Welcoming new Steering Committee Members

As we begin 2026, we are excited to announce three new members to the GGA Steering Committee. The Steering Committee provides strategic and operational leadership to advance GGA’s mission as a nonpartisan network that connects, educates, and engages grantmakers to strengthen philanthropic impact and equity across Georgia. The committee guides strategy, provides accountability, supports programming and communications, and serves as ambassadors to help GGA achieve its mission.

We asked our new Steering Committee members to share their bio and a little about their connection to GGA…

Bonnie Stewart Hardage
Jesse Parker Williams Foundation
Bonnie Hardage is the Executive Director of the Jesse Parker Williams Foundation. She joined the Foundation in 2016 after serving 17 years in healthcare marketing and development at Saint Joseph’s Health System, Shepherd Center, and Mercy Care Foundation.

The mission of Jesse Parker Williams Foundation is to support highly effective organizations that emphasize preventive, comprehensive health opportunities and enhance access to health services for women and children.

What has been your favorite GGA program and why?

My 9-year engagement as a member of GGA’s Public Policy Committee has been such a great learning experience. Being part of an evolution from synthesizing key policies and their potential impact to non-profits to educating our sector on strengthening advocacy at the city, county and state level has made me a more effective leader for my community. I came in knowing very little about state policy and this experience with GGA has also made me a more effective grantmaker.

Debra Lam
Partnership for Innovation
Debra Lam is the Founding Director of the Partnership for Innovation, a statewide public-private partnership committed to investing in innovative solutions for shared economic prosperity. She continues to lead smart communities and urban innovation work at Georgia Tech. Prior to this, she served as Pittsburgh’s inaugural Chief of Innovation & Performance where she oversaw all technology, sustainability, performance, and innovation functions of city government. Before that, she was a management consultant at a global engineering and design firm, Arup. She has received various awards, including being named one of the top 100 most influential people in digital government by Apolitcal.

She has worked and lived in the United Kingdom, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. A graduate of Georgetown University and the University of California, Berkeley, Debra serves on the board of the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta and was most recently appointed by the U.S Department of Commerce to the Internet of Things Advisory Board.

Why are you excited to join the GGA Steering Committee?

I am excited to hang out with some of the most thoughtful doers in Georgia as part of the great GGA. I am eager to trade notes, steal the smartest ideas, and hopefully contribute a few insights and work for GGA and others.

Michael Smith
Greater Valdosta United Way
Michael Smith is the CEO of the Greater Valdosta United Way and is a lifelong resident of Valdosta. Michael graduated from Valdosta High School and received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Valdosta State University. He enjoys spending time with his two daughters; Aubrey, and Mary Allen, as well as running, traveling, and kayaking. Michael continuously serves in local leadership positions in both nonprofit and private sectors, and is a successful business owner. He is passionate about serving the communities of South Georgia and strives to inspire positive change.

Tell us about a connection you made at GGA and why it was important to you or your community.

Connecting with the Williams and Callaway Foundations have been instrumental in supporting South Georgia through Hurricane Helene response and recovery efforts. I also enjoyed the annual meeting about K-12 education last year and learning about the program to help kids get eye glasses.

Please join us in welcoming Bonnie, Debra and Michael to the GGA Steering Committee!