Miriam holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A) in Economics from Spelman College and MBA in Finance from DeVry University’s Keller Graduate School of Management.  She joined Georgia Tech Human Resources (GTHR) in Payroll Accounting in 2016 after working in various professional roles in market research, wireless telecom, and a non-profit focused on personal financial education. A GT 1000 instructor since 2019, Miriam relishes the opportunity to work as a guide for first-year students as they navigate their transition to college.  As a 2022 cohort member of the ASPIRE: Cultivating a Leadership Mindset Program, she has developed a significant interest in all things leadership development and personal growth.  Miriam cherishes her role as a mom and delights in spending time with her son attending Atlanta United matches, watching soccer on tv, volunteering at a local food pantry and participating in 5k run/walk events.  In her me time, she enjoys reading, soul line dancing and listening to live music.

Hi! My name is Arian Samiei; I was born in Tehran, Iran in the 90s. I moved to the US in 2005 right north of Atlanta in Suwanee. In the last 18 years, I started learning English in middle school, found my identity in high school, discovered my passions in undergrad, grew my career at Deloitte/T-Mobile, and in 2024 on the 19th year of being in the US, I will be completing my education journey at Georgia Tech’s Scheller Business School.

Having the unique perspective and experience of what it means to be an American, I have been able to pick and choose the pros of both cultures. This trait has given me the freedom to adapt to situations with a global lens.

Francisco grew up in a rural area in Colombia. After obtaining his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering at the National University of Colombia, he was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to pursue a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at Georgia Tech. He graduated in 2020 and started his own energy storage company, Capacitor Foundry. Outside the lab, Francisco won second place in the 3-minute thesis competition in 2018, and first place in the Teams for Tech pitch competition for GradChats, a student-led mental health initiative for graduate students. He also served as president of the Fulbright Student Association, outreach officer in Grad Pride, Graduate Vice President of Professional Development at the Student Government Association.

Kaleitha comes to us from the small town of Lima, Ohio. She was taught to value education, athleticism, and service. Being a student-athlete, tutor, and community volunteer allowed her to thrive AND give back to others. Kaleitha has a B.A. in Psychology from Bowling Green State University and an M.Ed. in College Counseling & Student Development from NC State University. She is an accomplished learning and development leader with 20+ years of experience in the field. Kaleitha has had multiple positions within Residence Life over her 20-year tenure. Her career contributions have expanded from guiding and advising college-aged students, to coaching and developing new and young managers. Kaleitha has a passion for Strengths-based development because it allows her to focus on positivity, self-awareness and excellence in action. 

Leksi attended California State University San Bernardino where she received her degree in Kinesiology. During that time, she fell in love with Higher Education and decided to pursue her master's degree in College Student Personnel Administration at the University of Central Missouri. This led Leksi to have a few different positions at Georgia Tech starting as a Hall Director in the Department of Housing and Res Life, after she moved onto Campus Recreation as the Healthy Lifestyle Engagement Specialist. Through these roles Leksi has always wanted to provide a place for students to feel safe as they develop habits that they can take with them beyond their time at Tech. Leksi is moving on to a new role outside of the Georgia Tech community, however, allowing people to have a space to develop skills in collaboration, control, competition, and creativity is something Leksi would like to continue to give back to the members of the GT community. 

Addy Maddox

Assistant Director of Member Engagement and Student Development, Campus Recreation

"Sometimes the questions are complicated, and the answers are simple." - Dr. Seuss

Addy joined Georgia Tech Campus Recreation professional Staff in March 2024. She’s a Marietta native and received her BA in Political Science at Georgia College & State University, and her M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration at Georgia Southern University. In college she fell in love with working with student leaders, and has found the opportunity to work in a Higher Education setting extremely rewarding.Prior to working in Campus Recreation, Addy worked in collegiate admissions. Though she knew that her next professional role had to lead her to work directly in student development, GT was the perfect fit! Outside of Georgia Tech you can find Addy at the gym, hanging out on the beltline, binging Reality TV, or walking her hound dog Disco!

Becoming a leadership coach allows Addy to have the valuable opportunity to continue to learn and grow outside of her professional setting. Being a leadership coach allows her to give back to the student population, while also gaining valuable skills in which she can become a more well-rounded professional. 

Quashavia is a Faculty Affairs Administrative Specialist at the Scheller College of Business. She is the Professional Development chair for Scheller’s Staff Enrichment Committee, a member of Georgia Tech’s Event Coordinators Network, and a GT 1000 Instructor. Quashavia received her Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Public Administration from Strayer University. In 2021, Quashavia was awarded the Stephen P. Zelnak Jr. Award for Staff Excellence, and in 2022 she completed the ASPIRE: Cultivating a Leadership Mindset Program that is designed for aspiring leaders. Quashavia is also a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from former President Barack Obama’s administration. Moreover, she has worked as an Administrative Professional at Georgia Tech since 2017 in a variety of departments including GTPE, and the Renewable Bioproducts Institute. Although, not having a “leadership title”, Quashavia has influenced others from a position of leadership. Her best practices are listening, seeing it through and helping others.  Her portfolio of skills and abilities showcase how resourceful, decisive, and rewarding professional development is to her. Quashavia is often recognized for her above-board competency and professionalism. She is a learner at heart who believes a positive thought pattern will bring positive results and outcomes. Inspiration is important. “The most resourceful leadership tools are those that inspire us to reflect on how a small change in attitude can strengthen our resolve, create insight and reflection or resolve a conflict”. – Rosie Mercado.

Favorite Quote: “We do not need magic to change the world; we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already. We have the power to imagine better.”-JK Rowling

While at Georgia Tech, Sean was involved on campus through the Student Government Association, Grand Challenges, Consult Your Community, Asian American Student Association, Ramblin' Reck Club, and Startup Exchange among other communities. Sean has also interned at Porsche Cars North America and Deloitte with a focus on the intersection between business, technology, and transformation. Outside of classes and extracurriculars, he enjoys working out, playing volleyball, hanging out with friends, and trying new foods/experiences. With the LEAD Program, he also served as the teaching assistant for PUBP 4140 Foundations of Leadership class and one of the co-directors for Teams for Tech. He's excited to continue working with students as a coach!

What inspired you to become a Leadership Fellow?: Sean was inspired by those who came before him. While becoming a strong advocate and leader on campus, he realized that he was able to learn a lot from previous leaders and that leadership requires building up other leaders. Sean understands the importance of having intentional discussions and effort to understand leadership, something that is so nuanced and intricate, and it starts here with coaching. He is passionate about investing in others and helping build communities and leaders. 

Stacey is a program director and staff instructor for Leadership Education and Development (LEAD). She works collaboratively with students, faculty, and staff, as well as other universities to support the development and enrichment of student leadership skills through LEAD's program initiatives. She is also a professional staff advisor for SMILE, Seek Discomfort Club and the First Year Leadership Organization (FLO) - SEED (Seek Discomfort). Prior to pursuing her passion for encouraging student leadership growth and development, Stacey held a variety of positions in the corporate world focusing on marketing and innovative product design and development. She currently has a professional affiliation with the International Leadership Association and the Institute of Coaching at McLean, a Harvard Medical School Affiliate (a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring scientific integrity in the field of coaching). Stacey received her B.S. in Accounting from the State University of New York in New Paltz and a Master of Divinity from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University with an emphasis on leadership in church and community. She enjoys spending time with family and is an avid swimmer and scuba diver.

Tamar has worked at Georgia Institute of Technology for over 20 years. She has more than 20 years of management experience and logistical support. She delivers exceptional customer service and works in a cross-functional team environment. She was Project Coordinator for Georgia Tech Research Institute’s Deputy Director’s Office for 10 years. Also, Tamar has over 10 years of management experience in handling multiple portfolios for Georgia Tech’s Professional Education – Education Logistics department. She is a focused, dedicated, and highly motivated leader. Tamar works well independently as well as with a team. She also offers initiative, energy, creativity, innovative thinking, outstanding communication and organizational skills, sound judgment and a work habit and leadership style that are grounded in the principles of teamwork. Tamar graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management. She also graduated from Fort Valley State University with her Master of Public Health in Environmental Health. Tamar believes that you can lead from whatever position you currently hold. She attributes her success to hard work and dedication. When others say no, Tamar says yes! She inspires and motivates others! She is confident and effective in her leadership abilities. Tamar is highly respected by all of her peers for the hard work and dedication that she gives to her positions. Although Tamar has many years of experience in leadership, she is excited to continue to learn and grow with her Coachees and take on some great challenges and opportunities!