Awards
Cobb Young Professionals recognizes the county’s top young professionals with the annual Next Generation Award. Award winners are selected from a pool of nominees who can be admired, learned from and celebrated within the Cobb community. Nominees are all in their 20s or 30s, active within their community, demonstrate leadership ability in the community and in their current role, and offer a unique perspective. Two winners of the Next Generation Award are named each year.
Award Sponsor
Kelsey Thompson-White is an innovative public servant whose collaborative leadership is helping shape the future of housing and community development throughout Cobb County. As Community Development Manager for the City of Marietta, she oversees federal entitlement funding, leads housing and community development initiatives, and builds partnerships that expand housing opportunities and improve quality of life for residents across the region.
Known for her ability to bring people together around complex issues, Thompson-White has become a trusted leader in addressing housing affordability and community development. She played a significant role in the Cobb Continuum of Care’s 2024 System Modeling Project, helping analyze regional housing data and develop long-term strategies to address homelessness and housing stability. She also helped secure a $1.8 million Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) grant serving families throughout Cobb County, helped develop an innovative workforce housing partnership with Habitat for Humanity that created homeownership opportunities for city and school district employees, and co-founded the Marietta Housing Forum, which brings together community leaders to address housing challenges and identify long-term solutions. Thompson-White is also a participant in the 2026 Marietta EXCEL Leadership and Management Cohort through the Carl Vinson Institute of Government.
Prior to joining the City of Marietta, Thompson-White served with Athens Land Trust, where she managed a housing portfolio of more than 60 single-family homes and 102 rental units, oversaw the construction of EarthCraft-certified homes, and helped dozens of first-time homebuyers achieve homeownership. She also developed a youth construction training program for at-risk youth, led youth employment programs focused on urban farming and conservation, served as a HUD Certified Housing Counselor, and supervised AmeriCorps VISTA and FoodCorps members.
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Thompson-White serves as Board Chair of the Cobb Homeless Alliance, is an Advisory Board member for the Cobb Community Foundation’s Vital Signs Project, and is a member of the HouseATL Funders Collective, contributing to regional efforts to address housing affordability. She has also been instrumental in supporting innovative housing solutions, working alongside Molly Holm and Emmanuel’s Village to advance a tiny home community initiative. Thompson-White also supports Habitat for Humanity’s homeowner selection committee and the 2025 Women Build initiative and has championed local education efforts, including helping fundraise for and build an outdoor sensory classroom for students at Hickory Hills Elementary School.
Brandon Gardner is a collaborative leader dedicated to strengthening communities through service, strategic partnerships, and civic engagement. As Community Relations Manager for Kaiser Permanente Georgia, he leads initiatives that connect the organization with nonprofit, healthcare, civic, and corporate partners across Cobb County and metro Atlanta, advancing community health and creating meaningful opportunities for engagement.
Known for his ability to bring people together around a shared purpose, Gardner has earned a reputation as a trusted connector who builds relationships and creates lasting community impact. One example of his leadership was helping coordinate Kaiser Permanente Georgia’s 40-Day Volunteer Challenge, which mobilized more than 500 employees to participate in volunteer service opportunities throughout the community. Through initiatives like this, Gardner has demonstrated his ability to inspire collaboration while strengthening both employee engagement and community partnerships.
Beyond his professional role, Gardner is deeply committed to serving others. He serves as Vice Chair and Community Engagement Chair for the Arthur M. Blank Family YMCA Board and as Program Co-Chair for the Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta. He is also the founder of The Village, a peer support initiative for fathers of children with autism. Inspired by his own experiences as a father, Gardner created the group to provide encouragement, connection, and support for families navigating similar journeys.
Gardner’s leadership has been recognized through numerous honors, including selection as a GeorgiaForward Young Gamechanger participant, recognition as a Leader in Corporate Citizenship by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, and being named a Rising Star Finalist by the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals. He is also a proud graduate of the CYP Cultivate Class of 2026.
2012 – Meredith Davis, Steve Landry, Ne’Kia Nichols, Mitch Rhoden, Dan Styf
2013 – Angela Shipp, Jason Sleeman
2014 – Ashley Hungerford, Jason Anavitarte
2015 – Mandy Burton, Michael Wall
2016 – Caitlyn Cooper, Justin O’Dell
2017 – Leslie O’Neal, Steven Ellis
2018 – Emily McMillan, A.J. Brooks
2019 – Katy Ruth Camp, Eddie Wade
2020 – Elisa Covarrubias, Andy Gaines
2021 – Allison Giddens, Andrew Dill
2022 – Melissa Wikoff, Jon Ingram
2023 – Tiffany Barney, Alex Almodovar
2024 – Robert Carnes, Jennifer Peinado
2025 – Adam Ross, Natalie DeLancey
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