DG Marria sang to us (twice), cajoled us and urged us to put all differences aside and represent the community we serve. She kicked off her speech by singing “I Believe” and then proceeded to discuss key themes of her term: Continuity and Growth.

 

 

She urged us to recruit and engage with the younger generation to prepare communities for the future. She also backed up the speech by Rotary President R. Gordon R. McInally as they asked us to focus on mental health and work to remove the stigma that has been associated so long with mental illness. She closed her talk by singing to the club a second time and asking us to care about all people and embrace our differences.

 

André has been a Rotarian since 2005 when she joined the Rotary Club of Thomasville. She is the CEO of Marria’s Counseling, Coaching, and Consulting Service, LLC. She served as Youth Services and Foundation chairs prior to serving as club president. In 2018-19 André received the Sheffield Leadership Award. She is a Paul Harris Fellow, Paul Harris Society member, Major Donor Level II, Will Watt Fellow, a Thomas Fellow, and Jake Cheatham Fellow, and received the Avenues of Service Citation 2021 from her club. She served as an assistant governor 2020-2022, the district chair of diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In 2023 André was recognized as one of six members honored by Rotary International President Jennifer Jones, as People of Action: Champions of Inclusion, for helping create a more inclusive world. She is a graduate of Rotary Zone 33-34 Emerging Leaders 2020 Summit of Champions, is a member of the International Fellowship of Rotarian Musicians and is a Rotary Leadership Institute Discussion Leader.

 

André spent 34 years of public service with the Georgia Department of Human Resources, retiring as the director of the Thomas County Department of Family & Children Services in 2008. She is a licensed therapist and published author.