Meet Our Team

Dr. Taylor has served as superintendent of Calhoun City Schools for the past eighteen years. Prior to this appointment, she served as an assistant superintendent, principal, assistant principal, instructional coordinator, media specialist, and classroom teacher. Taylor was selected as Georgia Superintendent of the Year in 2014 and was a finalist for the National Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators. Taylor is proud to lead Calhoun City Schools, the 2016 and 2022 Charter System of the Year. CCS has one of the highest district graduation rates at 100%. Dr. Taylor is a fervent supporter of Calhoun City Schools and a product, graduating from Calhoun High School in 1986. She attained her Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Shorter College and earned a master’s degree from West Georgia College with specialist and doctorate degrees in educational leadership from Sarasota University. Taylor was recognized by her peers as Teacher of the Year in 1996 and as Gordon County's Young Careerist of the Year by the Calhoun Business and Professional Women in 1997. Taylor is a lifelong learner who is active in her local community and serves in several capacities at the state and national level. She has been an educational leadership adjunct professor for Lincoln Memorial University, Valdosta State University, Berry College, Piedmont College and presently teaches leadership courses for the University of West Georgia. She is past president of the Calhoun Gordon Council for a Literate Community and has served on the Gordon County Chamber Board of Directors, United Way Board of Directors and Allocations Panel, Big Brothers / Big Sisters Board, Gordon Calhoun Arts Council and the Gordon County Historical Society. She has served as president of the Calhoun Kiwanis Club and is a current member and Paul Harris Fellow with the Calhoun Rotary Club. She has served as chairman of Leadership Calhoun / Gordon County's steering committee for more than twenty years. Additionally, Dr. Taylor serves as past president for the Georgia School Superintendents' Association. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders and is a member of the American Association of School Administrators’ Executive Committee. She is a member of the Professional Association of Georgia Educators and has served on their Foundation Board of Trustees. She is part of the Schlechty Center’s Superintendents’ National Leadership Network. She is past chair of the Northwest Georgia Regional Education Service Agency’s Board of Control and is a member of the Georgia System Charter Foundation Executive Board of Directors where she currently serves as chair. Governor Nathan Deal appointed Taylor to the Superintendent Education Advisory Board in 2014 and to the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission in 2017. Taylor has served on the AdvancED and Cognia Accreditation Council. She served two terms as Chairman for Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Board of Directors, where she continues to serve as a member. Governors Nathan Deal and Brian Kemp have included Taylor on Superintendent Advisory Councils. Michele and her husband Joe have two children. Joseph is a graduate student at Georgia Tech in the Architecture Program. He is married to his college sweetheart Elizabeth Rice. They reside in Atlanta. Anna graduated from Erskine University and is presently employed by Nichols, Cauley & Associates, LLC in Rome. Joe is employed by the Gordon County Government. All proud graduates of Calhoun High School, the Taylors are active in the community and attend Calhoun First Baptist Church.

Dr. Peter Coombe currently serves as the Assistant Superintendent of Operations and Innovations for Calhoun City Schools. He has faithfully served the Calhoun Community for 22 years in the following roles: French Teacher; School Counselor; Assistant Principal; Middle & High School Principal; and Assistant Superintendent. Dr. Coombe obtained his education from the following institutions: University of Florida (BA Business Administration); University of West Alabama (MEd School Counseling); University of West Georgia (EdS Educational Leadership); Georgia State University (EdD Educational Leadership & Policy Studies). As a dedicated educational leader, Dr. Coombe strives to grow the leadership pipeline both as a leader with Calhoun City Schools and as a part-time instructor for regional universities. Dr. Coombe currently teaches specialist and doctoral courses for the University of West Georgia as a part of their Educational Leadership programs. He has previously taught for Georgia State University (EdD Leadership) and Piedmont University (EdS Curriculum and Instruction). As Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Coombe is committed to ensuring that Calhoun City Schools has beautiful campuses with strong learning environments in support of meaningful academic programs. Dr. Coombe is the husband of CCS teacher, Natalie Coombe, and the father of two beautiful children, Violet and Clyde, who attend Calhoun City Schools.

Kayla Ralston serves as the Director of School and Community Relations for Calhoun City Schools. Since 2022, she has played a pivotal role in enhancing the district's communication strategies, bringing her expertise in creative content development, crisis management, and community engagement. As a proud alumna of Calhoun High School (‘07), Kayla is deeply committed to fostering strong connections through clear and impactful communication, showcasing the district’s longstanding tradition of excellence in academics, arts, and athletics. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to school public relations, Kayla received the GSPRA Marie Wofford Professional Award in 2023. As the FY25 President-elect for GSPRA, she is dedicated to advancing school public relations practices across the state.

Dr. Jaime Garrett currently serves as the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources / Teaching and Learning for Calhoun City Schools. The 2024-2025 school year marks Dr. Garrett's 23rd year in education, all within Calhoun City Schools in the following roles: Fourth Grade Teacher; Primary/Elementary Library Media Specialist; Primary/Elementary Assistant Principal; Middle/High Assistant Principal; Elementary Principal; and Assistant Superintendent. Dr. Garrett was elected by her peers as the Calhoun Elementary Teacher of the Year in 2013. Dr. Garrett is a proud CHS graduate (Class of 1997). She obtained her education from the following institutions: Kennesaw State University (BS Elementary Education); Brenau University (MEd Elementary Education); Tennessee Tech University (EdS Instructional Leadership); and University of West Florida (EdD Curriculum and Instruction: Curriculum and Assessment). Dr. Garrett is a 2014 graduate of the Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Calhoun / Gordon County Program where she represented Calhoun City Schools. She currently serves as the Treasurer of Alpha Delta Kappa Teacher Sorority, is member of the Gordon County Literacy Council, and a member of the Tourism committee through the Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Garrett is married to Dan Garrett and they are proud to live in the Calhoun/Gordon County community.

Amanda Schutz has been with Calhoun City Schools since 2003, starting as the School Social Worker. She earned her state license as a clinical social worker in 2002 and was named Georgia's School Social Worker of the Year in 2009. Amanda served as President of the School Social Workers Association of Georgia from 2011-2012 and became the Director of Student Services in 2012. Promoted to Director of Federal Programs and Student Services in 2022, Amanda has secured over $4 million in state and federal grants for CCS. She holds social work and educational leadership degrees from Georgia State, UGA, and the University of Alabama. Amanda and her husband, Michael, have two children, Catie and Noah, and have been Calhoun residents since 1998.

Terri Bryant, Ph.D. serves as Senior Program Director for Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI) where she partners with school systems across the state to improve outcomes for students through leadership and organizational development. She oversees the organization’s strategic improvement planning services, and leads the design and delivery of GLISI’s suite of services including coaching, talent development and retention, school improvement, and change management. In addition to leading school improvement efforts, Terri was recently named an American Express NGen Fellow (2018), and previously selected for Georgia’s State Superintendent Teacher Advisory Board, Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education’s Education Policy Fellowship, and recognized as one of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “People on the Move”. She’s a longstanding member of the Junior League of Atlanta and a graduate of Learning Forward Academy and Learning Forward Georgia’s Executive Leadership Program. Terri earned a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Mercer University, a M.S. in Social Foundations of Education from Georgia State University, and a B.A. in Elementary Education from the University of Kentucky.

Jennie Welch, Ph.D. serves as GLISI’s Vice President of Strategy and Finance. A published researcher with a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Policy and specialization in public budgeting and finance from the University of Georgia, Jennie’s dissertation explored how educational institutions create public value, both in theory and practice. Dr. Welch has both led and co-facilitated strategic planning processes for school systems across Georgia since 2015 and brings unique strengths in supporting communities and school and district leaders in aligning strategy development efforts with the aspirations for success of the local communities they exist to serve. In her role as Vice President for GLISI, Jennie brings technical proficiency and executive leadership to overseeing enterprise-wide finances for a $3.2m annual budget and assets totaling nearly $5m. Jennie has direct experience working with the leadership team in Calhoun City Schools to prototype and design more engaging, enriching and meaningful learning experiences for students. Jennie is a wife and mother of two. She and her family reside in Athens, GA. Jennie is a member of First Presbyterian Church and volunteers her time serving foster youth in the Athens-Oconee community as a Court Appointed Special Advocate.

Erica Gilbertson, Ed.D. is the Director of Organizational Impact for GLISI. In this role she translates data into compelling narratives, demonstrating how GLISI's work is making a difference in the lives of education leaders and students across Georgia. Erica also developed GLISI's Impact Framework, a tool that utilizes key indicators to measure and communicate progress in priority areas. From 2012-21 she served as public service faculty at the University of Georgia where she led school-university partnerships work and co-led the Athens P-20 Collaborative. Erica also directed a U.S. Department of Education Promise Neighborhood grant in Athens, GA and managed a $4 million Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant that created six small high school in the Sacramento Unified School District. Earlier in her career she worked as the Communications Manager in the Stanford University School of Education and taught high school English in Ann Arbor, MI. Erica is an active researcher and scholar who has published ten book chapters and articles in peer reviewed journals. Her dissertation research focused on the role of school-university partnerships in new teacher support, and she is the co-author of the book The Action Research Dissertation: Learning from Leading Change. Erica earned an Ed.D. in Learning, Leadership, and Organizational Development from the University of Georgia, an M.A. in Educational Studies from the University of Michigan, and a B.A. in English and Scandinvaian Studies from Luther College.