Ford Williams

Executive Associate Athletic Director / Executive Director of The Georgia Bulldog Club

Ford Williams currently serves as the Executive Associate Athletic Director / Executive Director of The Georgia Bulldog Club. He joined The Georgia Bulldog Club staff in August 2017 as the Associate Athletic Director for Major Gifts after most recently serving as the Assistant Director of Major Gifts within Clemson University’s athletic development arm, IPTAY. Williams is involved in all facets of The Georgia Bulldog Club operations and has direct oversight of the major gifts team and its efforts to increase philanthropic support for capital projects through the Magill Society.

Williams joined the IPTAY staff at Clemson in June of 2012 as Assistant Director of Major Gifts. He served on a team that took IPTAY fundraising to record levels in both the annual fund and major gifts in four consecutive years. From 2012 to 2017, IPTAY Major Gifts increased giving from $6.5 million to over $20 million. Additionally, Williams led the implementation of strategies for the transition of the premium seating program from Clemson Athletics to IPTAY, congruent with a $25 Million football stadium renovation and $65 Million basketball coliseum re-build. The process included marketing and pricing strategies, revenue forecasts, premium services upgrades, architectural planning and project budgeting. IPTAY Premium Seats generated over $10 Million in total revenue in fiscal year 2015, its first year of existence. In 2017, he also supervised and managed a comprehensive premium seat overhaul of the West End Zone Club in Memorial Stadium. The program generated over $5 Million for IPTAY Capital Projects in FY17 by creating a premium equity seating program. Williams also had oversight of the Soccer Operations Facility Campaign and the Golf Paws Program all while managing their respective boards and volunteers.

Prior to Clemson, Williams spent six years (2006-2012) at Georgia State University with the Panther Athletic Club which included roles serving as an Intern, Graduate Assistant, Development Coordinator, and Associate Director of Development. During his six years, he served in various roles; jumpstarting the fundraising efforts for the first ever Football Program at Georgia State, which played its first season in 2010. He was an integral part of the annual fund team who saw its unrestricted annual dollars increase by more than 1,500% and its donor base by 450% in his last two fiscal years as Associate Director.

Williams received his bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science in 2006 from The University of North Carolina where he was a soccer student-athlete, serving as a four-year starter for the men’s soccer team. He earned his master’s degree in sport management in 2009 from Georgia State University. He is married to the former Mikel Hester who was a gymnast competing All-Around at The University of North Carolina. They have two children, a daughter, Rawlins (5), and a son, Riggs (2).

Kevin Miller

Senior Associate Athletic Director / Deputy Executive Director of The Georgia Bulldog Club

Kevin Miller serves as the Senior Associate Athletic Director / Deputy Executive Director of The Georgia Bulldog Club. He joined The Georgia Bulldog Club staff in August 2017 as the Associate Athletic Director / Deputy Executive Director of TGBC after serving as the Associate Athletic Director for Major Gifts & Capital Campaigns within West Virginia University’s Mountaineer Athletic Club (MAC). At TGBC, Miller is involved in all facets of TGBC operations including major gifts, annual giving, stewardship, donor relations, events, premium seating and the G-Club. Miller has direct oversight of the annual giving, stewardship and events, and the G-Club areas within the TGBC.

Miller joined the MAC staff in April 2012 as a Major Gifts Officer. In 2013, he was promoted to Assistant Athletic Director for Annual Giving and then promoted to Associate Athletic Director for Annual Giving in 2016, where he was responsible for managing and overseeing the annual giving and priority seating and parking programs for WVU.

He led the annual fundraising efforts during a record fiscal year in 2016, which totaled more than $15.6 million, while creating and implementing fundraising plans that resulted in a 15.6 % increase from 2014 to 2016. Since 2013, Miller secured more than $3.3 million in major gift commitments for WVU Athletics. In 2017, Miller was promoted to Associate Athletic Director for Major Gifts & Capital Campaigns. In 2017, Miller led a team of major gift fundraisers that closed a MAC record of 53 major gifts commitments while closing an individual MAC record of 21 major gift commitments during the fiscal year.

Prior to WVU, Miller spent three years as the Assistant Athletic Director for Development at Georgia State University and oversaw the annual giving program. Under Miller’s leadership, the program grew its unrestricted annual dollars by more than 1,500% and its donor base by 450% in his last two fiscal years on the job.

Prior to his time at Georgia State, Miller served as the Assistant Director of Development for the University of Central Florida’s Golden Knights Club (GKC) from March 2007 – December 2008. At UCF, he coordinated the GKC’s annual giving efforts and ticket priority initiatives. He also worked for the UCF Foundation from August 2006 – March 2007 and served as the founding director of the UCF Student Call Center.

Miller previously served as an intern on the Mountaineer Athletic Club staff from 2005-06 after beginning his career in development as a student caller, supervisor and incentives manager at the WVU Foundation where he worked during his undergrad and graduate school years from 2002-2006. He still holds the record as the Foundation’s all-time leading phone-a-thon fundraiser after personally raising more than $320,000 for academic support.

Miller received his bachelor’s degree in business administration-finance in 2005 and his master’s degree in sport management in 2006; both degrees are from WVU. The Wheeling, WV native is married to the former Elizabeth Messer, who is a native of Bowdon, GA and worked at UGA as an athletic promotions intern from 2008-2009. They have a 17 month old daughter named Emily

Brad Bell

Associate Athletic Director for Major Gifts

Brad Bell was hired as a Major Gifts Officer with The Georgia Bulldog Club in May of 2014. In this role Brad worked to build relationships with individuals and corporations interested in partnering with the UGA Athletic Association through financial support. Brad currently serves as Associate Athletic Director for Major Gifts.

Prior to joining The Georgia Bulldog Club team, Brad served as the Director of Private Gifts for UGA Student Affairs from 2012-2014. In this role he led the effort to raise private support to enhance the student experience outside of the classroom. Prior to that, he spent five years in the financial services industry with Synovus Bank in the Athens area.

Brad is a 2007 graduate of Furman University where he majored in Business Administration and was a member of the football team. He is also a proud Bulldog, having graduated with his MBA from UGA's Terry College of Business in 2011.

Travis Epling

Senior Director for Major Gifts

Travis Epling joined The Georgia Bulldog Club in June of 2014, and currently serves as Senior Director for Major Gifts. Travis’ responsibilities include identification, cultivation, and solicitation of private and corporate financial support for the Athletic Association

Before joining the UGA Athletic Association, Travis worked for The Big Green Scholarship Foundation at Marshall University from 2010-2014. His responsibilities included soliciting gifts towards a $30 million Capital Campaign and serving as the director of the M Club. He also had an instrumental part in implementing a reseating and reparking plan for both football and basketball. Travis oversaw four regional chapters with the Big Green, as well.

The native of Point Pleasant, West Virginia earned a B.B.A in Marketing from Marshall University in 2008, as well as a Master's Degree in Human Resource Management from Marshall University in 2010. Travis attended MU as a student athlete running cross country from 04 to 08 where he was named to the All C-USA team in 2008. From 2008-2010, he worked as a Graduate Assistant for the Track & Field/Cross Country teams. Travis married his high school sweetheart Whitney Scarberry of Point Pleasant, WV in June 2012, and the couple lives in Athens with their dogs Tucker and Nelly.

Jon Burkett

Senior Director for Major Gifts

Jon Burkett joined the Bulldog Club in January of 2016, and currently serves as Senior Director for Major Gifts.

Before joining the UGA Athletic Association, Jon worked at the University of New Mexico as the Assistant AD for Development. While at the Lobo Club, Jon and his team reached record levels in total dollars raised along with record membership.

Prior to his time at New Mexico, Jon served at the University of Missouri and the University of North Texas. At Mizzou he helped the Tiger Scholarship Fund reach the $10 million mark for the first time in history. At the University of North Texas, he helped in all aspects of fundraising highlighted by the construction of Apogee Stadium in 2010.

Jon is a native of Bloomfield, IN and holds a BA in Kinesiology from Indiana University as well as an MBA and MSA from Ohio University. He and his wife Christine live in Athens with their dog Chip.

Shaun Chapas

Senior Director for Major Gifts

Shaun re-joined The Georgia Bulldog Club in August of 2019 to serve as a Senior Director for Major Gifts.

Before returning to The Georgia Bulldog Club, Shaun worked within UGA’s Athletic Association as an Associate Director of Facility Operations. In this role, Shaun managed all football facilities and was directly responsible for the daily coordination and preservation of Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall, William Porter Payne and Porter Otis Payne Indoor Athletic Facility, and Sanford Stadium’s West End Zone. Shaun played a large role managing communication throughout the planning and construction phases of the $63 million West End Zone project.

Prior to his time in Facility Operations, Shaun worked as a Football Operations Assistant in Coach Smart’s inaugural season at UGA. Throughout this time, he helped with the daily programming and coordination of the football team.

In November of 2015, Shaun started his professional career at UGA working as a Development Assistant with The Georgia Bulldog Club. In this role, he served on the front line for all Bulldog Club communications and assisted with various aspects of departmental fundraising.

Shaun was a four-year football letterman and overall team captain for the Georgia Bulldogs. After graduating from Terry College of Business and completing his senior season, Shaun was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2011 NFL Draft. After playing 4 years in the NFL, Shaun returned to UGA and earned his Master’s degree in Sport Management and Policy. Shaun’s wife Ali also graduated from UGA and is a former letterman for the Lady Bulldogs. They currently reside in Athens, GA with their dog, Boss.

Michelle Jones

Senior Director of Stewardship and Special Events

Michelle Jones joined The Georgia Bulldog Club in December of 2015 and currently serves as the Senior Director of Stewardship and Special Events.

Prior to joining the Georgia Bulldog Club, Michelle managed athletic premium seating for 7 years through an outsourced company, Colonnade Group. Michelle began her premium seating career at UGA as an intern in April 2009. Michelle then moved on to serve as the Gamecock Suites Director at Jacksonville State University for four years prior to finding herself back between the hedges in January 2014 as Director of Georgia Athletic Hospitality.

Michelle is a proud graduate of the University of Georgia. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture in May 2009. While in school, she was a member and captain of the UGA Equestrian team and helped win two National Championships.

Michelle is married to Anthony Jones. They have two children, a daughter, Adelyn Rose, and a son, Jack, as well as several four legged family members.

Alan Daniel

Associate Director of Development/Internal Operations

Alan Daniel joined The Georgia Bulldog Club staff in March 2018 as the Associate Director of Development & Internal Operations. In his role, Daniel provides oversight of the Basketball Enhancement Fund, manages TGBC internal operations and gift processing, and solicits financial support for the UGA Athletic Association.

Prior to arriving in Athens, Daniel served as Director of Annual Giving for Athletics at Appalachian State University. While at App State, his responsibilities included oversight of all aspects of the Yosef Club’s annual fund which lead to a record $3.41 million raised in fiscal year 2017. He also oversaw the week-long “Go Fight Win” campaign that produced over $170,000 from over 300 donors, supervised benefit fulfillment, managed the Yosef Club’s marketing strategy, and designed creative collateral including email graphics, social media content, and the Yosef Club’s annual membership and football season ticket renewal package.

Prior to his time at App State, Daniel served as Assistant Director of Athletic Development at Old Dominion University. While at ODU, his responsibilities included securing unrestricted support for the Old Dominion Athletic Foundation (ODAF) and managing ODU’s year-end “Power of the Pride” campaign that generated over $81,000. He also oversaw the athletic department’s annual staff giving initiatives that achieved 100% participation in 2014 and 2015, and designed social media and email graphics in support of the ODAF’s digital communication strategy.

Before his time at ODU, Alan served as Development Assistant at Army West Point where he assisted with annual fund solicitation efforts, helped run hockey and basketball game day hospitality areas, and oversaw regular season and Army-Navy donor football parking allocations.

Daniel earned his undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech in 2010 and received his Masters of Science in Sport and Recreation Leadership from James Madison University in 2013.

A native of Richmond, VA, Daniel currently resides in Athens.

Sean Chatham

Assistant Director of Development and Internal Operations

Sean Chatham joined The Bulldog Club in October 2019, and serves as the Assistant Director of Development and Internal Operations.  In this role, he is responsible for processing all priority seating fund donations, SkySuite gifts, and amenities payments.  In addition, he works to assist in developing, producing and delivering data reports from the Athletic Association and the UGA Foundation for donor services and stewardship needs.  Sean also assists in the marketing and communication of the William C. Hartman Fund, Magill Society, Basketball Enhancement Fund, Gymnastics Endowment Fund and Georgia Baseball Fund annual drives while cultivating, soliciting and stewarding annual fund donors.

Prior to joining The Bulldog Club, Sean worked with the University of Georgia Business Services office and the University System of Georgia Board of Regents.

Before returning to Athens in 2014, Sean worked with NASCAR and with Hendrick Motorsports in Charlotte NC.  During his time with Hendrick Motorsports, he worked in Quality Control supporting four in-house teams as well as multiple associated teams.  In this role, he was part of Jimmie Johnson’s first three national Cup championships.

Sean is a native Georgian and a proud graduate of the University of Georgia where he earned a BA degree in Economics.  He resides in Athens with his wife, Lindsey, and their three children, Bailey, Bradley and Ben.

Lindsay Nation

Assistant Director of Donor Relations and Special Events

Lindsay Nation joined The Georgia Bulldog Club in August of 2019 as an Assistant Director of Donor Relations and Special Events. In this role, Lindsay coordinates events and stewardship activities, and assists with scholarship endowment responsibilities.

Prior to joining The Georgia Bulldog Club staff, Lindsay worked as a Development Assistant with the Deacon Club at Wake Forest University. While at Wake Forest, she helped manage the Deacon Club’s Volunteer Army, including the Deacon Club Board of Directors and 7 other Councils with over 200 members. Additionally, Lindsay assisted with the planning and execution of over 100 athletic events, providing a high level of engagement for Deacon Club donors and Wake Forest fans.

Lindsay graduated from UGA in 2017 with her Bachelor’s Degree in Health Promotion. She is a native of Chattanooga, TN and currently resides in Athens.

Loran Smith

Major Gifts Officer

There may be no more versatile staff member at the University of Georgia Athletic Association than Loran Smith.

The former long time executive secretary of the Georgia Bulldog Club and 1959 Bulldog track MVP and 1960 captain has been an important building block of what has become one of the nation's top athletic programs.

Smith has spent most of his professional life at UGA after graduation and during that time has held positions as Assistant Sports Information Director, Business Manager, and Executive Director of the Georgia Bulldog Club, and member of the Athletic Association Development Office.

He's also served as executive producer of the football coach's television show, packager of the game radio broadcasts, host of the Mark Richt post-game locker room show, and sideline reporter during the games. He still serves as co-host of the pre-game Tailgate Show,

Throughout his career he has served as editor of the printed game day program and has been a prolific author penning a regular column that still appears in the Athens Banner Herald as well as several newspapers around the state. He has written a number of books including: "Glory, Glory" (with Lewis Grizzard), "Fifty Years on the Fifty" (the Orange Bowl story); "Dooley's Dawgs" (with Vince Dooley); "Between the Hedges" (story of Georgia's first 100 years of football); "Let a Dead Horse Rest;" "Let the Big Dog Eat" (with his wife, Myrna, a collection of tailgate recipes); "Finish the Drill" (the inside story of Georgia's 2002 championship season); "Beloved Dawgs" (four years of David Pollack and David Greene); "Wally's Boys" (story of Wally Butts' years as head football coach); The Athens Sketchbook" (history of Athens and UGA); and his most recent book--"The Football Vault" (the story of Georgia football from 1892-2007). He has also written five books on The Masters published by the Augusta National Golf Club.

A native of Wrightsville, Ga., Smith is a past chairman of the State of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1997. Smith is a former publicity director of the Coaches All-America game and former Secretary of the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association and Executive Director of the Georgia High School All-Star games. He is married to the former Myrna Warren of Covington, Ga., and they have two children, Camille and Kent, both graduates of the University of Georgia. They have four grandchildren.

Barbara Hartman

Development Specialist

Barbara Hartman joined the Georgia Student Educational Fund staff in 1986 and became an employee of the Athletic Association in July 2000 when the fundraising arm of athletics was taken under the umbrella of UGAAA. Barbara promotes and develops relationships with donors as well as campus and community groups. She is also involved with major gifts as well as annual gift cultivation, solicitation and stewardship process.

Barbara began her career as an assistant to Leonard Postero and the Leonard’s Losers Radio Show. She was an office assistant for the Georgia Student Educational Fund and became Assistant Director. Barbara worked closely with area Georgia Bulldog Clubs and coordinated the Bulldog Road Tour as well as directed solicitations for the Georgia Educational Enhancement Fund (now the William C. Hartman, Jr. Fund named for her father), the Georgia Basketball Enhancement Fund, and the Gymnastics Endowment Fund.

A native Athenian, Barbara earned an ABJ from the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism, University of Georgia, in 1973. Barbara has a son, Stuart, who graduated from The Terry College of Business in the spring of 2013. Her late daughter, Amanda, was a 2003 graduate of UGA with a degree in Spanish.

Lisa Mathis

Executive Development Assistant

Lisa Mathis joined The Georgia Bulldog Club in January of 2020 and serves as the Executive Development Assistant. Her primary responsibilities include administrative support to the Deputy Athletic Director and Executive Director of the Georgia Bulldog Club, supporting the Major Gifts Team with the identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of annual fund and major gifts donors, Bulldog Club inquires, as well as managing the office.

Prior to joining The Georgia Bulldog Club team, Lisa served as the primary administrative support to the two Associate Vice Presidents in the Office of the Vice President of Public Service and Outreach. In this role, she supported programs and initiatives that facilitate the University's public service mission as a land-grant and sea-grant institution.

Lisa earned her undergraduate degree in 2004 and received her Masters of Science in Organizational Leadership from Armstrong Atlantic State University in 2012.

She is a Georgia native with deep family roots in Monroe, Georgia where she currently resides with Charles and their daughter, Catherine Eleanor.

Andrew Sadler

Development Graduate Assistant

Andrew Sadler joined The Georgia Bulldog Club in September of 2019 and currently serves as the Development Graduate Assistant. He helps in various departmental fundraising operations. His primary responsibilities include serving as the front line for all Bulldog Club inquires and assisting in the fundraising efforts of annual giving and priority seating for football, men's and women's basketball, gymnastics, and baseball. He supports the development team with the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of annual fund and major gifts donors.

Andrew joined the UGA Athletic Association in August of 2018 and worked as a Marketing and Sales Intern. He administered the student internship program, which included supervising, scheduling, and training a team of 22 undergraduate students that generated over $21,000 in ticket revenue through calls and emails - while working alongside IMG Learfield Ticket Solutions. Andrew oversaw the execution, marketing, and evaluation of "Experiences" on football gamedays to create memorable experiences for donors and fans, generating over $30,000 in revenue. He assisted with email marketing efforts for the department as well.

Before joining the UGA Athletic Association, Andrew served as a Lead Marketing Intern for Xavier University’s Athletic Department. He assisted with game day event management and operations, sponsorship fulfillment, giveaway distribution and executing in-game promotions.

Andrew earned a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management from Xavier University in 2018. He is pursuing a Master of Science in Sport Management and Policy, as well as a certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the University of Georgia.

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, he currently resides in Athens.

Jessica Pope

Director, Georgia Athletic Hospitality

Jessica joined The Colonnade Group and Georgia Athletic Hospitality as Director in August 2017. Her duties with GAH include premium seating management for football, basketball, gymnastics, and baseball and the management of venue rentals for the UGA Athletic Association.

Jessica grew up in the town of Cumming, GA prior to attending the University of Georgia in 2006 and has remained in Athens since that time. She received a Bachelor of Arts and Science Degree, from Franklin College, in Speech Communication from UGA in 2010. Prior to joining GAH, Jessica previously held the position of Account Executive at The Classic Center, the convention center located in downtown Athens, for nearly five years. Jessica is proud to be from a family of Bulldawgs, with other graduates being: her grandfather, father, aunt, sister, brothers-in-law, and sisters-in-law!

Jessica married Alan Pope in July 2017 in Asheville, NC. They enjoy dining downtown, running, and spending time with their friends.

Brittany Hayes

Assistant Director, Georgia Athletic Hospitality

Brittany rejoined the Colonnade Group and Georgia Athletic Hospitality in July 2019 after previously working as a part-time intern for the Georgia Athletic Hospitality staff in 2017-2018.  As Assistant Director, her duties include assisting in the management of the premium areas for football, basketball, gymnastics, and baseball.  Brittany focuses on donor communication as well as serving as the lead manager for the baseball premium operation at Foley Field.

Brittany is originally from Crystal Lake, Illinois and graduated from the University of Georgia in 2018 with her Bachelor's in Sport Management.  Prior to returning to Georgia Athletic Hospitality, Brittany worked in the University of Minnesota Event Management Department. At Minnesota, Brittany directly oversaw Women's Soccer, Wrestling, Men's Gymnastics, and Softball.  Brittany also served as the In-Venue Host and Escort Lead for the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four in Minneapolis as well as the Tournament Director for the 2019 Big 10 Wrestling Championship and the 2019 NCAA Softball Regional and Super Regional Tournaments.

Brittany was ecstatic to make her way back to Athens and UGA.  She is a dog-lover with a brand new pup of her own, Willa.  She enjoys going to Zumba and hanging out with her friends.

Jonathan Wood

Assistant Director, Georgia Athletic Hospitality

Kendell Williams

Development Graduate Assistant