Celebrating New Leadership: Welcoming Our Board Members

We are thrilled to share exciting updates to our Board of Directors, welcoming new leaders whose experience, passion, and personal connection to our mission will guide and strengthen our work.

 

Dr. Franco Marcantonio – Chairman of the Board

We are honored to congratulate Dr. Franco Marcantonio on being elected Chairman of the Board of Directors. Evergreen serves nearly 1,000 individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities across seven states, and Dr. Marcantonio brings both professional expertise and personal experience to this role.

As a professor at Texas A&M in College Station, Texas, Dr. Marcantonio’s connection to Evergreen is deeply personal. His sons, Carlo and Keith, lived in Evergreen homes, with Keith currently thriving in an Evergreen community home in Dallas. This experience as a parent and advocate fuels his dedication to delivering compassionate care, strengthening services, and ensuring every individual is seen, valued, and included.

Dr. Marcantonio shared, “I’m looking forward to understanding more of what’s going on with legislative funding, developing relationships with representatives, and seeing what I can do to help. I’m looking forward to the challenges.”

We celebrate Dr. Marcantonio’s leadership and commitment, alongside the dedicated professionals who make our mission possible every day.

 

Austin Montgomery – Board Member

We are also thrilled to welcome Austin Montgomery of Smyrna, GA, to the Evergreen Life Services Board of Directors. Austin brings nearly a decade of board leadership experience, including serving as President of the Rollins College Crummer Alumni Board, where he partnered with staff and community organizations to spearhead impactful programs.

Professionally, Austin is a Senior Manager at Salesforce, with expertise in leadership, change management, and generative AI. He is eager to contribute to Evergreen’s mission of empowering individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Please join us in welcoming Austin to the board!

 

 

Gretchen Sams – Board Member

We are delighted to welcome Gretchen Sams to our Board of Directors. As a parent of a son with special needs, Gretchen brings a personal understanding of the importance of providing support, opportunities, and growth for those we serve.

Her passion and commitment align perfectly with Evergreen’s mission, and we are excited to have her guidance, insight, and leadership as we continue empowering individuals across our communities. Please join us in congratulating Gretchen on this new role!

Together, our board members strengthen Evergreen Life Services’ commitment to dignity, independence, and opportunity for every individual.