Commencement

Senator Jon Ossoff

Born and raised in Georgia, Senator Jon Ossoff serves as our Senior United States Senator.

Since his election, Sen. Ossoff has brought together Republicans and Democrats in the Senate to achieve meaningful legislative results for Georgia — even in a divided Congress. In his first two years in office, Sen. Ossoff passed into law more standalone bills than any other freshman Senator.

Sen. Ossoff’s legislative achievements include laws to strengthen mental health services for Georgians and public safety; tackle the opioid epidemic; investigate unsolved lynchings and Civil Rights murders; strengthen mental health care services for veterans; and fight corruption and improve security in U.S. prisons.

Sen. Ossoff has a strong record of delivering resources to expand access to education in Georgia, delivering record Federal funding to Georgia’s institutions of higher education, including historic resources to Georgia’s HBCUs. Sen. Ossoff has also championed efforts to strengthen workforce development opportunities, helping students and families earn the qualifications and certifications needed to gain greater economic opportunity.

Focused on improving the lives of Georgia’s veterans, servicemembers, and military families, Sen. Ossoff has passed into law bipartisan legislation to expand veterans’ access to mental health care and to upgrade child development centers for military families and barracks for enlisted personnel. He also championed passage of historic legislation to strengthen VA health care for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

Mentored by civil rights legend Congressman John Lewis, Sen. Ossoff previously led a small business that produced investigative journalism exposing war crimes, public corruption, human trafficking, and organized crime.

Sen. Ossoff lives with his wife, Dr. Alisha Kramer, and daughter, Eva Beth, in Atlanta.

Regent Doug Aldridge

Douglas R. Aldridge Jr., CFP®, is a private wealth financial advisor and president of the Aldridge Private Wealth Management Group in the Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network. As president and lead partner of the practice, Doug is responsible for key client relationships, focusing on affluent families, foundations and institutions. He provides a broad array of wealth management and financial strategies as a certified PIM Portfolio Manager, and earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER ™ certification in 2007.

Prior to starting his own firm in 2022, Doug was Managing Director – Investments at Wells Fargo Advisors from 2009-2022. He held a similar role at Morgan Stanley as a part of their investment bank’s Private Wealth Management division from 2003-2009. Prior to Morgan Stanley, Doug spent time on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange working for the specialist firm Wagner Stott Bear. He also spent a year overseas working with a boutique estate planning firm, J. Sanz y Asociados.

Doug earned a B.A. in Spanish and Economics at Washington & Lee University, graduating with Honors. He also holds a MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, where he earned the distinction of Beta Gamma Sigma.

Doug and his wife Grace are both Atlanta natives. They have six amazing children and live on a farm in Chattahoochee Hills, Ga. On their farm — Wild Fern Ranch — they have numerous animals and over 1,000 organic blueberry bushes.

They stay busy keeping up with their kids, involved at their schools, sports, barrel races and ballet/dance recitals. They are members of Southside Church in Newnan and Chattahoochee Hills. Furthermore, Doug has started and led multiple CLC (Christ Led Communities) small groups. He is also a part of The Westminster Schools of Atlanta alumni association.

Doug and his wife are most passionate about children, whether it’s foster care, adoption or education. Their work in this area includes serving as foster parents through the Safe Families division of Bethany Christian Services and Families First over the years. Doug is on the boards of Families First (Georgia’s leading non-profit family service agency), and also Wild Fern Ranch (formerly Serenbe Stables), a like-minded non-profit in Chattahoochee Hills that utilizes Equine Assisted Learning to help special needs and underprivileged children. He is fluent in Spanish.

Terreta Rodgers

Terreta Rodgers is the head of Community Affairs for Amazon’s Atlanta region and a member of the corporation’s Public Policy Team. She oversees hyperlocal external affairs strategies in support of Amazon's efforts to be the world's most trusted business and community partner.

With more than 20 years of experience in corporate relations, brand and cause marketing, community engagement, and government affairs, Terreta has spent her career leveraging relationships with opinion leaders, elected officials, and stakeholders to support economic growth in Georgia. Terreta started her career in politics, working in the Office of the Mayor of the City of Atlanta and later serving as a press secretary for Vice President Al Gore.

Terreta is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and is chartering president of the Northwest Georgia Section of the National Council of Negro Women. She serves on the board of directors for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the ATL Airport Chamber.

Terreta is an alumnus of Georgia State and Clark Atlanta Universities, having earned a Master of Public Administration degree and a B.A. degree in mass media arts. She has received numerous awards and recognitions, including Women Looking Ahead Magazine’s Most Powerful and Influential Woman Award, Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, and the Atlanta City Council Commendation for Community Service. She also was named one of Atlanta's Top 25 Women of Achievement and an Atlanta Business League Woman of Influence.

Terreta resides in Georgia with her husband.

Claribel Ross

Claribel Ross is a non-traditional, first-generation student graduating from Clayton State University with a bachelor's degree in accounting. Throughout her time at CSU, Claribel has been actively engaged in the Society of Human Resource Management organization as the President of the Organization and in the Rho Lambda chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. She became a Campus Ambassador for the National Marrow Donor Program, played an integral part in raising over $10,000 for a Title IX school, and volunteered for the Greater Way Atlanta and in local animal shelters. She has gladly accumulated over 1000 service hours throughout her four years at CSU and will continue serving the community. Claribel Ross will embark on her professional journey in Colorado this August as an Auditor for the Defense Contract Audit Agency under the DOD. Although her time in Georgia is coming to an end, she will continue to stay engaged and be of service to Clayton State University.

Marchelle Fletcher

Marchelle Fletcher is graduating from Clayton State University with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Human Services. She is a military dependent, of Jamaican descent, and the first graduate of all the grandchildren in her bloodline. Despite being an online transfer student, Fletcher made the best of her time at Clayton State having made connections in National Council of Negro Women, Clayton State Internet Radio, and the Psychology Club. Post graduation, Fletcher will be cultivating a career teaching 2nd grade for Clayton County Public Schools, and has been accepted into Georgia Southern's Masters of the Arts in Teaching program in Elementary Education.

Zhareia Smith

Zhareia Smith is a first-generation graduate student, receiving her second degree from Clayton State University, a Master's in Strategic Leadership and Development. Her journey at Clayton State has been marked by unwavering dedication and a profound passion for serving her community. Throughout her time at Clayton State, Zhareia has exemplified the true spirit of leadership and service. She has been actively involved in various organizations on campus, including University Housing and Residence Life, Student Government Association, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.. Each of these organizations have played an integral role in Zhareia's life, helping to build her sense of community, selfless service, and scholarship. Her path forward includes making positive impacts by promoting professional development and economic empowerment in her community.