GCV Education Fund Board of Directors

Ontario Smith is a political and external affairs specialist with more than than 15 years of experience navigating the challenging political and regulatory environments that face projects across the United States. 

Ontario has worked for Fortune 200 companies in a variety of capacities within analytical, policy and political organizations. Ontario’s career began at Pacific Gas and Electric Company in San Francisco, where he led regulatory efforts related to ratemaking. Ontario transitioned into a role as principal local representative to the City and County of San Francisco where he led outreach and lobbying strategies with the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and other City agencies. Ontario also worked at AT&T, in Atlanta, where he led external affairs in the Metro Atlanta region. 

In his current capacity as Managing Principal and Co-Founder at S2 Partners, Ontario works with clients across the country to enhance their relationships with local and state government officials, local stakeholders and organized labor. The S2 Partners team works to facilitate an environment where collaborative zoning, land use and workforce strategies are implemented, ensuring that important projects are designed, approved and constructed in diverse communities. 

Ontario is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

James is a renewable energy investor and advocate based in Atlanta. He has 7+ years of experience in the clean energy / clean tech investment space. Recently he worked as a policy analyst with CleanCapital, a leading investment platform for distributed solar and storage with more than 200 MW across the US.

James is particularly interested in expanding access to solar for schools and non-profits. In partnership with Southface Institute and Creative Solar USA, James helped finance and develop a 126 kW solar + storage project for a K-12 school in Atlanta, helping it become the first school in the state to go 100% solar.

James serves on the boards of Georgia Conservation Voters Education Fund, Georgia Solar Energy Association, and the Altamaha Riverkeeper. He has a BA and MA degree from Emory University and a MSc in Carbon Finance from University of Edinburgh. He and his wife live in Atlanta with their cat and dog. 

Dr. Treva Gear is the founder and chair of the Concerned Citizens of Cook County, a community grassroots organization in Adel, Georgia.  She is also the Georgia State Manager for Dogwood Alliance, an environmental organization that focuses on protecting southern forests and communities from industrial logging.  Dr. Gear is an Army veteran, an educator of 17 years, and a community organizer. She has run for political office in two election cycles. Dr. Gear ran for GA State House District 175 in 2018 and GA State Senate in 2020. She believes in being the change that she wants to see in the world and doesn’t mind “getting into good trouble.” Dr. Gear holds a doctorate in Adult and Career Education from Valdosta State University.

A native of Burke County, Aliegha Kemp was born and raised in the Augusta area. Prior to her career as a Realtor she worked for the Richmond County Tax Commissioner’s Office as a Project Manager. Aliegha has a deep-rooted interest in the betterment of our community. As a locally grown individual, Aliegha has a vested interest in our youth, and for the past five years she has served as the administrator of the Youth Leadership Augusta program, a Board Member of Leadership Augusta and the YMCA. She believes in staying humble and grounded always reminding those she meets that she is just a country girl looking to make an impact on the world around her. Aliegha is also an affiliate of Georgia WAND and a member of the Burke Archway Housing Committee.

The Rev. Dr. William E. Flippin, Jr. is a Pastor, ecumenist, and social advocate and a rostered clergy in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA),. He served as the Assistant to the Bishop and Director of Evangelical Mission, based in Philadelphia assuming this role in 2019 after serving as the senior pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Atlanta as the first African-American pastor. Born in Nashville, TN, he developed his formative years and received training in Atlanta. He currently serves as the Interim Pastor at Saint Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mcdonough, Georgia.
William is a 1998 graduate of Morehouse College, where he majored in History and minored in Religion. His dedication to addressing world hunger and peace led him to Cote d’Ivoire, West Africa, as a Mickey Leland Intern in 1999. He pursued theological studies, earning his M.Div. from the Interdenominational Theological Center, Morehouse School of Religion, in 2002. Furthering his education, he obtained Masters of Theology from Emory University (2003) and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (2005), and a Doctor of Ministry in Transformational Leadership from Ashland Theological Seminary.
Known for his contributions to the African American Lectionary, the Huffington Post, and the History Channel on the Reformation, William has a diverse background. He served as an ELCA representative for ecumenical relations for the United Methodist Church and received the “Prophetic Voice” Award in 2016 from Faith in Public Life Washington, D.C. Actively involved in various organizations, he served on the ELCA Church Council, Lutheran World Federation Church Council(reelected in 2023), and served as the co-chair for Advocacy and Public Voice.
In addition to his pastoral roles, William has been involved in community service, having served as the Third Vice President of the Georgia NAACP. He was a facilitator to help servant leaders go into public office with New Politics.His dedication to service extends to his personal life, being married to Kedra Phillips-Flippin for over two decades, a nurse care manager, and together they are parents to one daughter, Shamel Emani. Committed to servant leadership, William’s mantra is drawn from Matthew 20:26, emphasizing the importance of being a servant to others.