24 maconmagazine.com | April/May 2024
Faces
LEFT In January, Mercer University President
Bill Underwood, Ocmulgee National Park
and Preserve Initiative Director of Advocacy
Tracie Revis, Macon-Bibb Mayor Lester
Miller, and Macon-Bibb Industrial Authority
board president Robby Fountain were
honored among Georgia Trend's 2024 Most
Influential and Notable Georgians.
BELOW CENTER Central Georgia Technical
College adjunct instructor Rena Canady-
Laster, Ms. Georgia World 70s, was awarded
the "World Mentorship Award" during the
2024 Ms. Senior World pageant held in
November 2023 in Biloxi, Mississippi.
BELOW LEFT Tonya and Dustin Allen opened
Macon's Board & Brush DIY studio and
workshop last fall.
BELOW Educators, parents, children, and
the community gathered for "Overcoming
Reading Challenges: Stories of Success"
hosted by Roberts Academy at Mercer
University on January 23. Former Super Bowl
champion and literacy advocate Malcolm
Mitchell provided the keynote address. Photo
by Leah Yetter. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT Dr.
Thomas R. Koballa Jr., Dean of Mercer's Tift
College of Education; Roberts Academy's
founding donors, Hal and Marjorie Roberts;
founding head of school, Joy Wood; Malcolm
Mitchell; and the University's Executive Vice
President Dr. Penny Elkins. Opening this
August, Roberts Academy is Georgia's only
transitional school outside of Metro Atlanta
for children with dyslexia.
