Shari L. Williams, Ph.D., Executive Director Dr. Williams is a Public Historian and independent scholar. She is the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in History from Auburn University. Her interest in the Modern American South and Public History began with her non-profit volunteer work in historic preservation in Macon County. This work inspired her to establish The Ridge Macon County Archaeology Project. Her research interests include the past, present, and future of rural historic landscapes and cultural traditions in Alabama’s Black Belt with an emphasis on social history through the lens of race, gender, and class. Dr. Williams is the author of the chapter “Death Can Not Make Our Souls Afraid: Mosaic Templars of America Headstones in Macon County, Alabama, 1887-1931” in the book Grave History: Death, Race, and Gender in Southern Cemeteries (Kami Fletcher and Ashley Towle, editors. UGA Press 2023). She currently serves on the Alabama Folklife Association’s Board of Directors as President. She also serves on the Boards of the Alabama Historical Association, and the Black Belt African American Genealogical and Historical Society.
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Corlis Clark, Board Member
Corlis Dallas Clark is virtually a life-long resident of the south Macon County, Alabama community. She is an alumna of the historic South Macon High School (also called the Macon County Training School). After graduation, Ms. Clark completed coursework at Tuskegee University. She earned Lab Technician credentials from Alexander City Jr. College and went on to begin a career with the U.S. Postal Service as a Rural Route Mail Carrier. Her career spanned 30 years. After retirement in 2007, Ms. Clark worked as an adjunct data collector and instructor with an agriculture and nutrition program for youth that was housed at Tuskegee University. Ms. Clark is a member of the Sweet Pilgrim Baptist Church, Roba, Alabama.
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JOHANNA ROBINSON, Board MemberJohanna resides in Escondido, California but is deeply emersed in Macon County history by way of her spouse’s ancestral roots in Warrior Stand, Macon County. She is an avid genealogist, artist, and writer. She has parlayed her extensive experience as a project manager into volunteerism, working extensively to mentor technology & business entrepreneurs in for-profit and non-profit organizations. Johanna served as a volunteer logistics coordinator for the 2022 and 2023 Old Federal Road Storytelling Festivals and as a 2023 festival planning committee member. She and Dr. Williams co-authored the Reader’s Theatre play for the 2023 festival entitled “When Freedom Came." Her current project is a children's book series. Developing the series has allowed her to combine her talent for storytelling and illustration and to channel her expertise in history, genealogy, and the arts to enrich her work with depth and detail.
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Kurling Robinson - Board MemberKurling Robinson is a founder, musician, and startup visionary with over 30 years of experience in software engineering and entrepreneurship. He is the CEO of Fōkcus, a consulting company that assists schools and other organizations with innovation programs that support entrepreneurship. He cares deeply about the community and serves in strategic board positions, including board chairman of the San Diego Workforce Partnership (SDWP) and board member of Startup San Diego, The Program Labs, and the California State University San Marcos Innovation Hub. Kurling became involved with The Ridge Project through his deep ancestral roots in Warrior Stand, Macon County, Alabama, including his Reid and Moore family tree branches.
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Cedric G. Sanders, Ph.D., Board Member Cedric G. Sanders is a descendant of ancestors from Creek Stand in south Macon County, Alabama. He is an Instructional Designer in the University of Georgia’s Finance and Administration Department. Dr. Sanders’ research focus is African American men’s experiences in obtaining graduate level academic degrees in higher education. His dissertation, Counternarratives of African American Male Doctoral Students at Predominantly White Institutions, highlights the significance of this work and the need for intentional mentorship support, and meaningful interventions to increase the enrollment of African American men in higher education. He obtained his Ph.D. in Learning, Leadership, and Organizational Development with an emphasis on adult education from the University of Georgia. Dr. Sanders is a former police officer and throughout his twelve-year career, he served at Georgia State University and The City of Stone Mountain, promoting community policing and finally serving as a School Resource Officer in the Dekalb County School System. During his career, his passion and focus has always been to encourage other black men to thrive and to promote social justice. He is also the founder of a men’s group called Brother’s Keepers where he has created a safe place for black men to engage in conversations and lead them on a journey of discovering and understanding their power. In addition to a doctoral degree, Dr. Sanders holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Science in Adult Education Instructional Technology from Troy University.
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The Ridge Board of Directors is dedicated to telling the stories of indigenous Native Americans and the free and enslaved pioneer settlers and travelers on the Old Federal Road into the Alabama frontier during the 1800s, highlighting the transformations of the area from then until now. In 2021, The Ridge Board is celebrating ten years of fulfilling our mission.