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LIFESTYLE LETTER
Thinking About Motherhood
Hey SoFu,
I’m reading Kin by my favorite author Tayari Jones and I’m thinking about the ways the best friend characters become like sisters. I’m also thinking about how the protagonist’s aunt is thrust unwillingly into motherhood. There are lots of ways to mother. And lots of paths to get there.
I’m thinking about how my son sang a solo in the school play and nothing in the store, even my favorite local gift shop Heart2Home gifts, can make my heart feel as full. Being AJ’s mom IS the gift! (Don’t tell him.) And I truly owe my own mother because I had no idea what she went through. (How do y’all survive the teenage stage? AJ thinks I’m going to let him DRIVE with me in the car!)
Some of the women we honor here are moms and grandmothers. Those we honor in this issue may or may not be moms. They are sisters, daughters, godmothers, aunts and pillars in our eight cities. Mayor Camille Lowe, Kathy Booker, Kristy Beam and Elouise Miller, we honor you! This is the month when we honor all women in SoFu! Take a moment to appreciate the women in your life this month. Give them their flowers!
Sue G. Collins, Tiffany C. Dilliard, Shandra Hill Smith
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Bob Mackey, Greg Mooney, Braxton Smith, Aric Thompson
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
President Matthew Perry
COO David Stetler
CRO Jamie Pentz
CoS Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Mary Albers
LAYOUT DESIGNER Emily Lisenbee
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Marina Campbell
inside the issue
business monthly
Twenty Pearls Foundation Presented the Golden Years Senior Fair
The Twenty Pearls Foundation proudly presented the Golden Years Senior Fair, bringing vital services, joy, and renewed hope to seniors and families in East Point.
Hosted by Fox 5’s Alex Whittler, the event welcomed more than 230 residents for health screenings, resources, and community support. Grady Health System, along with the Grady Mobile Mammogram Bus, provided essential care, and community partners included the Salvation Army, Arden’s Garden, Publix, and Zubi’s Tacos. Learn more at The20PearlsFoundation.org.
Biggest DreamHack Festival Ever Is Coming to Georgia May 15–17
DreamHack Atlanta, part of ESL FACEIT Group, will return to Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center. DreamHack Atlanta 2026 will mark a pivotal moment in the video game and esports industry in Georgia. DreamHack Atlanta will serve as host for a Call of Duty League® Major for the very first time. This festival will be DreamHack’s only event in the U.S. in 2026, and it will mark its eighth year in Atlanta. Tickets at DreamHack.com.
Alliance Theatre 2026/2027 Season
Atlanta’s nationally acclaimed Alliance Theatre, Jennings Hertz Artistic Directors Tinashe Kajese-Bolden and Christopher Moses, and Managing Director Brandon Kahn, are pleased to announce 12 productions on three stages including five world premieres, four musicals and more.
Highlights include world premiere musical “Alice in Neverland,” the Tony Award-winning and Pulitzer Prize-winning play, “Purpose,” hit Tony-nominated play “John Proctor is the Villian,” a world premiere adaptation of “Winnie the Pooh,” and the world premiere of the musical “Like Father.”
Photography by Greg Mooney
ARTICLE BY DR. MELINDA
ELOUISE MILLER
106 AMAZING BIRTHDAYS!
In Calhoun County, South Carolina, Elouise Miller was born Elouise McPherson on April 30, 1920, one of 13 children. Woodrow Wilson was president of the United States at the time.
Elouise was born of the union between Ben McPherson and Rebecca Darby at a time when having many children meant more hands to tend to sharecropping the land.
Elouise recalls walking miles to attend a one-room schoolhouse which she thoroughly enjoyed, even though it was overcrowded. Like many of her contemporaries vying to escape the harsh realities of life in the south, she migrated up north with her sisters, Frizella, Willie Mae, and Anna Julia, eventually landing in Harlem, New York, where she met and married Walter Miller.
Elouise worked tirelessly as a domestic worker for individual families and in department stores to meet the needs of her family of seven children. Although she was never able to obtain more than an 8th grade education, she was an avid educator of her children, always stressing the importance of education and placing high expectations on them. This resulted in two medical doctors, two PhDs, and an award-winning pianist known as the Harlem Maestro along with entrepreneurs and social worker/therapists.
When Elouise is asked what she attributes her longevity to she says eating apples and hard work. And more than anything else, she says, having seven children and relationships with her grandchildren and great grandchildren give her continued purpose. Their daily engagement with her keeps her sharp, focused, and determined to stay strong.
Happy Birthday Mrs. Elouise Miller!
DR. KRISTY BEAM
Dr. Kristy Beam has spent her entire career doing the thing most people only talk about: closing gaps, opening doors, and building systems that actually work for students who have been overlooked, underestimated, and underserved. Now, with the Academy for Innovation in Medicine, she is changing what is possible for an entire generation of young people who deserve to see their future clearly before they are ever asked to choose it.
AIM is a tuition-free public charter school where students begin exploring healthcare careers as early as 6th grade. It is built on a belief Dr. Beam has carried throughout every chapter of her career: Talent is universal, but opportunity and access are not.
In the following conversation, Dr. Beam explains AIM’s mission and how it transforms opportunities for Atlanta students.
FOR READERS WHO MAY NOT YET BE FAMILIAR WITH AIM, CAN YOU DESCRIBE IT IN YOUR OWN WORDS?
AIM is a tuition-free public charter school where students begin exploring healthcare careers as early as 6th grade, fostering early interest and skills.
Photo by Aric Thompson
AIM IS PARTNERING WITH GRADY HEALTH SYSTEM. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOUR STUDENTS?
It means our students are not just learning about healthcare; they are actively participating in it. For example, a 6th grader can sit with a Grady health leader and start a mentorship that grows each year. By 9th grade, students shadow professionals on clinical floors, and by 11th grade, they work alongside those same mentors, gaining real-world experience and building confidence in healthcare careers.
WHAT DO YOU WANT STUDENTS TO FEEL AND KNOW ABOUT THEMSELVES BY THE TIME THEY GRADUATE?
By the time our students graduate, I want them to feel unstoppable. Not because someone told them they could do it, but because they have already done it. They have walked hospital floors, built relationships with healthcare professionals, and developed real skills in real environments. They are not leaving us hoping for a future in healthcare. They are leaving us already inside of it.
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ADVICE YOU WOULD OFFER YOUNG WOMEN WHO ASPIRE TO LEAD?
Find the women who will tell you the truth, push you further than you think you can go, and pour into you without hesitation. Those relationships will shape you in ways no title or credential ever could. Furthermore, do not wait for permission to lead. Start where you are. Leadership is not about what is on your business card. It is about what you create for the people around you, and that work is always worth doing, even when it feels uncertain.
AIM is currently enrolling 6th and 9th grade students for the fall.
More than a hospital, it’s a commitment to expanding care, strengthening communities, and shaping the future of healthcare across South Fulton County.
Grady South is opening in phases, beginning with the freestanding emergency department in June 2026, with continued expansion through January 2031. This new medical center campus is designed to bring care closer to home with a freestanding emergency department, a medical office building, and a future hospital all part of the plan.
This is about more access, more services, and a stronger, healthier community. It’s how Grady continues to grow with the people we serve today and for generations.
gradyhealth.org
KATHY Booker
Kathy Booker doesn’t talk about leadership in theory. She talks about it in terms of people, pressure, and real decisions.
A Southwest Atlanta native and nearly 30-year presence in South Fulton County, Booker has built her career working closely with the community she now helps lead. Her recent appointment as Interim President and CEO of the Greater South Fulton Chamber of Commerce marks a new chapter—but it’s a natural progression of the work she’s been doing for decades.
Before stepping into this role, Booker spent 10 years as a District Representative for the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, followed by 16 years leading Marvelous Light Empowerment Association. Through its Woman University program, she worked directly with women building businesses, managing finances, and navigating major life decisions.
“I’ve always been focused on helping people move forward,” Booker says. “Not just with ideas, but with clear steps.”
That same approach carries into her work as Managing Partner of BestieFinder, where she focuses on faith-based personal development and financial education. As a certified Gift Coach, she helps individuals and teams understand what drives their decisions—especially under pressure.
“It’s one thing to have a plan,” she shares. “But it’s something deeper—something transformational—to understand the why behind your choices. Because until you do, you’re not truly leading your life… you’re simply following patterns.”
That focus on clarity is central to her leadership style. Whether working with entrepreneurs, ministry leaders, or corporate teams, Booker is known for cutting through noise and helping people focus on what matters most.
Now, at the Chamber, her priorities are practical: strengthen local businesses, build stronger partnerships, and create steady opportunities for growth across South Fulton County.
Her leadership reflects the same pattern seen throughout her career—consistent, community-centered, and focused on long-term impact.
“I’ve been part of this community for a long time,” Booker shares. “And this isn’t just about building something—it’s about creating something meaningful, something that makes a real impact and stands the test of time.”
ARTICLE BY ERIKKA SEARLES MITCHELL
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ARTICLE BY KALI KASORZYK
PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED
BECKY HILLYARD
From Side Hustle to Style Empire
The power of taste, trust, and the courage to “just start.”
She didn’t have a business plan, a media budget, or even a name anyone could pronounce. What Becky Hillyard had was taste, a young family, and the instinct to just start. Today, her lifestyle brand Cella Jane commands an audience the size of Vogue’s , she’s nine collections strong with Splendid, and she’s built it all while raising three kids — refusing to sacrifice one for the other. In an exclusive conversation for the Share the Lifestyle podcast, Becky shares what it really takes to build a brand, a career, and a life you love. Read the highlights below, then scan the QR code for the full conversation.
Q: WHEN DID YOU KNOW CELLA JANE WAS MORE THAN A HOBBY?
A: Two moments. Women started emailing me saying they bought something I recommended and felt amazing — asking me to help them find a dress for a wedding. That felt incredible. Then I looked at my affiliate numbers for one month and realized I could cover our mortgage. I thought, I can actually do this. I never set out to build a business. I started it because I genuinely loved it.
Becky in Splendid x @CellaJaneBlog Spring 2026 Collection
Q: WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST RISK YOU EVER TOOK WITH THE BRAND?
A: Designing my own collection. It’s easy to point at items on a website and say I love these. But to create something from scratch, put your name on it, and wait to see if people connect with it — that’s terrifying. I had an incredible partner in Splendid, and women loved the pieces. It was the biggest risk and the biggest accomplishment.
Q: HOW HAS INFLUENCER MARKETING CHANGED SINCE YOU STARTED?
A: When I started, brands didn’t know whether to take it seriously. Now it’s a legitimate line item in their marketing budgets — sometimes bigger than TV. Because what we’ve built is trust. People trust a real recommendation from someone they follow far more than a commercial. There’s no question about it now.
Q: YOU’RE A MOM OF THREE RUNNING A FULL BRAND. WHAT DOES YOUR DAY ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE?
A: I try to get up at five and not hit snooze — that first hour before the house wakes up is the most productive, most peaceful hour of my day. Then it’s all hands on deck with the kids and school drop-off. After that I work — planning content, connecting with my team, editing. After pickup, the day shifts completely and it’s all about them. I’ve learned to protect both halves fiercely, because both matter.
Q: WHAT WOULD YOU TELL SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO BUILD SOMETHING OF THEIR OWN BUT KEEPS WAITING?
A: Don’t wait. Don’t wait for the perfect camera, the right strategy, or enough followers. We find every excuse to stay comfortable. Just start, be consistent, and be authentically yourself. The right people will find you — and they’ll stay.
This conversation is just the beginning. Becky goes deeper on the risks that almost stopped her, the design process behind her latest Splendid collection, and what she’d tell her 2012 self today. Scan the QR code for the full, exclusive City Lifestyle interview on the Share the Lifestyle podcast.
“Trust is the only metric that actually compounds.”
— Becky Hillyard
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A PATH TO SERVICE
ARTICLE BY SUE G. COLLINS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BOB MACKEY
Camille Lowe instinctively turns her face to the sun when it finally comes out. Sitting on a fence post at Hutcheson Ferry Park in Chattahoochee Hills, she points out the 3 miles of trails that wind through the hilly 103-acre park, one of eight public outdoor spaces she helps manage as the Mayor of the City of Chattahoochee. With over 37,000 acres of farmland, preserved greenspace, and large residential lots, the city also boasts the state’s first scenic byway, and seven public parks and facilities on 1,200 acres of preserved parklands with access to the Chattahoochee River. Few communities can offer this kind of connection to nature, where residents and visitors can enjoy walking, reflection, learning and time outdoors with family. It’s no wonder Camille chose to make Chatt Hills her home in 2014.
“I first came to Chatt Hills in 2014 while looking for a place with nature in mind,” she says. “I lived in California right out of college, and when I came home to Georgia, it felt different. The beautiful character of some of the small towns was beginning to change, and I noticed that some areas were very quick to pave over most of their landscape.
I needed to be near Atlanta for my work and not as far south as my hometown of Macon, and Chatt Hills made perfect sense.”
Since then, Camille settled in Serenbe, ran successfully for a City Council seat, and was elected Mayor (the city’s first female in the role) in 2025. Her day job as territory account manager for a biopharmaceutical company takes her through other rural communities throughout the state so she recognizes how unique her hometown is in many ways.
“I wasn’t familiar with any other place in Georgia that was planning to preserve 70% of their land,” says Camille. “This place wanted to try and be different and shoot for a better quality of life. As I spent more time here, I grew to appreciate not just the natural beauty, but the thoughtful vision and the people who care deeply about preserving what makes this place special.”
Being surrounded by nature suits her perfectly. Walking with friends on the paths of Serenbe or diving deeper into the miles of park trails, preserving the land and keeping it accessible are priorities, personally and as Mayor.
Meet Chattahoochee Hills Mayor Camille Lowe
“My favorite thing to do in Chatt Hills is to be outside. Whether it’s a quiet walk, a conversation with a neighbor, or just taking in the landscape, that’s where I find both connection and peace,” she notes.
This month, as we celebrate Mother’s Day and the special women in our lives, Camille remembers her own mom. It’s no surprise her fondest childhood memories include walking through a neighbor’s peach grove with her mom and sister and celebrating the season’s explosion of azaleas.
“Because of that, I often spend Mother’s Day outside, taking in the landscape around me. It’s a quiet moment to reflect, appreciate those memories, and be grateful for the influence she had on my life.”
Camille is proud to serve her community and encourages young women to trust their instincts and step up when they see an opportunity to make a difference, explore the community, attend city meetings, and ask questions.
“Some of the best perspectives come from simply caring about where you live and being willing to listen and learn.
Local government shapes the places we call home, and thoughtful, engaged voices are always needed. Even small steps like volunteering, serving on a board, or participating in community conversations lead to meaningful and lasting impact.”
Caring deeply about the place we live makes coming home more meaningful and Camille believes service is the most wholesome expression of belonging.
“We will always have differences, but a strong sense of community makes a meaningful difference. I serve because I care and hope for a bright future, one where people feel connected and part of something meaningful. I love Chattahoochee Hills!”
AMELIA ISLAND
at This Georgia-Border Gem
It’s a city that prides itself on being a place where people can “experience the luxury of letting go.” And letting go is exactly what you’ll fall right into while settling in at your home away from home on Amelia Island. This Florida gem, 13 miles long and 2 miles wide, is roughly 6 hours from Atlanta—20 minutes from the Georgia border and a half-hour from Jacksonville, Florida.
It features breathtaking beauty, offering scenes of nature, a Victorian seaport village, beaches, and a vibrant downtown.
Here, you’ll have no shortage of recreation—from fishing to cruising to biking to skydiving. And if the island is simply a place to unwind, as it is for this traveling writer, that’s certainly fine, too.
Naturally, the island will call you to explore. And when you do, you’ll find plenty of dining options within a matter of minutes by foot from downtown. The Hampton Inn & Suites-Amelia Island Historic Harbor Front, in its Victorian style, offers that convenience, located minutes from restaurants and shops, in its relaxing harbor location. Whether it’s seafood, fresh fudge, a scoop of ice cream, or even something to wear, you’ll discover it within a host of eclectic shops.
In this birthplace of the modern shrimping industry, getting a taste of shrimp and seafood is a must. Timoti’s Seafood Shak,
in downtown Amelia Island, serves up shrimp, lobster rolls, fish tacos, and more in an atmosphere that includes outdoor dining. Timoti’s serves fresh local, wild-caught seafood from the island.
Of course, visiting Amelia Island also means going to the beach. Fernandina Beach delivers both fun in the water and time for curling up with a good book or winding down on the sand. Afterward, it’s a short walk across the street for dinner at Salt Life Food Shack for, among other eats, Lump Crab Spinach Dip, Asian Salmon Salad, and Fried Calamari.
For more exploration, especially if taking in history is important to you, hop aboard the Cumberland Coastal Tour with Amelia River Cruise for a laidback sightseeing tour along the shorelines of Amelia Island and Cumberland Island, where John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette married in 1996 at the First African Baptist Church. On this adventure, you’ll want to pay close attention, as you may spot dolphins, sea turtles, and feral horses along the way.
Looking to get out and explore or just take it easy? Amelia Island makes both possible, even if you can only settle in for a short stay. And it’s sure to beckon you for more than one return visit. This writer is ready to do it all again!
ARTICLE BY SHANDRA HILL SMITH | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRAXTON SMITH AND PROVIDED
