Growing Leaders Team
MEET OUR TEAM
Angelica
Aldana
Speaking Events Coordinator
With a B.S. in Agricultural Science from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Angelica's passion for youth leadership development stems from her experiences in the National FFA Organization. While attending Cal Poly, Angelica served for four years as a leadership development facilitator and team leader for the California FFA Association. In her final year with California FFA, she interned as the Leadership Development Intern, training a group of 40 team leaders and facilitators to deliver leadership conferences to high school agricultural education students across California. With a background in agricultural sciences, she was an active member of Latinos in Agriculture and Sigma Alpha, and served as a national officer for MANRRS, a national society that equips, empowers, and mentors a diverse talent pool of leaders for the agriculture industry. Angelica's diverse background in agriculture, education, and youth leadership development conferences equipped her to serve as the Speaking Events Coordinator at Growing Leaders. She hopes to use her strengths and experiences to make an impact in the lives of students to transform them into growing leaders.
Cody
Braun
Marketing
Manager
Cody graduated from Georgia College & State University in 2015 with a Business degree focusing on Marketing. As a college student, Cody served as a Young Life Leader at a local high school in Milledgeville, Georgia. Cody joined the Growing Leaders team as a Marketing Apprentice in 2015, worked his way into a full-time position in the summer of 2016, and now he oversees all of our marketing efforts as the Marketing Manager.
FUN FACTS
Guilty Pleasure:
Fantasy Football
What’s on my bucket list:
Go to every MLB stadium
Random Fact:
Was an extra in a few movies and tv shows, including The Blind Side
Josey
Butcher
Program
Coordinator
Josey's passion for leadership development began in college at the University of Georgia. Josey graduated in 2012 with a degree in business management and went on to serve in a variety of ministry roles in Athens and Clarkesville. In each position, Josey deepened her passion for leadership development and mentoring young men and women. Josey is excited to serve as the Program Coordinator on the Growing Leaders team.
Anya
Cooper
Director of International Partnerships
Anya’s passion is working towards a world where all young people in all nations have an equal opportunity to share their gifts. After studying international politics, Anya worked as a consultant for the United Nations with UNAIDS in Trinidad and Tobago. She then studied law, to become better equipped to intercede for others. While she was an attorney to U.S. and international clients, Anya also continued to volunteer on youth and sustainable development projects. Anya is excited to lead the Onefluence™ Initiative to mobilize 1% of the world’s 3 billion+ young people towards service and servant leadership in their local and global communities.
Favorite snack (and guilty pleasure): Extra salty soft pretzel
What’s on my bucket list: Learning sign language
Favorite places: Rome and sunny beaches
Tim
Elmore
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Tim began working with students in 1979 and his passion is still investing in the next generation. After working alongside best-selling leadership author John C. Maxwell for more than twenty-five years, he founded Growing Leaders in 2003 to focus solely on creating leadership training events and resources for emerging leaders. Tim is the author & creative visionary behind Habitudes: Images That Form Leadership Habits and Attitudes.
Fun Facts
Who have been your influences in life?
Parents, John Maxwell, C. S. Lewis, Malcolm Gladwell
Favorite Snack:
Popcorn
Guilty Pleasure:
Watching and discussing movies
Vanna
Farley
Marketing
Designer
Vanna is our marketing designer graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelors of Fine Arts.
She makes stuff look pretty...and...naps like a cat. Her hobbies are drawing, painting and searching for unicorns. She values honesty and comedy. Her favorite quote is "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." by Anais Nin.
Vanna's favorite movie of all time is Fun w/ Dick & Jane.
Her favorite experience at GL is hearing a statement, and repeating back what she heard incorrectly (for giggles). She love all things Martial Arts, especially Wing Chun!
Trent
Hope
Operations
Manager
Trent Hope is a native of Georgia and graduate of the University of North Georgia with a degree in History and Sociology. In the formative years of his adolescence, Trent was impacted by a few pivotal leaders that forever directed him on a path of desiring to lead and serve others. His heart is helping those around him discover what they are passionate about and challenging them to pursue it. He has worked with organizations such as BigStuf Camps, Orange, and Adventures in Missions. When he's not hiking a trail you can find him deep in a book with a cup of coffee.
Fun Facts
Favorite Movie: Last of the Mohicans
Favorite Quote: "Why do we fall, sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up." - Alfred Pennyworth, Batman Begins
Fun Fact: He's traveled to and lived in over 30 countries.
Andrew
McPeak
Director of Program Excellence
Andrew married his wife Anna and graduated from Bryan College in 2011. Working with non-profits for more than 5 years, Andrew’s experiences have led him to become well versed in communicating to and about the next generations. He has developed multiple conference presentations, curricula, and articles to serve a variety of organizations. Andrew serves as Program Excellence Manager as well as a writer and content developer for Growing Leaders.
Fun Facts
Favorite Food:
Thai
Favorite Book:
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
What’s on my bucket list:
Watch every movie on the AFI top 100 list
Matt
Nolan
Director of Development for The Growing Leaders Initiative
Jessie
Sexton
The Growing Leaders Initiative - Development & Event Coordinator
Jessie is a recent graduate from Kennesaw State University having earned a Bachelor of Science in psychology while also playing on the women's soccer team. It was during her college years that she found her passion for leadership and ministry. Serving on the leadership team at her athletic ministry, 925, Jessie was able to lead Bible studies for all the female athletes and serve as a mentor to younger athletes. Jessie has had ministry on her heart for years and believes working with The Growing Leaders Initiative allows her to serve this mission while still in the corporate world. She is very excited to be apart of the Growing Leaders Initiative team as the Development and Event Coordinator along with working on the Growing Leaders team as the Event Coordinator.
Mary
Steves
The Growing Leaders Initiative - Programs Coordinator
Mary was born and raised in Northern California in the rural town of Escalon, famously known for its abundant almond orchards and the place to get gas before Yosemite National Park. Mary’s interest and love in leadership began as a member of the Future Farmers of America organization. Through the California Association of FFA she spent one year serving as an intern with the California Department of Education. Mary recently graduated from California State University, Chico with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Science and Education and a concentration in Communication. While at Chico State she served as the Freshman Leadership Opportunity Coordinator, paraprofessional for the Cross-Cultural Leadership Center, founding member of the Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity and was a member of the Wildcat Leadership Institute. She also spent a semester studying abroad in Stirling, Scotland. Mary is looking forward to using her passion and strengths in program development to serve our grant recipients as The Growing Leaders Initiative Programs Coordinator.
FUN FACTS
I love 70’s music, 80’s movies and 90’s TV shows
I love polka dots
Favorite food:
Avocado toast
Guilty pleasure:
Anything Scottish
Favorite quote:
“The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyways.” ~ Mother Teresa
JT
Thoms
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Fueled by an appetite of learning from others, J.T.’s mission in life is to make a positive impact by encouraging people to become who they dream to be. J.T.’s professional immersion began at Booster Enterprises, where he spent over five years dedicating his time toward investing in people and developing new markets for the leadership and character building organization. Blessed by a large window of opportunity early in his career, J.T. has developed dexterities in multiple fields including event hosting, keynote speaking, leadership-development, and relationship building. It’s his passion to know and encourage others that he believes will help him fall forward as he pursues his mission in life.
Fun Facts
What’s on your Bucket List?:
I want to dunk myself in every ocean… still working on the Arctic!
What are you grateful for?
My wife Bethany, my parents Terry and Sandy, and my 12 siblings
Random Fact:
I once made a putt-putt shot that went viral on Youtube.
Matt
Ward
Digital Experience
Manager
Matt graduated from Cedarville University in 2009 with a degree in Theology. He spent the next 5 years managing various Chick-fil-A restaurants where he was most energized by developing and mentoring his team members. Matt joined the Growing Leaders team in 2014, excited to combine his passions for leadership development and service.
Fun Facts
Favorite Movie:
A Few Good Men
Favorite Quote:
"No vision is worth the paper it's printed on unless it is communicated constantly and reinforced with rewards." - Jack Welch
Best Advice:
Always be the most prepared person in the room.
Gabrielle
Williams
Content Marketing
Coordinator
Lyndsay
Wilson
Executive Assistant to Dr. Tim Elmore & Office Manager
Tyler
Yaken
Director of Education Partnerships & Speaking Events
Over the past decade Tyler has worked with three separate leadership development organizations all geared towards equipping the next generation. These opportunities have shaped his perspective on what it takes to have an experiential event and a leadership process that truly makes a difference. Tyler now serves as the Director of Education Partnerships and Speaking Events where he leads the Growing Leaders speaker team and secondary school partnerships. His passion is to help organizations create a leadership plan that is best for them. In his free time Tyler enjoys traveling the world, training for triathlons, cheering on the Clemson tigers and coffee dates with his wife Anna.
Meet Our Intern & Apprentice Team
Shingirai
Chigwere
Special Assistant to the CEO & Sales Apprentice
Jakeline
Medina
Spring Semester
intern
Katie
Kelly
Spring Semester
Intern
