Troy Brin is a distinguished retired US Army Combat Veteran and a 2021 PGA HOPE Graduate, earning recognition as a member of the Class of 2022 PGA HOPE Ambassadors. Possessing extensive leadership and human capital management experience, Troy currently serves in the capacity of Director of Human Resources in municipal government. His career is marked by a profound commitment to service, exemplified by his active participation and passion for PGA HOPE. Troy is excited to leverage his skills and expertise to contribute meaningfully to the PGA HOPE Georgia Council, embodying a dedication to continued service and community impact.
Ryan Carr is a Georgia native and University of Texas Graduate. After graduation, Ryan commissioned into the Navy and spent several years flying F/A-18E Super Hornets before he was medically retired. While in the Navy, Ryan served at NAS Pensacola, NAS Kingsville, NAS Whiting Field and NAS Lemoore, California and has carrier arrested landings on the USS Gerald R. Ford, USS Carl Vinson and USS Chester Nimitz. Ryan graduated from all of his trainings as a Distinguished Graduate and was a rising star in Naval Aviation before being retired. Ryan now works at the Georgia Tech Research Institute as a Flight Test Engineer and lives in Kennesaw with his wife, Elizabeth, and two children, Leighton and Bennett. He is excited to continue to find ways to impact the veteran community through PGA Hope, all while participating in a game he loves.
Monique Carter is the Founder/CEO of The Carter Group and a trailblazer in empowering small and minority-owned businesses. With a passion for driving change, Monique leverages her extensive experience to connect businesses with opportunities that promote growth and long-term financial success. Her commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion is evident in her work, providing business owners with the tools they need to secure contracts and establish generational wealth.
Before founding The Carter Group, Monique had an illustrious career at Southern Company/Georgia Power, where she retired in December 2023 after nearly two decades of service. As a Senior Community Relations Representative, she played a pivotal role in enriching Georgia’s diverse communities through education, advocacy, and leadership development. Her earlier roles in supplier diversity and marketing further solidified her expertise in supporting small businesses. Before her time at Southern Company, Monique held Human Resources positions in Atlanta and Destin, Florida, across various industries.
Monique's dedication to community extends beyond her professional life. She is a proud United States Air Force veteran and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the University of Phoenix – Atlanta campus. Her commitment to service is reflected in her active involvement with numerous organizations, including United Way of Greater Atlanta, National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE), and Women’s Energy Network. Recently, she was selected to serve on the PGA HOPE Georgia Council, further showcasing her dedication to making a positive impact.
Monique’s passion for connecting people is matched by her love for sports, travel, and live music. A founding fan of the Atlanta Dream and a dedicated golfer, Monique enjoys staying active, having completed multiple half marathons and countless 5K and 10K races. Her love for new experiences, whether on the golf course or through community service, drives her mission to create lasting, meaningful connections that uplift businesses and communities alike.
Robert Leahey is a former Navy Corpsman who served 5 years with Marine Corps and Navy Expeditionary Units. After the military, Robert attended the University of Iowa where he completed a Bachelors in Business Enterprise and Leadership. Robert is now enrolled at the University of Georgia to complete his Masters of Business Administration. Robert currently works in Employee Benefits for an Insurance Brokerage. He enjoys golfing, hiking/traveling with his fiancée, coaching lacrosse, and hanging out with friends & family in his spare time.
Robert was first introduced to PGA HOPE when attending the 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. During the opening ceremony, Robert heard a speech about the program and knew he wanted to be involved. After speaking with the VA, Robert was connected to PGA HOPE Georgia and attended a Session at Bobby Jones Golf Course where he felt right at home. Robert has an electric passion for the game of golf and helping fellow veterans. Robert now volunteers his time recruiting other veterans to PGA HOPE and spreading the story of how PGA HOPE impacted his personal journey in finding camaraderie after the military.
Caroline Stephens has a connection to golf and the veteran community that is inspired by her late father, Lt. Col. Robert John Gunn, “Gunner” to his fellow aviators. Born on Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany, she grew up with strong ties to those who served, which helped shape her values of service, resilience, and community. After her father’s retirement at Aviano Air Force Base, the family settled in Valdosta, Georgia where Caroline still lives with her husband, Shane, and 13-year-old son, Sawyer.
In 2022, Caroline lost her father to cancer, a profound loss that ignited her mission to honor his legacy in some way. Through her son’s active involvement in the PGA’s Jr. League, she found PGA HOPE, a program that merges her father’s two greatest passions: the United States military and the game of golf. For Caroline, PGA HOPE is more than a program, it is a tribute to her father.
Beyond her involvement with PGA HOPE, Caroline enjoys traveling, cooking, quality time with family and friends, and all things interior design. She is currently working on getting her golf game back, so on Saturdays, you can find her and Sawyer on the golf course or cheering on the Alabama Crimson Tide. Caroline is thrilled to contribute to the PGA HOPE mission, sharing a game that means so much to her with a community she admires and holds dear.
Ashley Gawron is a strategic and action-oriented marketer focused on helping companies solve their most pressing business challenges. She possesses an insatiable curiosity that has generated diverse experience across industries and platforms, and is currently the Senior Director of Strategy at Targetbase, a marketing agency out of Raleigh, NC. Ashley is passionate about serving the veteran community, and is excited to apply her skills on the PGA HOPE Georgia Council.
