A Discussion about Trust Between Citizens and Public Institutions: Panelist Bios
Speaker Bios
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Kayla Evans
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Kayla Evans is currently a senior at Decatur High School (Class of 2022). Throughout her education, she has cared about social issues that impact herself and her community. As result, Evans works closely with like minded individuals to bring about systemic change in schools and in her community. She has participated in the multicultural panel “An Authentic Conversation About Racism Roundtable” as a DHS student representative; is one of the founders and organizers in Decatur High Students Talk About Race (STAR); and is currently co-president of the independent City of Decatur student organization, Student Coalition for Equity, founded in 2021. Organizer of STAR, Kayla hosts open discussions based on a chosen topic surrounding race to expand her and other’s worldview one conversation at a time. As a leader in the Student Coalition for Equity, she has revised the City Schools of Decatur (CSD) Annual Code of Conduct and Restorative Practices Handbook (CCRPH), as well as collaborated with DHS administrators and faculty to implement imperative changes in the school based on student testimonies and needs collected through a hosted forum. She plans to continue her education and social work at Howard University.
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Dr. Maggie Fehrman |
Maggie Fehrman, Ph.D., is currently the Superintendent of the City Schools of Decatur (CSD). Dr. Fehrman previously served as City Schools of Decatur Executive Director of Schools and Assistant Superintendent from 2018 - May 2021, and Interim Superintendent from May 2021-June 2021. Previous to this, she was a social studies teacher at Summerour Middle School and assistant principal, and then principal, at Bay Creek Middle School from 2009-2018. |
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Fonta High |
Fonta High is a licensed professional counselor of twelve years and an addiction counselor specializing in trauma treatment in private practice in Decatur, Georgia. She currently serves as a co-chair for Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights. |
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Captain Jennifer Ross |
Captain Jennifer Ross has been with the City of Decatur Police Department since 1996. She is an alumni of Clarkston High School & Georgia State University. Captain Ross has served as a communications officer, patrol officer, business district officer, child safety advocate, investigator and supervisor over the Criminal Investigations Division. She served as the department’s first Community Information & Education Manager from 2013 to 2020 before being promoted to Captain where she currently oversees the Criminal Investigations Division, Special Units and Communications/E911 Division. |
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Koan Roy-Meighoo |
Koan Roy-Meighoo is a first-year undergraduate student at Emory University, Decatur High School Class of 2021 Alumnus, student leader for the Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights, and founding member of City Schools of Decatur’s Student Coalition for Equity. As part of Beacon Hill’s Decolonizing Decatur Committee, Koan has advocated for the removal of white supremacist artifacts and monuments from Decatur and was an early organizer for the Art for the People Project, a public art initiative designed to empower artists of color and educate the community about the importance of decolonization. As a leader in the Student Coalition for Equity, he has designed a three-year program called Justice, Action, Diversity and Equity (JADE) to be instituted at the middle school which will address current curricular failures in Georgia, teach students how to be effective members of their communities, and help them develop ideological frameworks for their endeavors. |
