William Johnson
President/Founder
OUR FOUNDER
VISIONARY
William M. Johnson has a passion for youth in urban communities. He desires to see all youth maximize their full God-given potential.
Equipping students, adults and leaders to rise to the top for more than 14 years as a Student Pastor and through working with Young Life as a mentor and counselor. He has served as a chaplain for the Gwinnett Youth Detention Center in Georgia, serving and planting seeds and positively impacting students for 7 years.
SERVANT
William is also the founder and executive director of Thrive Youth Development, Inc.
The organization positively impacts more than 100 students a year through coaching and mentoring in the local school systems, youth detention centers and community initiatives throughout Georgia.
His goal is to bring awareness to the need for social justice and help raise up more leaders across the country that will get involved in missions in their back yard that will unlock their community and save our youth.
Janet Porter
Program Director
Janet was born and raised in Kansas, right in the middle of America! She moved to the Atlanta area in 2011 in order for her husband to accept a job with Lockheed Martin. Janet and her husband have 2 adult children (a daughter and a son) and are foster parents to two girls. Janet recently resigned from her job as Family Ministry Leader to be a full time foster mom and a director/CFO for Four Corners Group (FCG).
Janet is honored to be serving alongside an amazing team at FCG and with the Pathways Youth Leadership program. She cannot wait to see what God will do for the families that FCG/Pathways will serve!
In her precious free time, Janet enjoys reading, playing table games with her family and meeting for coffee with her friends. She also loves taking adventurous hikes with her husband and exploring new places with him on the rare occasions they have a date night.
Brian & Christie Holben
Brian: Operations Director and austell campus director Christie: mentor
Brian and Christie met in middle school, and have now been married for 11 years! Over the years, their lives and vocations have taken them from working overseas in East Asia, to community outreach, to pastoral ministry with a local church, to serving international students in Atlanta, and now to Four Corners Group.
They have lived in their neighborhood in downtown Atlanta (shoutout to the SWATS!) for over 8 years, and this has opened their eyes to both the beauty and the struggles of those who are often marginalized in our society. Over the years they have become increasingly burdened for social justice, particularly as they’ve witnessed undeniable patterns, systemic issues, and common denominators across lower-income Black and brown communities regardless of zip codes. As they’ve “become family” and walked with many of their neighbors through the trauma of incarceration (as well as things like unjust evictions, shootings, discrimmination, and the effects of poverty), they have been filled with a passion to push back against the forces of oppression in our society. They have had the privilege to mentor several young men and women from their neighborhood, as well as to offer their home as a place of light and refuge to many. They firmly believe that each person, no matter their background, record, rap sheet, education, income, or race has God-given worth, dignity, and assets to offer our world.
Brian and Christie’s family – their “crew” as they call it – is a tapestry of individuals woven together in unlikely but beautiful ways. Together in their home they currently have their two young sons, a middle schooler from their neighborhood, two young men from their neighborhood, and their brother from the country of Nepal. In their free time they love having block parties and playing Spades with their neighbors, exploring new places, cooking/eating food from around the world, and drinking good coffee.
Ron Green
Program developer
Ron Green was born and raised in South Bend, IN and has been a resident of the greater Atlanta area for 19 years. As a father of 6, he knew he had a gift to impact youth! Mr. Green is a Program Facilitator for the Independent Work Program at the Collective. He’s also the Founder and CEO of Operation Snatch Back, a 501(c)3 nonprofit youth development organization. Mr. Green specializes in equipping youth to withstand negative influences, push through hardships, and make a successful transition to adulthood. He helps them to uncover gifts within, so they become leaders in their homes, schools, and communities. His vast training in counseling, including experiential group training and CIT training allows him the ability to show empathy, connect well with people and the ability “to walk in other’s shoes”. In his spare time, Ron enjoys traveling, reading, and most of all, building relationships with people of all walks of life.
Will Guy II
facilitator
Hometown: Stone Mountain, GA
Owner & Executive Chef, Thin Line Catering
Cookbook Author, The Audacity to Cook
Graduated from Georgia Southern University (Hospitality Management – 2014)
Has served with Thrive Youth Development as a mentor and facilitator since 2015
Loves Duke Basketball, San Antonio Spurs, and he will beat you one on one.
Addicted to Avocados
After being arrested at 17 and facing up to five years in jail, he later gave his life to Christ after his release and is on a mission to see young guys become the man God created them to be!
Terrell K. Johnson
facilitator
Born May 6, 1984 in Jackson, Mississippi. Terrell is a gifted and passionate speaker, mentor, trainer, and coach. After having success as an assistant coach at Stephenson High School (2004, 2008 and 2015 State champions) and as an AAU coach (10 tournament titles), coaching basketball led Terrell to realize the same principles he taught students to win in the game of basketball were the same principles they could use in winning in life. Terrell worked with Thrive Youth Organization where he served as a Lead Trainer and mentor 2009-2015, served in prison ministry with Four Corner from 2010-14, worked with served as Youth Pastor at The House Of Miracles and Blessings from 2013-2016, serves as a member of Jackie Brewton’s Y.E.S. Team (Youth Empowerment Speakers), worked as a Recreation Supervisor in the Department of Juvenile Justice 2013-2014, works as paraprofessional at Stephenson High School, he is in his 15th year at UPS and in his 16th years as assistant coach of the women’s basketball team at Stephenson High school.
Terrell has spoken on a host of different subjects and areas that include abstinence, college preparatory seminars, training seminars for teaching at-risk students, leadership classes, life group sessions, volunteer training, relationships, single life and much more. Terrell believes it is essential to change the mindset of society and in order for this to change to occur, we have to change what and how we teach young people. Terrell is a graduate of Stephenson High School and obtained his Bachelor’s Degree from Clayton State University.
Qayyim McKoy
Toastmasters International Coach
Qayyim enthusiastically believes in the expression Pay it Forward. He is passionate about seizing any opportunity to learn from, inform, positively guide and uplift at-risk children and his community.
Qayyim’s early start as a youth mentor began at Thrive Youth Development mentoring students ages 12-18. Being “all in”, Qayyim connected strongly with the youth, organization and community and was selected Volunteer of the Year (2) times for his outstanding community service and leadership. He later became a certified Toastmasters coach and earned a certificate for Outstanding Services as a Toastmaster Coordinator. Additionally, he had the grand opportunity to teach a life skills and universal principles curriculum to an all-male group at Dekalb Academy of Technology & Environment and public speaking skills at Marietta Middle School as a Toastmasters Instructor and Coordinator.
In addition to his role as Toastmaster Coordinator for the 1625 Initiative, Qayyim is a paraprofessional at the Center for the Visually Impaired (toddler level). He holds a bachelor’s degree in Film and TV Broadcasting from Full Sail University and is a freelance writer, creative director, and producer for several visual mediums.
When he’s not pouring into the lives of youth, Qayyim enjoys spending time with his family, watching movies, and creating vision boards.
Colby Hall
Success Coach
Colby Hall is passionate about developing relationships and learning from those who are different from him. He believes that Jesus calls his followers to serve and love others, seek justice for the oppressed, and have compassion for those who are hurting, and FCG has given him and many others a way to follow that calling.
Colby was born in Conyers, GA and has lived in Loganville, GA, a small town east of Atlanta, for almost his whole life. His regular trips visiting relatives in the Northeast US ignited his interest for travel and experiencing different cultures and languages. Beginning in his high school years, that interest inspired him both to start studying Spanish and to volunteer with Haven of Hope International’s Refugio de Esperanza Orphanage in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, which he regularly visits on mission trips to serve and love their at-promise youth. After graduating from Georgia State University in 2019 with a B.A. in Applied Linguistics and a minor in Spanish, Colby is thankful for the chance that FCG gives him to use his language skills and be a regular, encouraging presence in the lives of at-promise students.
Colby brings over 6 years of serving at-promise/orphaned youth, Spanish language skills, and general communication and intercultural skills to his role as Success Coach at FCG. As a Success Coach, he maintains regular communication with students and their families about their progress, celebrating in the students’ highlight moments and encouraging them at their low points. He also aids in whatever is needed to help the 1625 Pathways Program run as smoothly as possible.
One of Colby’s primary additional interests is music. He writes, produces, arranges, and plays various musical instruments for his band, LOOKiT, and he also produces music for other artists. He is an avid New England sports fan due to his New England roots; lastly, he still loves to travel, especially to places where he can practice his Spanish!
Robbin Barnes
Success Coach
Robbin Barnes was born and raised in Panama City, FL. In 2015, she and her two daughters relocated to the Atlanta area. She is very passionate about empowering youth and has a strong desire to help them find their way out of an unclear path.
Most of Robbin’s career has been in education, working with at-promise youth. She has worked as a reading and math tutor, credit recovery personnel, youth advisor, and as a key catalyst in leading students that are in an alternative environment to graduation from high school. She was happy to lend her hand to the youth in our communities all while raising her daughters and accomplishing her goal of obtaining a bachelor’s degree from Argosy University in December 2017.
As a Pathways Success Coach, Robbin’s goal is to bring a restored, more productive, hopeful thought process to our youth, leading them down a more successful path in life. She is committed to bringing families together, helping them to create healthier support systems as one cohesive unit.
In her free time, Robbin enjoys spending time with her family, listening to music, watching movies, and traveling.
Laronda Brown
parenting on purpose coach
Laronda is passionate about universal education. She considers herself a lifelong learner and supports the learning of individuals at all ages and stages, whether it’s chemistry or cooking.
A true Alabama spirit, she will readily greet you with a smile and a hearty “Roll Tide!” She has worked in the areas of youth and family programming, social work, and international education. She has traveled an interesting career journey that has brought her to her current passion–school counseling. In addition, Laronda is currently pursuing doctoral study at the University of Georgia.
She strives to help students be their best versions of themselves and has been doing so for the past 10 years. She has learned how to be creative, flexible, patient, and adaptable to changing situations. These are the skills she will be using as a Success Coach to support youth towards becoming thriving adults.
When Laronda is able to find a moment of spare time, she spends it reading, volunteering, and soaking in joy and laughter from her loved ones.
Andrea Oliver
Development Manager
Andrea is a native of New Jersey. Her family moved down to Georgia when she was just a toddler. She believes she has the perfect balance of a Northern/Southern combo kind of personality that has severed her well in her professional and personal life.
She studied at Mercer University and Kennesaw State University in education and biology with hopes of becoming a teacher someday. She started working for the humane society as an animal control officer while attending college. Andrea decided then to follow her passion with helping unwanted and neglected animals. You can only imagine some of the stories she has to share.
Andrea has more than 14 years’ experience in managing and project coordination for corporate and non-profit organizations. Her background includes many years working in human resources, development, project management and coordination, legal administration, and web design and management. But no matter where her professional life takes her, she always finds herself working with children and/or an animal welfare organization.
You can find Andrea spending time with her amazing family which consist of two and four legged members, in her garden playing in the dirt, cooking something (that’s the Italian and Greek in her), or loving on any of the neighbor’s animals and children.
Justin Squires
Volunteer Coordinator
Justin Squires is a native of Marietta, Georgia who currently works for a Japanese real estate investment firm. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 2019 with a degree in Linguistics and a sub-focus in Japanese language and culture.
Justin wants to contribute to the end of the institutional oppression of all peoples by helping the youth who grew up on the front lines of this oppression to heal themselves. In this, the institutions that sustained their suffering will be healed as well.
His current passion and pastime involve looking to understand the meaning of this life!
James Taylor II
Technology Specialist
Crystal Grayson
Executive Assistant
While a native of New Jersey, Crystal was raised in Kennesaw, Georgia as a young child. With attending not only high school and college but elementary as well in Georgia, she considers Georgia as the state that holds her heart and is the place of her true home.
Crystal attended the University of Georgia where she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Psychology. While in Athens, Georgia, she began a fulfilling career in student housing working herself through several positions from student worker to Area Manager. It was while working in student housing, that she discovered her true passion for helping others, working within a community and cultivating positive and vibrant relationships with people. After 14 years in the industry, Crystal made the very tough but bold move to transition from student housing, allowing herself to focus on personal growth and development and to pursue her passion and purpose in helping others.
She currently enjoys spending her time reading, volunteering, exercising, and researching new skills!
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