Raised by her maternal grandparents, Dr. Bambie Hayes-Brown is a native of rural, Cordele, Georgia and holds a Bachelor’s in Business Management, an MBA, a Doctor of Theology, a PhD in Biblical Studies, a Certificate in Nonprofit Management, and is pursuing a second Bachelor's Degree is Organizational Leadership. She is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Georgia Advancing Communities Together, Inc., a statewide membership organization of housing and community development agencies. Formally homeless and a former public housing resident, Dr. Bambie advocates through the lens of her and other's lived-experiences of housing insecurity. She has 27 years’ experience in rural and urban housing, community and economic development and secured a rural Empowerment Zone designation resulting in a $20 million investment in Southwest Georgia.

Dr. Bambie is a registered lobbyist, Real Estate Broker, Certified Economic Development Finance Professional & co-chairs the HouseATL Policy Committee. Also, Dr. Bambie serves on the Board of Directors of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, Community Opportunity Alliance (formally the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations), Up for Growth Action, HouseATL, NAACP DeKalb County Branch, Alliance 85 and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. She serves on numerous advisory committees including the Enterprise Community Partners Southeast Advisory Committee, Housing Justice League, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, and Fifth Third Bank, and Cadence Bank. Dr. Bambie is a highly sought-after speaker who has testified before the United States Congress, the Biden-Harris Administration, the Federal Reserve Bank, and the Georgia General Assembly on lived-experience homelessness and affordable housing. Married to Shearon Brown, Dr. Bambie is an ordained minister and they are the proud parents five children and four grandchildren. She enjoys splitting her time between Atlanta and Fitzgerald.

Armand Turner is from Gary, IN. After graduating from Indiana University in 2014, Armand spent the next two years working at several Parks & Recreation Departments across the states, including Denver, CO and the surrounding cities of Dallas, TX. In 2016 Armand took on the role of Recreation and Intramural Sports Coordinator at the Historically Black College of Albany State University, in Albany, GA. After 3 tremendous years working for the University, he settled in Savannah, GA in 2019 and began working with Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal GA for their REACH Grant. Armand serves as the Deputy Director and oversees the Physical Activity strategy for the REACH Grant. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree in business administration at Savannah State University and is expected to graduate in December 2024.

Armand is an alum of Leadership Savannah and Leadership Southeast Georgia. In 2020, Armand also completed Smart Growth America’s Walking College and went on to mentor the 2021 class as well. Armand is a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. and serves as Board President for Friends of Tide To Town.

“Everyone deserves access to a healthier life and we will only achieve that through collaboration and an understanding of the current barriers, along with why those barriers exist in the first place”

Mary is a dynamic community architect on a mission to uplift the often-overlooked voices in her community. A staunch advocate of the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) model, she drives meaningful change by engaging individuals, cultivating leadership, and building vital connections. Her work ignites a ripple effect of empowerment and resilience, transforming communities from the ground up.

As a Co-Founder of Ubuntu Community Catalyst, Inc., Mary provides a powerful platform for residents to take charge and address critical community issues head-on. Her leadership is not just making a difference—it’s fostering a culture of proactive, resident-led transformation that’s setting a new standard for community development.

A proud Fordham University graduate, Mary, and her daughter live in the City of South Fulton, where her passion, perseverance, and innovative spirit continue to fuel her dedication to creating lasting positive change.