Podcast Guest: Debra Furtado 

Debra is currently is the Human Services Administrator for the Dekalb County Government, Department of Human Services. 

Debra Furtado’s successful tenure as Senior Connection’s CEO continues to be reflected in the growing number of seniors served annually; an expanding service territory; and the quality of programs provided. Her dedicated focus to a mission of providing essential home and community-based care that maximizes independence has helped attract new donors and customers in support of the organization’s work.

Debra worked for nine years with AGL Resources (parent company of Atlanta Gas Light Company), serving in several positions including director, diversity and volunteer outreach and director, community affairs. She also served as a strategic partner as human resources director for Atlanta Gas Light Company and managed a 200+ staff call center

Other professional experience includes several consulting positions involving strategic planning, management and implementation of human resources and business programs. She worked for David M. Griffith & Associates where she served as the manager of the human resources consulting practice for the Atlanta office. She also worked for the Atlanta Regional Commission, providing consulting services to local governments.

Matthew Serratto

Matthew Serratto has been promoted to the Supervising Deputy District Attorney position at the Merced County District Attorney’s Office, District Attorney Larry D. Morse II announced last week. He will replace Steve Slocum, who was recently selected to be the new Merced County Superior Court Commissioner in January.

Serratto, 37, joined the District Attorney’s Office in 2007 as a misdemeanor attorney, and became a felony attorney in 2008. Since he began his career as a prosecutor, he has taken a total of 56 trials to verdict, 42 of these being felony trials, which included seven murder trials, six attempted murder trials, and 16 “life” trials. He was also the lead prosecutor on Operation Scrapbook, a year-long investigation which culminated on May 10, 2017 with the arrest of over 60 Sureno gang members in Merced County, at least 23 of whom have already been convicted and sentenced. Merced City Councilman Matthew Serratto told the Times this week he plans to run for mayor and has taken the first steps to launch a citywide campaign for the top post.

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Cherokee HS---21st year Head Girls Coach

14 state playoff appearances

8 region championships-2 runner up

400+ Career Wins

Back to Back Final 4 appearances

Started the first JR basketball program in Cherokee County

Chairman of the CHS Hall of Fame

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Bio- 16 years as a head coach 14 on this girls side. 325+ wins. 6 region championships and 3 final fours. Played at Berry College and served 4 years in then US Air Force.

Herrick brings 16 years of head coaching experience with stops at Glascock County (boys), White County (girls), Chattahoochee (girls) and North Forsyth (girls) and just recently as head boys basketball coach at Dawson county.

Following the recent retirement of longtime Dawson County Basketball Coach Steve Sweat, Eric Herrick has been announced as the new head coach of the Lady Tigers Basketball Team this past May.

He's spent the eight seasons in Coal Mountain where he guided the Lady Raiders to seven playoff appearances, including two quarterfinals and two semifinals and played for seven region titles – won three.

In 2018, North Forsyth finished 26-5 and won their second straight Region 6-7A championship. The Lady Raiders also made back-to-back Class 7A semifinal appearances in the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

Overall, Herrick leaves North Forsyth with a 191-47-career record, seven playoff appearances and three region titles.

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@CoachHerrick

Career college record is 883-183

Have won 19 conference or regional championships

117-10 over past 4 seasons

Was 29-0 this pat season when Covid-19 ended his season. Was a finalist for the WBCA National JC/CC Coach of the Year

Ever since he began his coaching career, Dave Stricklin has been synonymous with success. In eight seasons at Golden West College in Huntington Beach, California, Stricklin’s teams posted an overall record of 259-27 and won seven championships.

The winning ways continued immediately at UCC with the Riverhawks (Then known as the Timberwomen before Umpqua changed its mascot) racking up 25 wins and shattering 14 school and NWAACC records. The very next year UCC won the first NWAACC (Pacific Northwest) Championship in school history with a 29-4 record and has been considered one of the premier programs on the West Coast ever since.

A quick summary of Stricklin’s coaching career reveals –

@UMPQUA_WBB

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Bamford is in her 23rd season as head coach at La Jolla. The Torreys are the No. 1 team in the country according to MaxPreps and have a 30-1 overall record. The team won the 2020 California Interscholastic Federation San Diego Open Division Championship. Since taking over the program in 1997, Bamford has guided the Torreys to 14 league, 13 section, eight region and four state championships.

ATLANTA (March 9, 2020) — Terri Bamford, head coach at La Jolla Country Day School in California, was named the 2020 Wilson Sporting Goods/WBCA High School National Coach of the Year, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced.

Bamford was presented with the Pat Summitt Trophy, named for the late legendary University of Tennessee coach and awarded annually to the WBCA National Coach of the Year in each of the WBCA’s six membership divisions, during the 2020 WBCA Convention.

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@terri_bamford

New Hope Academy, Athletic Director and Head Varsity Girls Basketball Coach, Lady Tigers AAU - 2019 GEICO National Champions & Consensus #1 Team in the US

Sam Caldwell is entering his 4th season at the helm at New Hope Academy, bringing 20 plus years of coaching experience and a commanding 344-90 overall record.  A proven leader and championship coach, coach Caldwell was selected as the 2014 Coach of the Year by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), and a finalist for the prestigious Pat Summit Coach of the Year Award.  He has college coaching experience at UMBC and Bowie State respectively and is one of the all-time winningest coaches in All-Navy Basketball history.

Moreover, he was inducted into his high school’s Hall of Fame on October 11, 2013 at Luther Burbank High School (CA).  He has been recognized as one of the best high school coaches in the country, which makes the Lady Tigers a contender anytime they take the court.  He was selected to coach in the prestigious Nike Skills Academy, the Jordan Brand All American Games, and a court coach for the 2020 17U USA Basketball Team.

Coach Caldwell made a lot of history during the 2018-2019 season becoming the first coach to win 3 Geico High School National Championships!  He became the first coach at the National Association of Christian Athletes (NACA) sports history to win NACA Division I Girls Basketball National Championships with two different programs.  The Lady Tigers finished the season the consensus #1 team in the country in all the national polls MaxPreps, USA Today, ESPN and Blue Star.

Coach Caldwell is currently authoring his first book entitled "What Winning Looks Like," details coming soon.  His passion for the game is unwavering and you'll be hard pressed to find a more industrious and ambitious leader.  The best is yet to come!

[email protected] 

@CoachCaldwell1

Greg Brown

Jefferson High School Head Girls Basketball Coach

ISS/Alternative School/Health & PE

Head Girls Basketball Coach

706-260-7673

Started out as Volunteer Assistant at Tennessee Temple Academy in 2003.  I was an Assistant Boys Coach for 3 years winning a State Championship in 2006-2007.  I was the Head Girls Basketball Coach there for 1 season finished with a 23-9 record (previous season record was 4-25), including the first ever Region Championship in the history of the school.

Got married and took a job at Northwest Whitfield High School and was an Assistant Coach for 4 seasons.  Became the Head Coach there in 2011 and was there for 7 seasons finishing with a 148-49 record, 2 region championships, and 5 Sweet 16 appearances.

Became the Head Coach at Jefferson High School in 2018.  Inherited a team with 0 returning starters and 2 players with Varsity experience.  Finished the 2018-2019 season with a 25-4 record, Region Runner-up, and an Elite 8 appearance.  In 2019-2020 finished the season with a 25-5 record, Region Championship, and an Elite 8 appearance.

Married to Carrie Brown (my Assistant Coach), 3 kids Rylee (10), Willow Grace (7), Carden (6)

[email protected]

@man2mandcoach

Phyllis Arthur

Head Girls Basketball Coach

McEachern High School

Phyllis Arthur has been coaching for many years, starting her career as an assistant in Carnesville, Georgia at Franklin County High School and in Athens, Georgia at Cedar Shoals High School.

Coach Arthur then relocated to Cobb County School District and became the head coach at Pebblebrook High School in 1999 and continued until 2006, after which she became the head coach of McEachern High School. Coaching experience also includes: slow pitch softball, fast pitch softball, volleyball, girls and boys track.

Has been a committee member for the Atlanta Tip-off club from 2006-present.

Honors/Accolades:

• Named assistant coach for North/South all-star game: 1982, 2015

• Named assistant coach for Georgia/Tennessee all-star game: 1983

• Named the Assistant Coach for the Brand Jordan all-star game in 2014

• Coach of the Year for Cobb County in 2004, 2011, 2012, 14, 16, 17. 18

• Bobby Cremins Coach of the year award in 2012, 2014, 2017

• While at Pebblebrook, Coach Arthur and the Lady Falcons were region runner ups and appeared in the state playoffs four times. Making it as far as the elite 8 in 2004, the first time Pebblebrook has advanced to Elite 8 since 1984.

• State Championships at McEachern 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

• 2012-Record of 33-0 and defeated all their opponents by an average of 33 points, including the state championship game.

• 2012 Ranked 2nd in the Nation, named in top five for national coach of the year.

• 5 State Championships in 6 seasons

• State Appearances: 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

• Final Four:  2011, 2012, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

• Elite 8: 04, 2011,2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 18, 20

• Sweet 16:  04, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19

• Region Championships:  2010, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

• 1st 3 Peat since 2007 (Collins Hill)

• 1st Team to 4 Peat in Highest Division in 40 years (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)

• Teacher of the year at Lavonia Elementary in 1982

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