Board of Trustees

Brett is a life-long resident of Fayetteville, Georgia. A graduate of Woodward Academy and the College of Charleston, Brett began his career in medical equipment sales in 2000. In 2001, he founded Absolute Medical Equipment, Inc., a durable medical equipment company specializing in home medical, respiratory therapy and rehabilitation equipment. Absolute Medical Equipment, Inc. currently has offices in Columbus, Fayetteville and Newnan, GA. Brett is active in Fayette County youth sports, especially baseball and football. He is a long-time assistant coach for the Young Guns Baseball Team and Brooks Bears Football Organization. Brett’s hobbies include hunting, fishing, coaching and spending time with his family. He is married to Natalie, and is the father of Ellis, middle school student at ClearWater Academy, and Michael, a fifth-grade student at Sara Harp Elementary.

Eric Dial is President of Dial Strategic Consulting, a non-profit consulting and government affairs firm located in Tyrone, Georgia. With his non-profit clients, Mr. Dial works in the areas of developmental and organizational management. In his governmental affairs work, he has played a key role in various successful legislative efforts including civil justice reform and property rights. Prior to forming Dial Strategic Consulting, Mr. Dial worked in the office of U.S. Representative Mac Collins (R-GA), where he spent more than three years in the Washington, D.C. and Georgia offices. In 2007, Mr. Dial was elected to the Tyrone Town Council, and in 2011 he was elected Mayor. In 2012, Mr. Dial was elected by his mayoral peers to serve as Fayette County’s representative to the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC). As a part of his service on the ARC Board, he is a member of the Governance Committee and Vice Chairman of the Strategic Relations Committee. He has served on several boards in his community including the School Councils for Tyrone Elementary, Robert Burch Elementary, Flat Rock Middle School, and Sandy Creek High School. He is also a member of multiple athletic booster clubs in support of his sons. Mr. Dial has lived in Fayette County for 30 years. He has lived in Tyrone for 15 years and currently resides there with his wife, Cheryl, and their three sons, Connor, Lawson, and Langdon. Mr. Dial received his B.A. in Political Science from Georgia State University. He graduated from the U.S. Senator Paul Coverdell Leadership Institute in 1999.

Evelyn Barella is Director, National Media Relations, for the American Cancer Society Corporate Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. She has more than 15 years’ public relations, media relations and project/event management experience in health care and national health nonprofit organizations. She has proven success in promoting fund-raising and awareness campaigns through traditional media strategies and innovative outreach in the nation’s top markets. She has 20 years of editorial experience and has worked in magazine and newspaper publishing. During her professional career, Ms. Barella has received awards for her writing and commitment within the nonprofit sector. Ms. Barella’s community and volunteer experience includes participating as a team captain for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and the American Cancer Society’s signature fundraising event Relay For Life. Ms. Barella received a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, in 1984. She resides in Fayetteville with her husband, Bob, and together they have three children, Melissa, Cory and Lauren.

Blake Staten is an attorney and partner at Swift Currie in Atlanta, Georgia. He practices workers’ compensation defense and specializes in defending employers and their insurers in cases that involve bodily injury. He represents companies in the poultry processing, wholesale food distribution, trucking, appliance manufacturing, airport management and restaurant industries. He also works with staffing agencies and automobile trade associations. He resides in Peachtree City with his wife and two small children.

Born and raised in Newnan, Georgia. Frank spent his childhood in the Boy Scouts of America, where he attained the rank of Eagle Scout. He attended college at Mercer University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Biology. He is married to Samantha who works for an accounting firm in Atlanta. They have a growing family that keeps their hands full as well. They have a son, Miller, who just turned two this past December. They also just welcomed their second baby boy, Barron, into the family in June 2022. Upon graduation, Frank joined State Farm and spent 4 years working directly for a State Farm Agent. If you are looking for a personal insurance agency that truly cares about your concerns and needs, then take a look at his office!

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Denise has been a licensed real estate agent for 22 years. She grew up in East Point, GA a suburb of Atlanta and is a graduate of the University of Georgia. While working in pharmaceutical sales, she obtained her real estate license and decided to follow her passion and pursue a career in real estate. Denise has consistently been a Master's Club Member with Berkshire Hathaway and finds it rewarding to help people find the home of their dreams. Denise's passion are all things Georgia, the Atlanta Braves and the Georgia Bulldogs.

Yvette Burnett is married to Dave and they have three wonderful and handsome sons. They have been married for 33 years. They met at Delta Air Lines 35 years ago, and they have lived in the Fayetteville-Peachtree City area for 29 years where they have attended Peachtree City First Baptist Church for 27 of those years. The Burnett's have really enjoyed living on the south side of Atlanta. After leaving Delta Air Lines in the late 80’s, Dave transitioned to the automobile business selling cars and learning all of the different aspects about this business. Dave is currently the owner and president of Fayetteville Ford in Fayetteville, GA. The Burnett's met the Johnson family through their sons' friendship, and this is how they came to learn more about ClearWater Academy. The Burnett's are making a big impact in our local community and look forward to sharing their love of community by serving the ClearWater Academy community. They believe that every family who attends ClearWater Academy or works at ClearWater Academy is blessed beyond measure. They are excited to be a part of helping to grow and lead ClearWater Academy into the future.

Mr. Collins holds a M.Ed. in Special Education from Grand Canyon University, and an Ed.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from Lincoln Memorial University, and a B.S. Ed in Special Education from the University of West Georgia. He is certified in Special Education, both Adaptive and General Curriculum (K-12) in addition to Health and Physical Education, and has been teaching in special education since 2004. Having spent ten years in Fayette County schools, he was awarded Teacher of the Year in 2015-2016 by his colleagues at Whitewater High School. Tommy, his wife Ashley, and their two children love to spend time ministering to people with special needs and their families through Young Life’s Capernaum, Club 2.0, and their own ministry which serves adults with special needs. Tommy’s passion is teaching people with special needs, and he is excited to continue doing this with the ClearWater Academy family.

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