Shahina Butler: Mrs. Shahina Sameja Butler ’02 graduated from Oglethorpe University with a Bachelor’s in Psychology. She took a year off to travel and then went on to pursue a Master of Arts degree in Psychology with a Clinical Specialty from Roosevelt University in Chicago. She currently works in the Development Department as the Gift Processing/Stewardship/Database Manager, processing major gifts, working alongside corporations for matching gift donations, maintains the database and handles stewardship duties. On her off time she works part-time as a psychometrist where she utilizes her Psychology degree’s and conducts clinical interviews as well as performs psychological assessments for children and adults. She is also is an advisor for the Oglethorpe Young Democrats. She began working at Oglethorpe in August 2007 and is happy to be back at her alma mater.

John Carr: John Carr, Director of Development, joined the staff of Oglethorpe in August.  A 1983 graduate of the University of the South (Tenn.), John also holds a Master’s degree in History from Duke University.  John taught at North Carolina State University for four years, then became Director of Development for Carolina Day School in Asheville, NC. He also served as Assistant Head for Advancement for All Saints’ Episcopal School in Fort Worth, Texas; Vice President of the John B. Cummings Co., Inc., a fund raising consultant firm in Dallas; Assistant Head for Advancement at Hutchison School in Memphis;  and Director of Development for Savannah Country Day School in Savannah.  John has been an active member of Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE, where he and Vice President of Development and Alumni  Relations  Peter Rooney first met) serving on several committee and CASE Iii.  A passionate sports fan, John umpired Little League baseball for 17 seasons. John and his wife, Kelly, are relocating from Savannah and will live in Sandy Springs.  They have one son, Robert, who is a 2008 graduate of Rhodes College.

Lesley Cole: Lesley Cole joined OU in September 2008 as Director of the Annual Fund. Prior to joining the University, she served as Director of Development at Lakeview Academy (Gainesville, GA) for nearly seven years, overseeing the Annual Fund, various capital campaigns, planned gifts, alumni activities, and parent and student fundraising. During her first four years at Lakeview, income from annual giving doubled and participation from key constituencies increased dramatically. Ms. Cole is a professional member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and serves as co-chair for the Independent Schools Track of the 2009 District III annual conference. Prior to her career in institutional advancement, Ms. Cole worked as an independent consultant and held a number of domestic and international assignments as a marketing representative and project manager for an Atlanta-based, global financial service provider. Ms. Cole received her bachelors degree in 1984 from Auburn University and currently serves on the Lanierland Auburn Club board. She is an elder in the Presbyterian church and a member of First Presbyterian Church (Gainesville). She and her husband live in Maysville with their two children.

Jimmy Ebersole: Jimmy Ebersole, director of the special events office, came to Oglethorpe from the University of Florida, where he was responsible for all presidential and Board of Trustee events. He oversees conference and event rentals as well as campus events. Ebersole returned to Atlanta, where he formerly worked for the Georgia Institute of Technology as assistant director of alumni events. Ebersole has an MDiv from Emory University; a BS in Advertising from University of Florida and a BS in Telecommunications Management from the University of Florida.

Barbara Henry: Barbara Bessmer Henry is the Director of Alumni Relations. Prior to joining the Alumni Office in 2003, she worked in the Office of Admission at Oglethorpe for 15 years. All those years in Admissions have served her well as the many students she recruited are now alumni! She has primary responsibility for all alumni events, the Alumni Board and works closely with the Development, Annual Giving, Public Relations and Career Services Offices in providing services and opportunities for alumni and students. Barb has a BBA in Economics and enjoyed a career in the insurance and mutual fund industry prior to coming back to work at Oglethorpe. Barb is married to her college sweetheart Don Henry ’83 and they have 3 children, Meredith (19), Austin (17) and Mitchell (15). Her family loves to travel and spend time at Lake Oconee.

Elizabeth Katz: Elizabeth Katz, alumni relations manager, joined the staff of Oglethorpe University in August 2007. Her past experience includes working as communications specialist in the PR department at Savannah State University, working as events manager for an advertising agency and working in hotel sales and catering. She graduated from Georgia College & State University with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication. In her “spare” time, Katz volunteers for Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Habitat For Humanity.

George Kopec: George Kopec is the Director of Development Services at Oglethorpe University. George has been with the university since 2003. He has previously worked in the development offices of Point Park College and Georgia State University. He received his bachelor’s degree in English writing from the University of Pittsburgh. George is currently serving as President of the Georgia Chapter of the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement.

Peter Rooney: Peter Rooney has been Vice president for Development and Alumni Relations at Oglethorpe University since 2004.  Prior to joining Oglethorpe, Peter served as director of development at his independent school alma mater, the Westminster Schools, during his 15 year tenure.  A 1984 graduate of Rhodes College, Peter served in a variety of positions from director of planned giving to director of development at his collegiate alma mater from 1984-88 working closely with alumni across the country.  Civic involvement includes work with the 2004 Athens Olympics, Salt Lake Winter Games, and Centennial Games in Atlanta.  Peter is a graduate of Leadership Georgia.  He has served on the board of Camp Glisson, Trinity Community Ministries, and is active with Good Samaritan Health Center and the Ron Clark Academy.  He serves on the boards of directors of the Buckhead Business Association and is President, CASE III and is President-Elect, the Buckhead Coalition, and the operating board of The Commerce Club.  He is a member of Northside United Methodist Church.  Peter was born and reared in Marietta, Georgia.  He lives in Buckhead with his wife, Elizabeth, and their two children.

Susan Soper: Susan Soper has a long history with Oglethorpe but is the newest member of the Dr. Schall's Cabinet. A graduate of The Westminster Schools in Atlanta, St. Mary's in Raleigh and Oglethorpe (Class of 1969), Susan was a trustee for nine years before resigning from the board in the summer of '09 to become the school's Executive Director of Marketing & Communications. The marketing department oversees content on the web site, advertising and public relations and all external and internal publications. Susan was previously a long-time features editor and writing coach at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Executive Editor of Atlanta INtown. She also worked at Newsday, the Long Island paper, where she was part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team on The Heroin Trail. Susan is the founder and author of ObitKit. She and her husband, Bo Holland, live in Buckhead.

Renee Vary: Renee Vary joined Oglethorpe’s Marketing and Communications office in November 2009 and manages Media Relations and New Media efforts. Originally from upstate New York, Renee graduated from Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY, where she majored in Political Science and minored in Economics and German. Renee worked in Washington DC for 5 years with the Department of Justice (Antitrust Division) and at the Council on Foundations, an international membership association of philanthropic foundations. Renee relocated to Atlanta in 1999 and became the Director of Communications at the Southeastern Council of Foundations, where she managed internal and external communications for the regional foundation membership. Most recently, Renee was Director of Constituent Communications at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, working as a communications strategist and project manager. Renee has volunteered with Big BrothersBig Sisters since 2006 and enjoys playing volleyball, reading and travelling. Two of her favorite destinations are Italy and Ireland.

Julie Vaughan: Julie Vaughan ’09 returned to Oglethorpe in the fall 2009 to join the Marketing and Communications department as Web Host/Graphic Designer and resident photographer. Julie graduated magna cum laude, with an individually planned major in Advertising and Design, and a focus in Fine Arts. While at Oglethorpe, Julie played on the women’s soccer team and joined the Chi Omega Fraternity, in which she served as Treasurer and President. Julie also enrolled in additional classes at SCAD Atlanta, and studied graphic design for advertising at Franklin College in Switzerland. A native of Tampa, FL, Julie is an artist at heart and enjoys photography, printmaking, and her handsome cat Gaius.