Founder, Strange Fruit Arts Center The Story: Originally from Peoria, Illinois, I am a lifelong creative, metalsmith artist, and founder of Strange Fruit Arts Center, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifting Black artists and bringing the community together through art. I attended Rasmussen College after high school and returned years later to obtain […]
Austell Police Chief Shameta Jones-Harrell In June 2025, Shameta Jones-Harrell was named the city of Austell’s first female chief of police. In fact, she is the first female police chief in Cobb County. Chief Jones-Harrell has worked in law enforcement for 25 years. She began her career with the College Park Police Department, rising through […]
President, Life University https://www.life.edu/ Since its establishment more than 180 years ago, Cobb County has been defined by its people. Some of these individuals have made their mark by becoming pioneers of business, captains of industry and heads of state. And if you’re reading this, you likely know why Cobb is attractive to so many. […]
Co-Owners, CMIT Solutions cmitsolutionsatlanta.com Answers submitted by Nathan Bates THE STORY: I was born in Mississippi, but moved seven times by the age of 12 due to my dad’s corporate sales career. I attended high school in Peachtree City, Georgia, and college for three years at Georgia State University before being selected in the 15th […]
President, BrandsMart U.S.A. brandsmartusa.com THE STORY: I graduated from Brown University in Rhode Island, where I studied Organizational Behavior & Management along with History. I was considering becoming an attorney, but after college, I started in consulting at Accenture. I spent eight years there supporting many e-commerce and retail brands in defining and implementing innovative […]
Cobb County Sheriff cobbsheriff.org THE STORY: I grew up on the border of Cobb County and the city of Atlanta, raised by my family’s matriarchs. After high school, I enlisted in the U.S. Army. After four years, I transitioned to the Reserves to become a full-time Cobb County police officer. Along the way, I earned […]
Mayor of Mableton, GA mableton.gov THE STORY: I was born in Greensboro, North Carolina. My childhood was enriched by summers spent in New York City, Atlanta, and Columbus, Georgia. I’ve always had a passion for technology. By the time I was in college, I was building websites for clients, which became a cornerstone of my […]
Cobb Superior Court Judge THE STORY: I grew up on a cattle farm in Dalton, Georgia, raised by a single mother after my father died when I was 5. I grew up working on our family farm and in my family’s country grocery store, so I quickly learned the importance of resilience and hard work. […]
Candidate for Cobb County Commission Chair THE STORY: I have thrown my hat into the ring for the Cobb County Commission Chair race next November. I have lived, worked, and played in Cobb for decades and I’ve experienced the challenges we face. I believe every elected official carries a profound moral and ethical obligation to […]
REALTOR/Owner 2023 President-Cobb Association of Realtors THE STORY: I was born and raised in Georgia and mostly grew up in Cobb County. I have owned several businesses through the years — one of which was Sierra’s Cookie Gifts and Sandwiches — but also worked at a local golf course before getting into real estate in […]