Six new members recently joined Georgia Southern University’s Alumni Association Board of Directors.
“We are excited to announce the addition of our newest board members,” said Ava Edwards, director of Alumni Relations. “They exemplify Georgia Southern’s values through their achievements in their respective fields and steadfast support of our University. Their fresh perspectives and experiences will bolster our efforts to elevate the Georgia Southern alumni network and University.”
The new board members include:
Meredith Avery (’12,’16 )
Avery is an epidemiologist with the Coastal Health District, one of the 18 public health districts within the Georgia Department of Public Health. In her role, Avery oversees disease reporting and surveillance and conducts disease investigations to ensure timely and effective implementation of interventions and control measures. During the height of the pandemic, Meredith served as COVID-19 Case Investigation Team Lead for the Coastal Health District.
A long-time member of the Statesboro Jaycees, Avery served as secretary in 2021 and 2022 and as vice president in 2023. In recognition of her contributions, she was named Statesboro Jaycee of the Year in 2021. She is also an active member of the Georgia Public Health Association’s Epidemiology Section.
Avery earned a bachelor’s in biology in 2012 and a Master of Public Health from Armstrong State University in 2016. She received recognition as an honoree of Georgia Southern University Alumni Association’s “40 Under 40” in 2021 and Statesboro Herald’s “20 Under 40” in 2022. Currently, Avery serves as a mentor to student-athletes through the Georgia Southern University Athletic Foundation’s Athletes Preparing for Employment Experiences (APEX) Program.
Gena Churchwell (’88,’91)
Churchwell is an educator at Glynn Academy in Brunswick, Georgia, who brings more than 28 years of experience, passion and heart to the classroom. As a proud member of a military family, Churchwell has had the unique opportunity to teach across a diverse range of schools and locations both in the United States and overseas. Her professional journey spans multiple roles, including an elementary special education teacher, a middle school guidance counselor and a high school transition-access teacher, helping students with disabilities navigate the shift from high school to adult life.
At the heart of her teaching philosophy is the belief that all students can learn if educators set the stage properly. She is passionate about meeting students where they are, focusing not just on academics, but also on their social, emotional and physical well-being.
Churchwell holds a bachelor’s in special education and a master’s in school guidance and counseling from Georgia Southern and an addendum in school leadership from Auburn University at Montgomery.
Johnita Daniel (‘10)
Daniel is a master planner for the Georgia Department of Defense with an extensive background in environmental planning, land use law and military construction. She has successfully led the planning and execution of two major military construction projects totaling more than $65 million and oversaw the restoration and development of 64 state and federal sites across Georgia. Her strong leadership, project management and stakeholder coordination skills continue to shape sustainable infrastructure planning throughout the region.
Daniel holds a master’s in the study of law and a master’s in environmental planning and design from the University of Georgia, as well as a bachelor’s in political science with a pre-law focus from Georgia Southern.
In 2023, Daniel was invited to speak as a master planner at the American Planning Association Federal Planning Conference, sharing best practices with federal and military planners, as well as top architecture and planning firms. She was also nominated for recognition by the National Defense and Transportation Research Committee, a testament to her contributions to public sector planning and development.
Matthew Herman (’12, ’15)
Herman, who earned a bachelor’s in kinesiology and an MBA, is a seasoned business leader and owner of Independent Rep Agency, where he has demonstrated exceptional leadership and business acumen. Under his guidance, the company has experienced significant growth, expanding operations from two to seven states, and increased its product offerings by more than 330%. Matthew’s strategic vision and strong leadership have positioned the agency as a key player in the industry, allowing it to thrive and scale in a competitive market.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Herman is deeply connected to his alma mater, which played a pivotal role in shaping his personal and professional development. The University’s academic excellence and supportive environment transformed Herman from a shy individual into an outgoing, ambitious and compassionate leader. As a proud True Blue alumnus, Matthew is passionate about giving back to the University and contributing to its continued success, particularly its goal of becoming an R1 Research Institution.
In addition to his career, one of Herman’s hobbies is real estate investing. He regularly attends conferences and is dedicated to mentoring others who are interested in purchasing investment properties, flipping houses or wholesaling. Recently, he earned a certificate in Real Estate Investment from the University of Georgia to further his passion and enhance his ability to assist those he mentors with even greater expertise.
Lt. Col. Victoria Parrish-Edwards (’06)
A native of Eufaula, Alabama, Parrish-Edwards is the special assistant to the director of the Army Staff at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. She has served 18 years in the Army and has been in service to the nation’s leaders in various capacities.
As a student at Georgia Southern, Parrish-Edwards was awarded a four-year Army ROTC scholarship and was commissioned as an officer through the University’s ROTC program. She graduated with a bachelor’s in community health and a minor in military science. In 2009, she obtained a master’s in health services administration and recently earned a Ph.D. in health sciences with an emphasis in health policy and administration.
In 2024, Parrish-Edwards completed the Command and General Staff College Interagency Fellowship with the Department of Transportation. In addition, she attended the Brigade S-1 Operations Course and Adjutant General Captains Career course at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
Parrish-Edwards’s military awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (two Oak leaf clusters), Army Commendation Medal (three oak leaf clusters), Army Achievement Medal (two oak leaf clusters), Army Meritorious Unit Award, NATO Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Army Reserve Campaign Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and Meritorious Volunteer Medal of Service.
Ellen Wooditch (’11)
Wooditch is an accomplished design leader who currently serves as director of interior design at Hussey Gay Bell, a regional architectural and engineering firm headquartered in Savannah, Georgia. A 2011 graduate with a bachelor’s in interior design and minors in business management and marketing, she leads a growing team of designers across the firm’s Savannah and Atlanta offices. Wooditch has played a pivotal role in rebuilding and expanding the firm’s in-house interior design practice, advancing it to new levels of creative and operational excellence.
With more than a decade of experience, Wooditch has managed the design and execution of more than $500 million in projects spanning education, health care, government, hospitality, institutional, commercial and industrial sectors. She holds a State of Georgia Registered Interior Design license — one of only a few hundred active statewide — and the National Council for Interior Design Qualification certification.
Wooditch is also a seasoned project manager, currently overseeing more than a dozen active projects while mentoring emerging designers, including fellow Georgia Southern graduates. Her recent project work includes behavioral health centers, K-12 schools, industrial headquarters and university facilities across the Southeast.
Passionate about education and service, Wooditch actively supports Georgia Southern through her volunteer leadership with the Kappa Kappa Gamma Zeta Upsilon Chapter and Southern Greek Housing, where she serves as both a trustee and construction chair. She has served as a guest critic and panelist for Savannah College of Art and Design’s Interior Design Capstone and a speaker for Georgia Southern’s Studio IV-V design courses, helping students connect academic work to real-world practice.
Wooditch has held board and leadership roles within the International Interior Design Association and serves as liaison to the American Institute of Architects Coastal Empire Section. In 2023, she was honored as a member of Georgia Southern’s “40 Under 40” Class for her professional achievements and community engagement.
Founded in 1933, the Georgia Southern University Alumni Association serves the University by establishing lifelong relationships with alumni and friends, which results in alumni participating in and contributing to the continued growth of the University. The Board of Directors is made up of alumni volunteers who are leaders in their communities and who have given tirelessly of their time in order to promote Georgia Southern University.
Georgia Southern University, a public Carnegie Doctoral/R2 institution founded in 1906, offers approximately 155 different degree programs serving more than 26,100 students through 10 colleges on three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, Hinesville and online instruction. A leader in higher education in southeast Georgia with expert faculty, the University is focused on public impact research and engaging learning opportunities through knowledge and know-how that prepare our students to take ownership of their lives, careers and communities. Visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu.
