Executive Board Officers
Jill Ginsberg
President
Jill Ginsberg has served on the Board at Savannah Speech and Hearing for 12 years, serving as Vice President 2021-22 and President beginning in 2023. She was born in South Carolina and moved to Savannah shortly after graduating from the University of South Carolina. Residing in Savannah for nearing 30 years, she has worked in the banking industry for over 24 years is various roles and capacities including retail, commercial lending, and underwriting. Jill’s son received speech therapy at the age of two and continued his therapy with Savannah Speech & Hearing through middle school. She feels that it important to receive speech therapy at an early age for developmental growth and to encourage the self-confidence they need to succeed in life.
Elizabeth Poston
Vice President
Elizabeth Poston has served on the Board at Savannah Speech and Hearing for 10 years, serving as Secretary 2022-23 and Vice President beginning in 2024. Born and raised in Savannah, she is a graduate of Savannah Christian Preparatory School and Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of Georgia. After college, Elizabeth worked at Hauser Group in Atlanta and then moved to the Savannah office as a media planner. After 3 years, she made her move to RobMark Advertising as a Senior Media Buyer/Planner. While her husband completed Dental School in Augusta, GA, she started working for AdMAX Advertising as a Media Buyer. Since their move back to Savannah in 2012, she has been working remotely and has been with the company for over 15 years. She is married to Dr. Wade Poston DMD, of Savannah GA. They have 2 beautiful daughters, Annslee and Pearson. Annslee has been happily coming to the Center for Speech and Occupational therapies for the last 4 years. When she’s not working, she’s helping out in the girls’ schools regularly. In her free time, she loves to be with her family and friends out in the boat or at the beach.
Melanie Edwards
Secretary
Originally from Decatur, Georgia, Melanie has lived in Savannah for over 25 years. She graduated from Georgia Southern University with a Bachelors of Business Administration degree and has worked in banking and mortgage lending for the entirety of her career, now with Movement Mortgage. She says she is in love with her work because she can help everyone from first time homebuyers to 20th + time homebuyers, making homebuying as smooth and seamless as possible. She is the Chair for the Affiliate Committee for the Savannah Area Realtors and a member of the Savannah Homebuilders Association. “I love being on the Savannah Speech and Hearing Center Board of Directors because both of my boys needed speech therapy when they were little. It helped them so much with pronunciation and communication. They have no trouble talking these days and I would not have it any other way. Love being a boy mom and I love our talks. In my downtime, I enjoy going to the beach, making breakfast, going to baseball games and tennis matches, and spending time with my family on hikes.”
Linda Poppell-Smith
Treasurer
Linda is a native of Wayne County, GA and has lived in Savannah since 1981. She attended the University of Georgia, obtaining Bachelor of Science and Master’s Degrees in Speech Pathology. She has worked in a variety of settings including public schools, hospitals and clinics with areas of practice that encompassed pediatrics and geriatrics and all areas of communication disorders. Linda completed an internship with the Savannah Speech & Hearing Center (SSHC) in 1976 and established long term ties to the Center. In 1982, she established a solo private practice and in 1988, formed a group practice which included physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT). The primary goal of the practice was to provide an interdisciplinary approach to treatments of children from newborns up to age 21. Linda retired in 2017 and has been a member of the SSHC board since 2018. Her goal is to ensure that the Center continues the solid and consistent service it is known for as well as to incorporate other disciplines such as PT and OT into treatments so that individuals may receive coordinated and comprehensive therapy in one setting.
Anne Smith
Past President
Anne Smith is a native Savannahian whose professional career has spanned over 30 years. With a variety of project experience, Anne has designed and managed numerous preservation and new construction projects for a wide variety of building types. A strong consensus builder, many projects Anne has overseen have involved working with non-profit agencies and coordinating with volunteer boards and building committees, including the Savannah Speech & Hearing Center (SSHC). Anne has been on the Board of Directors for SSHC for over 30 years, serving as President multiple times. She was extensively involved in the property acquisition, design and construction of the new Center located on Skidaway Road. Other recent project completed by Anne include the rehabilitation of a historic building for use as a performance and event space, a historic oyster factory, a plantation workers cottage, a group of railroad cottages, an historic Methodist church, and the adaptive re-use of a school for African-American children. Anne is pleased to have many repeat clients, such as the United Way of the Coastal Empire and Union Mission. She began her career with a 6-year internship at Ronald Kolman Architect, which became Kolman & Smith Architects in 1991. In October 2001, the firms of Lominack Associates Architects and Kolman & Smith Architects merged to form Lominack Kolman Smith Architects.
Board Members
Ellis A. Allen, II
Ellis A. Allen, II is a current board member of Savannah Speech and Hearing Center, local practicing attorney and native Savannahian. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of South Carolina before earning his Juris Doctor at the University of Kentucky College of Law. Ellis practices at the law firm of Weiner Shearouse Weitz Greenberg & Shawe, LLP in Savannah, and has significant experience representing developers and builders in the acquisition, development, leasing, and financing of commercial, residential, and mixed-use projects in southeast Georgia. Ellis is married to Haley Allen, an attorney for the State Court of Chatham County. They are the proud parents of a son who received a cochlear implant shortly following his first birthday in 2023. Witnessing his son’s bilateral hearing loss diagnosis and experiencing the journey through treatment motivated Ellis to become more involved in the local community for the benefit of children with hearing loss. He is committed to raising awareness and collaborative efforts to expand resources for children and their families.
Sharon Brookshire
Member, Board of Directors
Sharon was born and raised in Savannah, educated in Savannah Public Schools and at Armstrong Atlantic University, she then enjoyed a career in dental hygiene. She has been a member of the Richmond Hill community since 1988, where she remains active in the Richmond Hill United Methodist Church and Richmond Hill Lions Club. She enjoys quilting, crafting, traveling and giving back in the community, but most of all, spending as much time as possible with her two grandchildren, Jack and Grace Anne. Sharon came to be associated with Savannah Speech & Hearing in 1983 when her daughter, Katie became a patient because of hearing loss after a bout of bacterial meningitis. “Katie had a deep appreciation for the care she received over the years at Savannah Speech & Hearing. Sadly, Katie passed away in 2000. Shortly thereafter, I was asked to serve on the Board of Directors. I am honored to serve and be associated with what I personally know to be vital health care to so many”, she says. Sharon has also volunteered with our center in offering community hearing screenings in local schools and in preparing for our annual fundraiser, the Hammond for Hope Benefit for Sound Start.
Forbes Buck
Sylvester Formey
Brandie Fuller
Chris Hammond
Chris Hammond is the Executive Vice President of Sales for Great Dane. In this role, Chris works collaboratively with sales, marketing, and aftermarket support teams to create the best possible experience in the trailer and truck body industry. Chris previously served as the Vice President of Dealer and International Sales where he managed the full-line independent dealerships for Great Dane in the US, Canada, Mexico, Chile and Colombia markets. With more than 25 years of industry experience, Chris first joined Great Dane in 1987 when he took a summer job at the Savannah plant. After returning to intern in sales engineering, he accepted his first trailer sales position in Atlanta in 1993. Since that time, Chris continuously gained increasing responsibility and leadership within sales operations at Great Dane. After developing the Jacksonville and Charlotte markets, he relocated back to his hometown of Savannah to join the executive team. Chris is a graduate of the University of Georgia and has a degree in Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations.
Robert Pace
Cary Shoob
Anne Weisel
Anne Weisel is an professional educator currently serving as the Head of Lower School at St. Andrew’s School in Savannah, GA. and holds degrees in Early Childhood Education, Human Development and Family Studies, and Counselor Education. Anne’s career includes experience as a school counselor, school, and district administrator. She is an active speaker and supporter on topics related to Diversity and Education, Mental Health, College Access and Admission, and the College Search for Athletes. Anne is a graduate of Leadership Savannah and Leadership Southeast GA, and she spends time supporting community groups that help to break down barriers and provide access to opportunity.
Honorary Board Members
- Ginger Caplan*
- Annie F. Oliver*
- Thomas Oxnard*
- Dr. Sol Rundbaken*
- Dr. William Weichselbaum*
- Dr. Harold West*
*Deceased