Leadership Sandy Springs Celebrates its 24th Graduating Class

Nearly 30 people, who live or work, in Sandy Springs are graduates of the 2011 Leadership Sandy Springs class.

A ceremony and dinner was held at the Sheraton Atlanta, Perimeter North Hotel, in May.

The nine-month program presents information on all aspects of the Sandy Springs community from local and state government to education to civic and cultural issues. Each year, the class completes service projects to benefit Sandy Springs.

The 2011 class participants included Eddie Echols, principal of Riverwood International Charter School; Blake Dettwiler with CH2M Hill OMI; Felix Lora with Sandy Springs Mission; Leticia Weidenhamer with Cox Communications; and Bob Levinson, Attorney at Law.

Graduates go forward to serve the community. During the dinner ceremony, three previous graduates were presented with Alumni Recognition Awards for outstanding leadership in the community.

Mary Conner Cannon, LSS ’02, has been a Sandy Springs resident since 1981. She is an engineer by profession and worked in the engineering and planning departments of MARTA prior to her retirement. She was part of the LSS 2002 class group that initiated and implemented Volunteer for Better Sandy Springs Day, now in its ninth year. She has served in leadership roles for VBSS Day and Movies by Moonlight as well as serving on the Alumni Council. Connie is also an active member of Altrusa, a Community Action Center volunteer, and a member of Sandy Springs Christian Church where she participates in outreach activities to benefit Lake Forest Elementary School.

Lori Evers, LSS ’05, graduated from North Springs High School and has been a resident of Sandy Springs for most of her adult life. Lori is a principal in the CPA firm of Evers & Fox, P.C., which is in the process of merging with the regional accounting firm of Mauldin and Jenkins.  She is a Trustee of the Georgia Federal Tax Conference, a member of the Georgia Society of CPA’s Leadership Council and has served on various GSCPA and AICPA Task Forces and Committees. Lori recently completed a two-year term as President of Heritage Sandy Springs. She has also held leadership roles in the Sandy Springs Festival, the Community Foundation of North Fulton, and the Leadership Sandy Springs Board of Trustees.

Becky Jo Nickles, LSS ’93, has lived in Sandy Springs since 1979. In addition to her nursing career, she has been a small business owner while serving her community as a volunteer leader. In Sandy Springs, she has served in numerous leadership capacities, including Heritage Sandy Springs, the Sandy Springs Festival (Chair in 1992 and 1993), Ghostly Gathering (Chair), Breakwater Homeowners’ Association (President), and the Sandy Springs Society. Other community activities have included Leadership Atlanta, the Atlanta Junior League, her children’s’ schools, and the Vanderbilt Alumni Association.