Volunteer Aging Council Bios

Adelle Mickelson

Adelle is a Manager, Global Accounts, for HelmsBriscoe, the worldwide leader in hotel sourcing (finding the right venue and hotel rooms) for groups, associations, corporations, or personal.  Adelle is a seasoned negotiator and project manager with many years of procurement, customer service and event planning experience.  Prior to joining HelmsBriscoe, she honed her management skills at The Coca-Cola Company (ten years) and developed keen international management, planning and negotiation skills in the position of Director, Metals Division at Trinity Industries in the Czech Republic.

Adelle and her husband, Roger, have lived in Ball Ground for eight years. Prior to that, they spent six wonderful years in Europe (three in England and three in the Czech Republic). Adelle is a member of the Ball Ground Business Association, Ball Ground Lions Club, Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, Pickens County Chamber of Commerce, and the Cherokee County Volunteer Aging Council. Also, three children and six grandchildren brighten their lives but all live too far away in Chicago, St. Louis and San Diego.

Nathan Brandon

Nathan Brandon is the current Director of Cherokee County Senior Services. He is active in Cherokee County since 1982, not only through his ministry, but he was the past President of the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce. He was the Dean of Students at Reinhardt College for ten years and for seven years following that he was the Administrator of Cameron Hall Assisted Living. He currently resides in Cherokee County with his wife Judy.

Dottie Denham

Dottie has over 14 years experience in the Health Insurance industry representing over 20 major insurance companies.  She is currently a Licensed Benefits Consultant with Aetna Medicare.  Providing outstanding customer service to her clients is her number one priority, making sure they thoroughly understand all of their options.

Prior to becoming a licensed insurance agent, Dottie spent 25+ years as Corporate Trainer, Seminar Leader, Operations Manager, and Director of Customer Service with various leading US Corporations including Continental Airlines.  Her desire has always been to help others through education and training. This focus to help others is what led her to volunteer with the Cherokee County Volunteer Aging Council, assisting seniors to meet their needs that are not currently covered or completely supported by programs already in place.

Dottie currently lives in Woodstock and, in her spare time you can find her on the dance floor or at home with her family, quietly working away on her quilting.

Doris Jones

After a long, distinguished 39 year career in the Long Term Health Care field, serving as a nurse, administrator, regional director and Executive Director, Ms. Jones retired from the health care field and embarked on a new career of public service. As mayor of the City of Waleska, she has been instrumental in bringing this quaint town into the forefront of Cherokee County with its close affiliation with Reinhardt University.

Her extensive background in the health care field serves her well as a Board Member of the Volunteer Aging Council, as her unique perspective of the elder issues brings a lifetime of experience helping our County's seniors. Ms. Jones lives in Waleska and is active in many civic and religious organizations.

Mary Mendez

As a licensed practical nurse now retired from active hospital nursing, Mary was aware of the special health challenges that seniors developed as the aging process progressed.  Being a Nikken Independent Wellness Consultant for the past ten years has allowed her to utilize her medical background and bring exciting, innovative products to the public interested in wellness.

Community involvement has been an important part of Mary's life.  She is actively involved in the Bradshaw Farms Women's Club, the Woodstock Community Business Association and the St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church.  In 2007, she joined the Volunteer Aging Council (VAC) and went on to serve as a Board Member and Gala Chairman in 2010.  Fund raising to support the Cherokee County Senior Centers has been a passion for her, as many worthwhile projects are funded through the direct participation of the VAC.

Mary and her husband, Mark, have resided in Woodstock since 2001 and have two adult children, whom they are proud of having both pursued college degrees here in Georgia.

Patricia Bowen

Patricia Bowen’s professional experience includes over 35 years in sales, marketing, international business development, training and executive coaching with such companies as IBM, AT&T, Microsoft, KPMG and Ernst & Young. She has a Masters Degree in Psychology and is a certified executive coach. She is an active member of the Association for Psychological Type, the International Coach Federation and Women in Technology and sits on several non-profit boards that advocate for seniors, women and the mentally disabled.

Pat and her husband live in Hickory Flat, Georgia. She is the mother of four grown sons and has five rapidly growing grandchildren.

Melissa Conti

Melissa is Vice President and owner of Innovative Fitness; a company leading the fitness industry by providing thousands of clients throughout the United States and abroad with the most comprehensive framework to plan and launch a new fitness center or enhance an existing one.  This includes fitness centers for senior adult communities, assisted living facilities, universities, multi-family housing, corporations, fitness clubs, middle and high schools, municipalities, franchise sports performance facilities, and many others.  “Innovative Fitness is committed to producing great work and serving not only our clients, but our community by influencing our environment in a positive manner through our actions, words, and deeds.”

Over the past 12 years Melissa’s commitment to influence her community in a positive manner and her deep love for seniors has led to frequent visits to the local assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and shut-ins for fellowship and the sharing of communion.  She has coordinated monthly senior luncheons and the much sought after St. Michael the Archangel Christmas Senior Luncheon for 11 years with over 225 participants from local assisted living homes and Cherokee County seniors.   Melissa also coordinates transportation for seniors in need of rides to doctor’s appointments and to church services.

With a continued commitment to serving seniors in the local area, Melissa joined the Volunteer Aging Council in 2006 and was elected to the position of treasurer in March of 2007.  She continues to join her efforts with those of the VAC in order to support the growing needs of senior services in Cherokee County.  

Melissa lives in Woodstock with her husband of 22 years, Chris, and their two youngest daughters.  Melissa and Chris’ oldest daughter is married and expecting her first child this year; which is also the Conti’s first grandchild.

Betty Rice

Retiring after a long career at the Hemophilia Foundation of Georgia in 2000, Betty began to embark on a second career helping seniors in a multitude of ways. She is currently a member of the Triad/Salt organization in Cherokee County that develops safety programs for seniors, a board member of the Senior Olympics Committee and is the present director of the popular William G. Long Senior Center in Woodstock. Betty also became active in the Volunteer Aging Council (VAC) as primary liaison with the Woodstock Senior Center and is instrumental with Community Relations, serving as one of the VAC board members. Her annual involvement with the GALA continues to make the VAC's biggest fund raiser each year a great success.

Earl Darby

A native of Cherokee County, Earl Darby has been in the funeral industry since 1972, when he began working for Huey Funeral Home while in high school.  His job in high school led him to pursue a career in funeral assistance and he graduated from Gupton Jones College of Mortuary Science.

 
Earl feels strongly that being successful in the funeral industry means providing quality service with the utmost integrity.  To that end, Earl has been a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer since 1980.  In 1993 Earl was elected Coroner of Cherokee County and is still serving in that position. He is also serving his second term on the Georgia Coroners Training Council, which oversees training for coroners and deputy coroners in Georgia.

His peers recognize Earl’s contributions to the industry.  He is active in the Georgia Coroners Association where he has served as President, Chairman of the legislative committee, and participated on the emergency response committee. He is currently serving as District One Director for the association.

 
Earl feels it is important to be active in the community.  He has proudly served as President of the Canton Jaycees and on the Board of Directors of the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce. He is a founding member--and the only founder still active--of the Cherokee County Volunteer Aging Council and also a founding member of the SALT (senior and law enforcement together) Triad.

Earl is currently Chaplain for the Canton Masonic Lodge #77 and a member of the Cherokee Shrine Club and Yarraab Shrine Temple.  Earl resides in Holly Springs with his wife, Olene.

Diana Threewitt

Diana retired from the City of Canton in 2010 after serving as City Clerk for 21 years.  She presently serves as Secretary for Volunteer Aging Council.  Born and raised in Cherokee County, she is married to Don Threewitt. They have three children and seven grandchildren.  Their oldest grandson is serving in the Air Force and is stationed in Japan.  She is an active member of the Antioch Christian Church.

Her goal in working with the Volunteer Aging Council is to make a difference in her community serving the senior citizens of Cherokee County.