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Ivy Odom
Ivy Odom

Graduated: 2015 - BSFCS Consumer Journalism

Graduated: 2015 - B.A. Spanish

Name of Business / Place of Employment: Time Inc. Food Studios

Current Job Title / Occupation: Test Kitchen Assistant/Recipe Developer and Tester

Recent Professional Accomplishments:

I currently work at Meredith Corporation’s Time Inc. Food Studios in Birmingham, Alabama, where I develop and test recipes, host cooking and lifestyle videos, and style digital food content for many of Meredith’s print and digital brands. Outside of work, I’ve given numerous cooking and lifestyle demos throughout the Southeast, and enjoy hosting informal wine tastings and cooking lessons. I have passed the Introductory Sommelier course through the Court of Master Sommeliers, and am currently studying for the Certified Sommelier exam. I serve as the Vice President of Communications for the Georgia Association of FACS, and I serve on the Alumni Board for the College of FACS. I also represent UGA as an alumni volunteer at Birmingham-area college fairs, where I love to convert Auburn and Alabama fans to diehard Dawgs.

My Story:

I knew at age 13 that a career in FACS was meant for me. For a while, I thought that career would be teaching FACS in a high school. When I walked under Pou’s Pillars for the first time as a freshman, I didn’t believe that the time I’d spend in Dawson Hall would change my life forever. I majored in FACS Education through the second semester of my junior year, but during that year, an internship with a local cookbook author opened my eyes to the possibility that my passion for FACS didn’t have to live in a high school classroom. With the support of my parents and my FACS family, I decided to change my major to consumer journalism at the end of my junior year. It was during that time of uncertainty that the walls of Dawson Hall became not just walls of physical support, but also stood as my emotional solace. The building wasn’t standing when Mary Creswell graduated from this college a century ago. It’s my firm belief that the legacy she started at her graduation was built into the foundation, so that everyone who stepped foot within those walls after that would forever be changed.
Chris Lane
Chris Lane

Graduated: 2007 - BSFCS Consumer Economics

Name of Business / Place of Employment: Stife - The D&G Barrow/Lane Wealth Management Group

Current Job Title / Occupation: Vice President/Investments

My Story:

The University of Georgia is a wonderful place, but it is a big place. When I discovered Dawson Hall, I knew I had found the college that was right for me. The overwhelming sense of community and belonging that I found in FACS still resonates with me today. It became a place where I knew that the faculty and administrators genuinely cared for my success, while in the classroom and beyond. I am the fifth generation in my family to be involved in finance, beginning with the formation of a bank in Valdosta, Georgia in 1889. It was fair to say I always knew what I wanted to do with my life. However, I didn't just want to learn about economic or financial concepts, I wanted to learn about how they impacted people and families. FACS offered the ability to learn these complicated ideas and then help use them to better the lives of people in our communities. My wealth management team uses these skills every day when working with our client and I sincerely believe that the success that our clients enjoy through our financial planning process is a direct result of the time I spent in Dawson Hall.
Renita Anderson
Renita Anderson

Graduated: 1994 - Ph.D. Textile Sciences

Name of Business / Place of Employment: Printpack

Current Job Title / Occupation: Strategy & Market Development

Recent Professional Accomplishments:

At Printpack - a privately-held manufacturer of flexible and specialty rigid packaging with $1+ billion in sales - I am responsible for profitable growth of the business, including management of the R&D pipeline and development of business cases for investments. Recently, I have presented business cases for Board approval and now need to sell the additional capacity we are installing to support the growing areas of food and industrial packaging. I'm also proud to mentor early-career women in the Pathbuilders Percepta program in Atlanta. My 2018 mentees received the "Mentee Group of the Year" award for the strides they made during the 6-month program.

My Story:

In 1991, I moved from the Midwest to Athens to begin the new Ph.D. program in Textile Sciences, following Dr. Karen Leonas (who had advised my undergraduate research project at the University of Illinois). Dr. Sharon Nickols had been an administrator at UI during my undergraduate years, so I was excited when she was named Dean soon after. I was especially thrilled to have worked as Dean Nickols' graduate assistant during the last year of my program! Although my career path has moved away from the textile industry and from the sciences, experiences in FACS shaped my critical thinking skills, developed my resilience, and led to several friendships that continue nearly 25 years later!
Sarah Hawes
Sarah Hawes

Graduated: 1971 - MHE Child Development and Family Relations

Name of Business / Place of Employment: Retired

My Story:

“Back in the day” when I had just completed my undergraduate degree, I found myself without any hope of future plans – no work, no continued school, really nothing was coming around. Then, thanks to a wonderful friend, I was encouraged to take a close look at the graduate level Child Development program at UGA. I did. And as they say, “the rest is history.” When I first arrived on campus back in the summer of 1970, I was welcomed by faculty, staff and students alike. During the next year while completing my course work and research, I was awarded a fellowship and tapped to join Phi Upsilon Omicron and Gamma Sigma Delta. After completion of a Master’s degree, I had 4 job offers! I will always be eternally grateful to UGA for giving me a chance when I desperately needed one. After retirement from state government, I started a private consultation business and for 13 years completed State and Federal Government contracts dealing with Federal Education Legislation. Now my husband, Julian and I enjoy traveling around the world. We have been on all seven continents and most recently had a most meaningful trip to UGA and Dawson Hall (I finally returned after 47 years!). It was heart-touching to see how the FACS staff and faculty continue to support and help students complete their school work before going on to successfully making a difference in our world!
Staci McIntosh
Staci McIntosh

Graduated: 1997 - BSFCS Nutrition

Graduated: 2000 - M.S. Nutrition

Name of Business / Place of Employment: University of Utah

Current Job Title / Occupation: Assistant Professor

My Story:

I had a wonderful experience in FACS at the University of Georgia! My guiding lights were Dr. Arthur Grider and Dr. Nina Marable. Both mentors gave me the confidence, skill and knowledge that allowed me to succeed as a student, graduate and dietitian. Immediately after graduation I moved to Utah to enjoy the rock climbing options out West for "a couple of years". That was 18 years ago. I am currently serving as the Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology and the Associate Director of Teaching and Learning. I am also an active author for Elsevier Publishing Company specializing in nutrition for nursing students.
Savannah Dunson
Savannah Dunson

Graduated: 2011 - BSFCS Furnishings and Interiors

Name of Business / Place of Employment: Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood

Current Job Title / Occupation: Interior Designer

Recent Professional Accomplishments:

Goodwyn, Mills, & Cawood (GMC) is the largest Architectural and Engineering firm in the State of Alabama and is growing throughout the Southeast. Residing in small town Eufaula, AL, I am fortunate to work for such a large company in the capacity of Interior Designer. GMC is a multi-disciplined firm that works with clients in the realm of Commercial design segments like Corporate Offices, K-12 and higher education, Institutional/Correctional facilities, Healthcare, and Hospitality. I have been in this role for two years, and have also served to assist the firm's design marketing and client relations. The FACS Ambassador program helped prepare me for this capacity. I have learned a lot since graduation, but am ever thankful for the foundation I have from Dawson Hall!

My Story:

Wow - it is such a task to report my favorite FACS memory - there are so many! I remember from the day I began Foundations to FACS in high school I knew that my heart would always be with FACS. I enjoyed every STAR event, cookie fundraiser, grand gala, and leadership meeting offered. I knew that I wanted a career under the umbrella of FACS, and have been so fortunate to still be working in the path I chose to study. I am seven years out of school, and life has moved so fast! I am in a stable job with a large design firm, have moved twice, gotten married, and started a family. I reminisce on the days I spent at UGA, and am so thankful for the relationships I built while I was there. The coursework, opportunities, and programs offered were well rounded and life enriching, but the relationships with Student Services, Alumni Relations, and the Dean's offices are where the heart of FACS lies. I am still in contact with the people and faculty that represented FACS during my tenure, and these relationships to me are priceless!
Daniel Stewart
Daniel Stewart

Graduated: 2005 - B.S. Housing

Name of Business / Place of Employment: Wier / Stewart

Current Job Title / Occupation: Studio Director

Recent Professional Accomplishments:

Most recently, our firm was named to the Bulldog 100 for the second time in three years.

My Story:

I'm a lucky guy. There are about three major life-altering events that happened to me in my early 20s that set me on the right path. One of those events was meeting Dr. Anne Sweaney at the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. Her passion for students and guidance as a mentor was pivotal for me. But you know what? I later found that her characteristics are shared by just about everyone I met at FACS. It's truly a special place. I spent my first couple of years at UGA in a "sea" of students. It's shouldn't be surprising that I thrived in an environment that was rooted in FAMILY. The attention I received helped me in my scholastic endeavors as well as my personal relationships with faculty and staff. One of my favorite memories from FACS was a study abroad semester in Xalapa, Mexico. The culture of locals and the camaraderie with fellow students was an experience I won't forget. During my time at FACS, I picked up graphic design as a hobby. After graduation, I landed an internship at a design studio in my hometown of Augusta, Ga. Flash forward 15 years, I'm now a partner at a full-service advertising agency building brands for companies all over the region.
Lindsay Lock
Lindsay Lock

Graduated: 2017 - BSFCS Nutrition Sciences

Name of Business / Place of Employment: The University of Alabama at Birmingham

Current Job Title / Occupation: Dietetic Intern

Recent Professional Accomplishments:

Since graduating from UGA in 2017, I have moved to Birmingham, Alabama to complete my Dietetic Internship/Master's degree at UAB. I am graduating in August 2018 and from there, I will begin a nutrition traineeship at the Children's of Alabama Pediatric Pulmonary Center working with children with cystic fibrosis.

My Story:

My passion for nutrition led me to choose dietetics as my major my first day of freshman year. I was one of the few students who never changed majors all four years of college and I can thank the FACS family for that. This amazing network of students and faculty have shown me love and support from my first day of orientation to my last day of senior year. Not only was FACS a place for me to grow my professionally, but I made some of the best friends and memories during my time there. Being a FACS Student Ambassador was one of my favorite experiences and I am so grateful I was able to represent such an outstanding college!
Cyndi Hefner
Cyndi Hefner

Graduated: 1983 - BSHE Clothing and Textiles

Name of Business / Place of Employment: Shear Amazement

Current Job Title / Occupation: Business Owner

My Story:

I attended UGA in the "Glory Days", Sugar Bowl and National Champions. Football games, and O'Malley's, those were the days. My B.S.degree gave me the confidence to adventure into many lifetime opportunities. I am a wife, mother and grandmother and, most proud of the latter one. In fact my grandson's first words were "Go Dawgs!". I worked in a family owned business for over 30 years in the textile industry, today I work for My husband's company, also in the textile industry. I currently own a Beauty Salon and Gift store, where I make hand made crafts, jewelry, etc. and also do sewing and embroidering. I am very proud to be call a UGA graduate.
Paige Gaston
Paige Gaston

Graduated: 2016 - BSFCS Furnishings and Interiors

Name of Business / Place of Employment: Cullman & Kravis

Current Job Title / Occupation: Project Manager

Recent Professional Accomplishments:

I am a project manager at Cullman and Kravis Associates in New York City. I have worked on many projects in Manhattan, the Hamptons, and Texas! Our firm continues to be recognized on the Architectural Digest 100 List and Elle Decor A-List. I even work with a fellow UGA alumni!

My Story:

I chose to study at FACS because of its wide range of opportunities. As a student, I was able to excel in smaller classrooms, produce projects I was proud of, and even study abroad in London. While in London, I took one class with fellow UGA students, and was able to intern with Jane Churchill Interiors Ltd. My experiences in Athens, London, and an additional internship in New York City, led me to where I am today. FACS has so many opportunities, all you have to do is take a chance and enjoy the experience!
Michelle Gooden
Michelle Gooden

Graduated: 2007 - B.S.F.C.S Dietetics and Consumer Foods

Name of Business / Place of Employment: Emory University Hospital

Current Job Title / Occupation: Dietetic Internship Coordinator and Clinical Dietitian

Recent Professional Accomplishments:

I recently earned the Advanced Practice Certification in Clinical Nutrition. So far, I am the only dietitian in the state of Georgia to have earned this certification. In 2015, I was awarded the Dietitian Officer Award from the United States Public Health Service. In 2016, I was named Emerging Dietetic Leader by the Georgia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Earlier this year, I was named Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year by the Georgia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. I have served as Public Policy Coordinator for the Georgia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and was recently elected President-Elect for the same organization. In the fall, I will be presenting at the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in Washington, D.C.

My Story:

Transitioning to the dietetics and consumer foods major was the best decision I made in my time at UGA. The supportive faculty and motivated students of FACS taught me the importance of using passion to create purpose, modeling the behavior you expect from others, and service to the community of people around you. Those lessons (and so many more) developed me into the leader I am today. I routinely draw on my FACS experiences in teaching my own students today. It is an understatement to say the skills learned through FACS have been invaluable. My career has provided me with the opportunity to testify before the Georgia Senate Health and Human Services Committee, present to the United States Public Health Service and Georgia Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, serve as Clinical Director of Health Promotions for Special Olympics Georgia, and work as a co-investigator for multiple human research studies. It's great to be a Georgia Bulldog and even better to be a FACS graduate!
Ashleigh Childs
Ashleigh Childs

Graduated: 2017 - BSFCS Family and Consumer Sciences Education

Name of Business / Place of Employment: UGA Extension Southwest District

Current Job Title / Occupation: AmeriCorps VISTA Service Member

My Story:

My FACS story starts back when I was a sophomore in high school. I had been invited to attend a UGA FACS Alumni night in my area, and I knew that I was interested in attending UGA, so I thought it would be a good networking opportunity. Little did I know I was going to end up seated right next to Dean Fox at dinner! She and I talked about hiking and other things until she excused herself to be introduced to the group. She was so easy to talk to. I had no idea she was the newly-named dean of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences! Fast forward a couple of years and I was a sophomore in college attending Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) in Tifton, Ga. Our Family and Consumer Sciences Club was invited to help facilitate the Georgia Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (GAFCS) Annual Conference that was being held at the Agricultural Museum in Tifton. At that point, I knew I wanted to study Family and Consumer Sciences Education and pursue a career in UGA Extension. I had been (not so patiently) waiting for word on my acceptance to UGA, and was checking my status every hour. That day, I had been so caught up in the activities of the conference that I had forgotten all about it until another student mentioned the need to check hers. So, like I had done so many times before, I typed in my login information only to find a screen full of fireworks congratulating me on my acceptance! I was so excited that I jumped out of my seat and ran back to Dean Fox (who was also in attendance at the conference) and told her I was coming to UGA! She gave me a hug and welcomed me to the FACS family. I will never forget that moment and how at home I already felt before even stepping foot inside Dawson Hall. Since then, I served the College of Family and Consumer Sciences wholeheartedly through involvement in the Student Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, being a FACS Ambassador, receiving multiple scholarships, and topping off my career by being selected as the recipient of the Outstanding Senior Award. I truly am grateful for the relationships made, the memories shared, and the knowledge learned in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Georgia.
Theresa Glasheen
Theresa Glasheen

Graduated: 2006 - BSFCS Family and Consumer Sciences Education

Graduated: 2008 - M.S. Child and Family Development

Name of Business / Place of Employment: Georgia State University

Current Job Title / Occupation: Researcher Coordinator, School of Public Health

Recent Professional Accomplishments:

I am proud to have been a Middle School Family and Consumer Sciences teacher for four years in Cherokee County, Georgia. Teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students taught me life skills! However, in 2013 I embarked upon my current profession: academic research. I work for The National SafeCare Training and Research Center, which is housed in The School of Public Health at Georgia State University. SafeCare is an evidence-based home visitation program that serves at-risk families with children 0-5. The curriculum teaches caregivers about child health, home safety, and positive parent-child Interaction. In this capacity I use my background in Child and Family Development to coordinate multi-million dollar state and national grants, co-author center publications, develop technology to assist with home visitation, lead SafeCare's online marketing presence, and ensure our program stays up to date with trends in child maltreatment prevention research.

My Story:

Events in Room 216! Dawson Hall is a gorgeous building head-to-toe, but there is something special about the 2nd floor conference room. This room has hosted committee meetings, on-campus retreats, club get-togethers, retirement parties, baby showers, and a plethora of conference calls. Lots of fun memories, as well as school and work accomplishments have taken place here. The portraits of former Deans of the College on the walls serve as inspiration to keep moving forward with the College's mission. If you are ever in Dawson Hall and not sure where to go for something...just head to 216. There's a good chance you'll end up in the right place!
Mara Price
Mara Price

Graduated: 2011 - BSFCS Child and Family Development

Name of Business / Place of Employment: Hillel at UGA

Current Job Title / Occupation: Engagement Director

Recent Professional Accomplishments:

I live and work in Athens, and I love it here! My job includes doing outreach and programming with and for Jewish students at UGA. Through my work, I've staffed 10 trips of students traveling to Israel (400 students total), been accepted into a program for a certificate in Experiential Jewish Education, and been invited to give opening and closing prayers at the Campaign for Charities breakfast as well as the UGA Memorial Service.

My Story:

When I started my journey at UGA, I had no idea what I wanted to do. Through a few major changes as well as many conversations with my sister (BSFCS '07), I decided that Child and Family Development through FACS was the best place for me. Through FACS, I was finally taking classes that were interesting and important to me. I found myself excelling because every class spoke to me and excited me. During my 3rd year, I heard about the FACS Legislative and Congressional Aide Internship program and decided that it would be a unique and fascinating way to spend my spring semester. Through that program, I had the opportunity to work closely with the Women's Legislative Caucus and saw first-hand how these incredible women were working together in the Senate and House of Representatives. The experience is one that has stuck with me and encourages me to seek change and fight for what I believe is right in the world. I am so grateful for that experience, even though I have not chosen a profession in the political world. I now have a greater understanding and appreciation for what law-makers do and how they can impact my life.
Esther Devall
Esther Devall

Graduated: 1983 - M.S. Child and Family Development

Graduated: 1990 - Ph.D. Child and Family Development

Name of Business / Place of Employment: New Mexico State University

Current Job Title / Occupation: Professor

Recent Professional Accomplishments:

I just completed my term as president of the Council for Administrators of Family and Consumer Sciences (CAFCS). This professional organization is composed of department heads, associate deans, and deans of FACS around the country.

My Story:

I was fortunate to be among the inaugural group of three students who participated in the FACS Legislative and Congressional Aide Internship program in 1984. I worked for Senator Paul Brown in the Georgia state legislature. I summarized important bills for him before they were voted on, listened to concerns from constituents, and either gathered information for them or suggested ways we could assist. Most importantly, I learned how the legislative process worked and how to advocate for issues related to children and families. My experience with the legislature proved invaluable after I became an assistant professor at New Mexico State University. I used what I had learned in Georgia to testify many times before various legislative committees about issues impacting families in New Mexico. After stressing the need for parenting education in a state with high rates of child maltreatment, I was awarded recurring state funding of $100,000/year for 4 years to provide parenting education. Then, I was successful in securing competitive state grants totaling $4.4 million over 8 years to expand parenting education around the state. One year, I learned that our $1 million grant was in jeopardy of being cut by the state legislature. I was sent by my Dean and the university to talk with legislators about the impact the parenting education program was having and the need for continued funding. I spent a month in Santa Fe (4 hours north of the university) meeting with legislators until the funding was restored. A final way I used the experience gained as a legislative aide was in coordinating Family Impact Seminars for legislators and other policymakers in New Mexico. Family Impact Seminars provide legislators with evidence-based, non-partisan information about current issues impacting children and families. For 7 years, I brought in experts from across the country to share research and policy implications related to child maltreatment, family violence, the impact of incarceration on families, reducing high school drop-outs, and the benefits of early childhood education. I continue to be thankful for the great education I got at the University of Georgia, and the opportunity I had to participate in the Legislative Aide internship. Dean Emily Pou was truly a visionary in establishing this innovative program.
Megan Pritchett
Megan Pritchett

Graduated: 2007 - BSFCS Family and Consumer Sciences Education

Graduated: 2009 - MEd Workforce Education

Name of Business / Place of Employment: Willie J. Williams Middle School

Current Job Title / Occupation: Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher

Recent Professional Accomplishments:

I've completed 11 years teaching. I taught middle school FACS, high school FACS, and Foods and Nutrition and Early Childhood Education pathways. I've served on AAFCS Board of Directors 2008-09 (Centennial Year) and served in different leadership roles in GAFCS.

My Story:

Some of my best memories at UGA took place in Dawson Hall. It was a place that I always felt supported and encouraged to do my absolute best. Whether it was in class, participating an activity as a FACS Ambassador or for the Student Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, or just hanging out, Dawson Hall was always a comforting place to be. It was where I developed confidence and secured my career goal of becoming a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher. Everyday I strive to teach my students the same life lessons, skills, and knowledge that I learned as a student in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences in hopes that the subject area will also help shape their lives. My favorite memories with the College of FACS are traveling to National AAFCS Meetings in Nevada, Wisconsin, and Tennessee with members of the faculty and staff to represent UGA.