Board of Directors - Mableton Improvement Coalition

Board of Directors and Officers

As a nonprofit membership corporation, MIC is governed by a Board of Directors elected by voting members of MIC. Our bylaws provide for an 11-member board, serving staggered two-year terms. The Board elects the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. These positions are usually filled by Board members, but may be filled by other MIC members.

MIC Committees

MIC Committees carry out the vital work of the organization and provide an opportunity for MIC members to get involved. The committees change as MIC’s priorities change.

Julie Carrick

Julie chairs the MIC Parks Committee and works with volunteers in various capacities. Before moving to Mableton in 2011, Julie volunteered with the Hospital Hospitality House and The Children’s Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. Since living here, Julie has been part of the welcoming and social committee with her current and previous neighborhood HOA. Bringing neighbors together to form a strong community is one of her top priorities. Julie is excited about what Mableton can evolve into and would like to be part of making that vision become reality.

Joel Cope, Board Member and President

Joel was elected to the MIC Board in 2005, served as Board Chair and is currently MIC’s President and Public Safety Committee Chair.  An attorney who lives in the Cooper Lake Road area, he has also held offices in his HOA. Joel currently serves on the Cobb County Neighborhood Safety Commission, a citizens’ panel that acts as a liaison between the public safety community and the citizenry. Joel has served on the Cobb County Transportation Advisory Board, the Austell Road LCI Committee, the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee and the Austell Road Corridor Access Committees.

TJ Ferguson, Secretary

TJ is a senior Information Technology professional by occupation with 25+ years of experience managing and participating on high performance using his skills in leadership, technology, and project management. As a volunteer, he currently leads a Dads Small Group through his church and is a member of the Board of Directors of Renew Ministries. TJ has worked with many churches on their Capital Stewardship Campaigns and now serves as Chair of The Walker School’s Lower School Parent Council. TJ also enjoys volunteering with the City of Refuge in Atlanta, and most recently volunteered with TeamATL (the Super Bowl Host Committee). He has lived in the Brookwood Park subdivision for 14 years with his wife and daughter.

Steven Fuller

When Steven and his wife Nakecia, both Mississippi natives, decided to build a home in Mableton in 2015, he made it a priority to learn as much as possible about Mableton. Steven begin attending Commissioner Cupid’s monthly Zoning meetings, eventually joining MIC’s Zoning Committee. Steven’s passion for Real Estate and technology creates a perfect storm for his desires for promoting community involvement. Any given weekend Steven volunteers with various organizations. Steven believes that the greatest feat you can do for your community is volunteering and giving your time, talent and energy. Steven currently serves as VP of his current homeowner association and chairs the Architectural Review Committee. Mableton, a hidden gem for most, has great potential and Steven is dedicated to doing his part in helping the area thrive.

Twila Hawthorne

Twila chairs the MIC Economic Development Committee and has lived in the Mableton area since 2009. She has been active in connecting with her neighbors and the community, regularly attending Cobb County Comprehensive Planning sessions, town hall meetings and zoning meetings. Twila is a 20-year military veteran who has served on several boards in the capacity of Secretary, Economic Development Committee Chair and Membership Committee Chair. Twila is passionate about getting the word out to individuals, and especially businesses, about the awesome opportunities in Mableton. She enjoys originating ideas, advocating and encouraging economic empowerment/development.

Steve Jungk

Steve and his wife Alyce moved to Mableton in 2015. Prior to that they lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where Steve worked as a programmer for the State and served as an assistant Boy Scout scoutmaster for his sons, who both ultimately achieved Eagle Scout status. The Jungks are active in their homeowner association, located in the Cooper Lake Road area. Steve is passionate about community green spaces and is a vocal advocate at Commission meetings on matters affecting Mableton. Steve chairs MIC’s Membership Committee. If you see him on occasion picking up trash in an effort to keep South Cobb clean, make sure you say, “Hi”!

Robin Meyer

Robin writes the MIC Newsletter and heads up Zoning and Code Enforcement Committees. Robin has also updates the MIC website and has been active in successful grant writing and grant administration for MIC activities such as parks, the community garden and the farmers market. Robin has lived on Queen Mill Road since 1984 and is retired from state government. First elected to the MIC Board in 2005, Robin wants to create more “community” in Mableton and to advocate for Mableton to county and state officials, developers and other organizations.

Jeff Padgett

Jeff and his wife Donna live on Clay Road near Floyd Road in the house his grandparents bought in 1956. Jeff grew up on Mable Street behind Barnes Hardware and attended Mableton Elementary, Floyd Middle and South Cobb High schools. His uncle Tony Matthews founded our Boys & Girls Club. Continuing in the family tradition of community service, Jeff volunteers with Floyd Road Baptist Church in their homeless ministry and van ministry. Jeff is a field supervisor for a painting company and has been in the construction industry for 40 years. Jeff and his wife love Mableton and would like to see it continue to grow.

Nate Smith

Nate and his wife Renee currently reside in the Heritage Lakes subdivision, where they have lived since 2004. Since joining the Board, Nate has assumed the chairmanship of MIC’s Education Committee. Nate spent the past 20+ years working in sales for Bosch Building Technologies as a Regional Director, responsible for managing a region which comprised of the 20 states in Central and Southern US, as well as the Caribbean. Some of the leadership skills he has developed are setting and attaining goals, and training. Nate also brings with him a very good knowledge of budgeting and financial planning. Nate looks forward to spending time locally to help make Mableton a family-friendly community for existing residents and newcomers. Free time will now be allotted to community involvement and assisting his wonderful daughter Taylor, pursue a medical career.

Ray Thomas, Board Chairman

Ray is currently Chairman of the Board of the Mableton Improvement Coalition (MIC). He is responsible for MIC’s successful sponsorship program, is an active member of the MIC’s Zoning Committee, and CID Committee, and advocated for the successful implementation of Design Guidelines for Mableton Parkway and Veterans Memorial Highway.

Ray also created MIC’s HOA Network designed to bring homeowner associations together to share best practices and better advocate for the development of Mableton and surrounding areas.

Ray currently serves as President of the Homeowner Association at Legacy of the River Line subdivision in Mableton. Previously, he served as President of Hamilton Mill Community Association, Gwinnett County’s largest residential community comprising over 2200 homes, fishing lake, golf club, 16 tennis courts, and two swimming centers. He has also served on various HOA boards and committees in Alpharetta and Washington DC. Ray and his subdivision have adopted Discovery Boulevard in Mableton under the county’s Adopt-A-Mile program.

Ray has served in various management roles for 38 years with Ally Financial Services. He and his lovely wife of 39 years, Sharon, are dedicated community servants who enjoy bringing people together. They have a beautiful daughter and an amazing grandson.

Carolyn Turner, Treasurer

Carolyn is MIC’s Treasurer, and active in MIC’s economic development efforts. Her 30-year career in county government included tax assessments and collections, mapping, and coordination with Community Improvement Districts (CIDs). Carolyn currently serves as a member of the Cobb County Board of Tax Assessors. Carolyn owns Turner Business Associates, LLC, a business consulting firm, and d/b/a Quick Tax Professionals, LLC. She is the Founder and Director of H.O.P.E. Family Resource Center, Inc., a 501c3 Tax Exempt organization providing basic needs for families and children in the South Cobb and surrounding communities. Additionally, Carolyn serves as Church Administrator of New Life Missionary Baptist Church in Mableton.