Leadership Perimeter recently graduated its inaugural class of 43 community leaders who live, work, or serve in Brookhaven, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs.

The program has grown since its original incarnation as Leadership Sandy Springs, and has graduated close to 1,000 members since 1986.

The 43 participants took part in immersive curriculum that included discussions with local and statewide leaders and learning about challenges the region faces. The cohort met with business owners, nonprofits and environmental organizations to gain insights into their roles, offerings and needs in the communities.

The program put participants into six different groups to develop service projects that would impact their local communities.

The group found ways to spread some cheer with local residents, many of whom experience loneliness. Leadership members collaborated with elementary schools in Sandy Springs where students created 300 handmade Valentine’s Day cards to deliver to Mt. Vernon Towers senior living community. They also hosted an afternoon of entertainment for the residents that included 11 different performers. Volunteers also helped residents navigate technology issues with cell phones, iPads and other devices.

Leadership Perimeter participants addressed another problem at the Sandy Springs Fire Station on Spalding Drive. A canopy over the outdoor eating area was 15 years old and had structural integrity issues. Working with firefighters, they built a larger and more durable structure to fully covers the eating and grilling area that was more integrated into the firehouse.

Three high schools got help with career workshops tailored to their needs. These included assistance with writing resumes, interview skills and career development. The assistance helped 40 students at Riverwood High School, 30 students at Dunwoody High School and 30 students at North Springs High School.

Students were helped to prevent the “summer slide,” which sees students lose reading skills if they don’t keep reading during the summer, plus other literacy initiatives. A drive to keep Little Free Libraries stocked collected 1,625 books.

At Riverwood High School they created a reading nook to encourage teens to surpass their current reading levels. Five sets of books were donated to enable more student participation at Woodland Elementary School’s Book club.

Leadership participants helped faculty, parents and teachers at Dunwoody Elementary School to construct an outdoor edible STEAM garden with raised beds as an Earth Day project. The group prepped the area alongside the school, laying foundations and building six beds which were filled with dirt and mulch.

Many girls and women miss school and work as they lack access to period products, so the Leadership group collected supplies and held a kit packing event. The 6,000 items collected through an Amazon registry and community collection sites were boosted with thousands more collected at the Prosecco Period Project event.

The period kit assembly party was held at Arnette’s Chop Shop with more than 70 volunteers assembling more than 1,700 kits. These were distributed to public schools in Brookhaven and the Brookhaven-based Latin American Association’s community closet. Brookhaven Mayor John Park and Brookhaven councilmembers Madeline Simmons and John Funny, and Dunwoody City Council member Catherine Lautenbacher attended the event.

“It’s been an incredible year getting to know each member of the class and see their enthusiasm to not only learn more about our region, but also how to use that knowledge to make a bigger impact in their communities,” Leadership Perimeter Executive Director Rosalyn Putnam said. “Their curiosity, dedication and drive to be members of the inaugural Perimeter class as well as ensure that their group is ‘first class’ is inspiring.”

Members of the Leadership Perimeter Class of 2024 were:

• Donovan Adams – Financial Advisor, Sandy Springs Private Wealth Management
• Josh Brown – Senior Consultant, Guidehouse
• Ariana Bryant – Community Development Officer, CHOA
• Sandra Bryant – City Clerk, City of Brookhaven
• Andrew Chinsky – Attorney, Aaron’s Company Inc.
• Natalie DeLancey – Executive Director, City Springs Theatre Company
• Laura Deupree – Senior Communications & Marketing Manager, Community Assistance Center
• Brent Dodson – Global Real Estate Advisor, Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty
• Jennifer Dunaway – Founder, J Dunaway Public Relations
• Jeremy Duvall – Founder/CEO, 7Factor Engineering LLC
• Treasure Edwards – Vice President, Head of Regional Strategy, Morgan Stanley
• Kara Epstein – Assistant Team Leader, Keller Williams Realty
• Elizabeth Fite – Transition Partner, Kutak Rock
• Mary Ford – Chief Marketing Officer, CENTEGIX
• Adam Forrand – President/CEO, Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber
• Mark Galvin – Director of Marketing, Discover Dunwoody
• Jennifer Gilbert – Manager, HR Operations, Northside Hospital
• Andrew Gillespie – Senior Director – IT, Kaiser Permanente
• Francine Goodman – ESOL Teacher, Dunwoody Elementary School
• Amy Harmon – Attorney, Law Firm GC
• Anna Holder – Director – Human Resources Business Partner, The Coca-Cola Company
• Jose Jimenez – Owner, AlphaGraphics Dunwoody – Sandy Springs
• Kate Kratovil – Horizons Site Director, Holy Innocents’ School
• Nehemiah Lamb – Founder/CEO, Unique Individual Inc.
• Ryder Leary – Keep North Fulton Beautiful
• Jennifer Long – Executive Director, CREATE Dunwoody
• Gloria Mattei – Owner, Nothing Bundt Cakes
• Alan Mickelson – Principal, Draffin & Tucker LLP
• Tywana Minor – Senior Director, Global HR Business Partners, Habitat for Humanity International
• Phyllis Mitchell – Owner, Phyllis Mitchell State Farm Agency
• Stephen Moore – CEO, RCS Productions
• Sandy Paul – Managing Director, 20/20 Foresight Executive Search
• Tracy Reznik – Director, Jabian Consulting
• DaMon Ross – Founder & CEO, Cyber Defense International, LLC
• Maia Samb – Owner, Puttogo Global Group
• Barbara Scarlette, Founder and President, Scarlette Economic Development Corporation
• Charles Sharper – Executive Director. Healthy Youth USA
• Kit Simelton-Treminio – Bioethicist/Consultant, P&P Consulting
• Sheldon Staples – Director of Student Activities and Community Service, Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School
• Jamie Temple – Senior Director, Results Management Office Executive, VMware
• Andrew Ten Eyck – Graduate Research Assistant, Georgia Tech-Emory
• Isaac Toney-Schmitt – Associate Pastor for Faith Formation, Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church
• Danielle Zimmerman – VP of Business Development, Pathbuilders

Leadership Perimeter members represent the cities of Brookhaven, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs. Visit online for more information about Leadership Perimeter and the Class of 2024.