Family First Villages
Board of Directors
Julie Carter
President & Director
Julie Carter grew up with a sister with Albright’s Hereditary Osteodystrophy. In 2016, Julie’s sister moved in with her family full time.
In 1999, Julie was on the Launch Team for a Brusters Ice Cream franchise in Suwanee, GA and on the Launch Team for an Atlanta Bread Company franchise location in Alpharetta, GA in 2000. In 2002, Julie moved full time into the nonprofit arena. She has spent over 20 years of her career working for various nonprofits in the greater Atlanta area in Marketing and Communications and earned a certification from Georgia State University Perimeter College in Event Coordination & Planning during that time. From 2005-2010, she and her husband also opened and operated a digital photography business in Alpharetta, GA.
Since 2020, Julie has been researching the special needs adult community in Forsyth County, has met with dozens of special needs families, and has developed a profile of needs in the county. In 2021, she worked on the Advisory Board for Special Needs Respite in Roswell, GA to help with their Marketing and Communications and took a position managing the Downtown Alpharetta Farmer’s Market in Alpharetta, GA. In 2023, Julie became a Life Skills Mentor to several special needs adults. In 2024, she is growing her efforts by including Life Skills classes for special needs adults in Forsyth.
In 1999, Julie was on the Launch Team for a Brusters Ice Cream franchise in Suwanee, GA and on the Launch Team for an Atlanta Bread Company franchise location in Alpharetta, GA in 2000. In 2002, Julie moved full time into the nonprofit arena. She has spent over 20 years of her career working for various nonprofits in the greater Atlanta area in Marketing and Communications and earned a certification from Georgia State University Perimeter College in Event Coordination & Planning during that time. From 2005-2010, she and her husband also opened and operated a digital photography business in Alpharetta, GA.
Since 2020, Julie has been researching the special needs adult community in Forsyth County, has met with dozens of special needs families, and has developed a profile of needs in the county. In 2021, she worked on the Advisory Board for Special Needs Respite in Roswell, GA to help with their Marketing and Communications and took a position managing the Downtown Alpharetta Farmer’s Market in Alpharetta, GA. In 2023, Julie became a Life Skills Mentor to several special needs adults. In 2024, she is growing her efforts by including Life Skills classes for special needs adults in Forsyth.
Samantha Scalabrino
Secretary
Samantha is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She is passionate about working with individuals who are differently-abled. Currently, she is employed by a local counseling center, providing therapy for elementary school-aged children. Samantha has also worked as a Behavior Specialist for an agency that provided residential and vocational programing for adults with intellectual and physical disabilities. She was also a counselor at a therapeutic day school for children (grades K-8) who were on the autism spectrum and struggled with behavioral difficulties. Samantha also volunteered on a Human Rights Committee for a non-profit organization, in which she helped make therapeutic decisions for adults with disabilities.
Sharon Howell
Committee Chair for Club 22
Sharon is mom to 22-year-old boy/girl twins with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She has experience working with therapists, doctors, psychologist, psychiatrists, many government agencies and programs, and other special needs professionals for over 20 years. She helps to lead a large parent support group in the Forsyth County area for almost 10 years to present. She has access to and knowledge of current programs and resources for special needs families in the local area. Sharon is a Life-Skills Mentor with experience in the field, commitment to clear and frequent communication with caretakers, and a passion to see persons with special needs continue to learn each day and grow into the dreams they have for themselves. She loves encouraging them to be the best they can be. Sharon has her bachelor's degree in English and her masters in Instructional Media.
Jessica Reck
Jessica Reck is mom to two adult daughters, aged 23 and 28. Her older daughter is Autistic and has dyslexia. Jessica homeschooled her children and worked with multiple organizations and specialists to address her older daughter’s learning and other needs during her formative years. She has extensive experience in identifying opportunities for growth and development, with a special interest in equine and farm-based activities. She also strongly believes in the arts to foster creativity and community involvement. Jessica has a BA Honours degree in English Literature from Stellenbosch University (South Africa) and was a high school English teacher prior to becoming a homeschooling parent.
Carolyn Mains
Carolyn Mains and her family have been residents of Forsyth County for almost 28 years. Carolyn and her husband, Keith, have a 21-year-old daughter at Auburn, a 19-year-old son at South Carolina, and 13-year-old special needs son who will start middle school at South Forsyth in the fall.
Her youngest son, William, was born with a genetic, neurological disease called Pelizaeus Merzbacher Disease. He uses a wheelchair and has limited mobility. He is verbal and cognitively aware of everything! She has worked in outside sales for both ADP and Bloomberg for a combined 20 years.
A few years after William was born it was evident that she would need to be self-employed to better care for William and their family. Carolyn now owns a small business in real estate with Keller Williams.
She stays involved with our special needs community as best as possible, particularly through the PowerUp Forsyth Special Needs Support Group. This past year she was able to partner with The FoCAL Center in Forsyth County and schedule show performances for a special needs/sensory friendly audience. There are about 4-5 performances a year. In Carolyn’s real estate business, she has been able to serve many special needs families.
Her youngest son, William, was born with a genetic, neurological disease called Pelizaeus Merzbacher Disease. He uses a wheelchair and has limited mobility. He is verbal and cognitively aware of everything! She has worked in outside sales for both ADP and Bloomberg for a combined 20 years.
A few years after William was born it was evident that she would need to be self-employed to better care for William and their family. Carolyn now owns a small business in real estate with Keller Williams.
She stays involved with our special needs community as best as possible, particularly through the PowerUp Forsyth Special Needs Support Group. This past year she was able to partner with The FoCAL Center in Forsyth County and schedule show performances for a special needs/sensory friendly audience. There are about 4-5 performances a year. In Carolyn’s real estate business, she has been able to serve many special needs families.
Stephen Loudermilk
Stephen Loudermilk is President and CEO of the Loudy Properties Team with eXp Realty, a leading real estate brokerage providing residential, land and commercial services to buyers, sellers, and investors in the Greater Atlanta area. He is also President and CEO of Loudy Ventures LLC, an independent PR and marketing firm, helping Fortune 500 and startup companies build their brands and reputations worldwide by executing innovative marketing communications programs. He also substitutes part-time in Forsyth County Schools.
Loudermilk is passionate about serving and giving back to the community with memberships in the Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce, Family Promise of Forsyth County (board member), Rotary Club of Lanier-Forsyth, 400 North Board of Realtors, and Public Relations Society of America.
He graduated from Boston University with a Bacher of Science degree in Print Journalism and minor in English. He lives in Cumming, Georgia with his wife and two teenage sons, one who is a Junior honors student at Forsyth Central High School and the other who is a Freshman honors student at Oglethorpe University.
Loudermilk is passionate about serving and giving back to the community with memberships in the Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce, Family Promise of Forsyth County (board member), Rotary Club of Lanier-Forsyth, 400 North Board of Realtors, and Public Relations Society of America.
He graduated from Boston University with a Bacher of Science degree in Print Journalism and minor in English. He lives in Cumming, Georgia with his wife and two teenage sons, one who is a Junior honors student at Forsyth Central High School and the other who is a Freshman honors student at Oglethorpe University.