Abigail has a passion for creating meaningful experiences that help incoming students feel welcomed, connected, and inspired. With a background in music pedagogy (B.A., 2016), she brings creativity, organization, and a people-first mindset to everything she does. 

Abigail is driven by the belief that a great start can shape a student’s entire journey. Through thoughtful planning and a focus on community-building, she works to ensure every event is more than just a calendar item — it’s an opportunity to make a positive impact. 

Dr. Jeffrey Davis is an Associate Professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech. He has been the recipient of the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, the Class of 1940 W. Roane Beard Outstanding Teacher Award, HKN Richard M. Bass Outstanding Teaching Award, and the Class of 1934 Course Survey Award. He has heavily promoted STEM education throughout the state of Georgia, which resulted in him being a co-recipient of the Education Partnership Award at Georgia Tech.

Dr. Davis has also served as the faculty chair for the Electrical and Computer Engineering Student Faculty Committee for eight years, which promotes the interaction of students and faculty outside the classroom. He served for three years as a faculty advisor for the ThinkBig program here at Georgia Tech. He is currently the faculty advisor for a student led organization called Robogals that promotes female participation in engineering disciplines.

In research, Dr. Davis’ publications have been referenced over 2800 times by researchers throughout the world, and he has co-authored a book entitled Interconnect Technology and Design for Gigascale Integration, which was translated and republished in Chinese 2010. His current research interests are in exploring the low-frequency electrical properties of nanocomposite materials, and in 2012-2013 he was awarded the Georgia Tech Fund for Innovation in Research and Education (GT-FIRE) to pursue this avenue of research. Dr. Davis is currently involved in simulation and fabrication of solid-state nanocomposite materials that have extremely high-energy density for electrical energy storage.

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.

Samantha Poliakon serves as the LEAD Coordinator for the Leadership Education and Development Program within the Division of Student Life. With five years of experience in education as both an elementary homeroom teacher and a visual arts educator, Samantha thrives in collaborative environments that bring students, faculty, and staff together. She is a proud Teach For America Metro Atlanta alumna (2020) and remains dedicated to fostering inclusive, connected, and inspired student communities.

Samantha holds dual B.A. degrees in Art (Studio) and Education, Society, and Human Development from the University of California, Riverside, along with an M.A. in Elementary Education from Mercer University.

Creativity is at the center of her approach, and she enjoys bringing artistic thinking and design into both her professional projects and her personal life.