Hills and Lockheed Elementary Schools and currently serves as Secretary of the Charlton Forge HOA Board. For more than a decade, she has returned each summer to her childhood camp, Camp Juliette Low, where she has served in a variety of leadership roles. Lindsey also volunteers with her church and several local organizations throughout the year.
Lindsey and her husband, Mike, were married in 2011 at Marietta First United Methodist Church and live in Charlton Forge with their children, Garrett and Reilly. In her free time, Lindsey enjoys camping, family adventures, roller skating, archery, and dreaming of being a gardener despite not having a green thumb.
Director's Emeritus
Lamuriel Peagler Adams
Carla Brown
Patsy Bryan
Wanda Callahan
Jean Hawkins
Laurel Kovach *
Linda Palmer
Michelle Sams
Penny Warren
*Deceased
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