A refugee himself of the Liberian civil war, Sam lost his father to this conflict as a child and later lost his mother during his eight-year stay in a refugee camp in Guinea before he and his siblings were granted asylum in the US. Although Sam had very little formal schooling growing up, he graduated from Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School. He went on to graduate from Mercer University with four majors: French, Women and Gender Studies, Political Science, and International Relations. Sam founded My Vision for Refugees, Inc. in 2015 and has built an orphanage, Home of Hope, in N’zerekore, Guinea, that currently houses 18 orphan children. He is the recipient of Holy Innocents’ Outstanding Alumni Award and New American Pathway’s Friend of Freedom Award.

A native of Evanston, Illinois, and a graduate of Vanderbilt University, Dave has enjoyed a 40-year career in the investment advisory and wealth management industry. He is the proud father of two adult children and three granddaughters. Dave and his wife, Cindy, reside in Atlanta and are active members of Trinity Presbyterian Church. Dave first met Samuel Johnson at a Trinity men’s breakfast years ago. He was so inspired by Sam’s personal charisma and vision of hope and a better future for these children that he felt called to support My Vision.

Caroline grew up in Macon, Georgia, and received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and English from Brenau College and a Master’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Mercer University. Since 1997, her career has included work in finance and accounting. Caroline’s experience spans both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. She is the resident/CEO of The Foundation of The Methodist Home.

Kathy graduated from Georgia State University with a master’s degree in counseling and worked 24 years as a School Counselor, 20 of which were at Holy Innocents' Episcopal School. She and her husband retired from careers in Atlanta in 2018 and moved to Young Harris, Georgia, and are enjoying the mountains and Lake Chatuge. They have two sons, currently residing in Brooklyn, and a daughter, who lives in Puerto Rico. Kathy volunteers in North Georgia as a CASA working with foster children and loves reading, hiking, and gardening.

A refugee herself, Ana grew up in New York after her family emigrated from Cuba to the U.S. Following her graduation from Boston College, Ana moved to Europe and for years helped refugees process their asylum applications to countries all over the world. As the mother of four children, she is passionate about securing the safety and protection of our most vulnerable children while offering them the prospect of a brighter future.

New to the Board in 2024, Kathleen brings 6 years of experience working in the non-profit sector, specifically in the girls’ and women’s rights space. In her former roles at the international organization Women Win, Kathleen oversaw a portfolio of programs and partnerships with locally based organizations in various regions in the Global South. She brings expertise in girl-centered safeguarding and program design, grant writing, donor management, and a passion for supporting locally driven solutions. Kathleen also offers experience in strategic visioning and planning.

John retired in 2014 after teaching French full-time for 42 years at Mercer University in Macon. He holds degrees from Emory and Duke Universities and has published several books. In 2015, he founded the annual Building the Beloved Community Symposium at Mercer, which he continues to co-convene.

Brad is the Registered Principal/Branch Manager for an independent financial services firm in Atlanta, Georgia. Originally from Savannah, Georgia, Brad received a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the US Naval Academy and a master’s in Business Administration from Mercer University. He has also served as Chairman of the Forsyth Monroe County Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Kairos Prison Ministry International State Chapter Committee, and President of the Forsyth Monroe County Exchange Club.

A native of Vero Beach, Florida, and a graduate of Florida State University with a master’s degree at Indiana University, Carol enjoyed a 7-year career as a Speech and Language Pathologist and a 30-year career in teaching at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, retiring in 2007. She is the mother of two grown children and four grandchildren. Carol and her husband, Dick, reside in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Charlie is originally from northern Illinois and earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois - Urbana. His engineering career has included various roles at an equipment company and a large Fortune 500 engineering firm. He also started a greenfield paper mill that makes recycled container boards, where he was responsible for plant operations. Along the way, he earned an MBA from Duke University. Charlie is a Director of Business Development for Hargrove Engineers & Constructors. He lives in Clinton, SC where his wife, Dr. Anita Gustafson, is President of Presbyterian College.

Dorothy grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, and graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill. She has two sons who live in Atlanta. Son, Shea is married to Lynn, and they are the parents of Annie, Sam, and Jake. Son, Dave is married to Ellie, and their children are Sarah and Walton. Dorothy’s career was at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, where she met Sam and was taken with his story. She is retired but continues to be active at the school. She cannot let go of the fact that Sam could have lived an easy life here in the States but chose to go back to Guinea to help the children there.