B U S I N E S S + C U LT U R E 49 D u k e G u t h r i e DeWayne & A m a n d a J o h n s o n Duke Guthrie A teacher, an actor, and the person that takes care of whatever needs to be done. H. Duke Guthrie spends his summer bringing musical performances to South Georgia as part of Valdosta State University’s Peach State Summer Theatre (PSST!). Recognized as the official Musical Theatre of the State of Georgia, PSST! provides locals and tourists with entertainment from a professional summer stock theatre. In addition to serving as managing director for PSST!, Guthrie is a professor of theatre at Valdosta State, where he works with student theatrical productions throughout the year. Guthrie received the Valdosta State University 2010 Faculty Excellence Award and the Georgia Theatre Conference Leighton Ballew Award for Distinguished Service to Theatre in Georgia. DeWayne & Amanda Johnson Through the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce, DeWayne and Amanda Johnson oversee the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) program that provides middle and high school students with the tools to start and manage their own business. The Johnsons work with the young entrepreneurs to help them pursue their passions, build confidence, and improve their public speaking skills. Under the guidance of the Chamber, the YEA! program is an essential part of the community’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Keyara Hamilton Working as an agent of change, Keyara Hamilton, who is career center manager with Goodwill Industries of the Southern Rivers, works to provide people with resources that empower them to achieve their career and personal goals. Goodwill Industries generates opportunities for people to gain economic stability and build strong families and vibrant communities through job training, employment placement services, and other community-based programs. Through her job with Goodwill Industries and her commitment to community involvement, Hamilton serves on the Lowndes Associated Ministries to People (LAMP) Board of Directors, Literacy Volunteer Program Board of Directors, South Georgia Coalition for Employment, National Association of Workforce Development Professionals, and the Georgia Prisoner Reentry Steering Committee. Hamilton is a 2017 graduate of Leadership Lowndes. Keyara Hamilton Lindsay Herring-Rados After returning home to Quitman, Lindsay Herring-Rados wanted to find a way to bring the arts to her community. She opened SweetE’s Dance Studio to offer a variety of dance classes including ballet, tap, jazz, and modern. Her students, which number more than 80, perform throughout the community at various events and have danced and performed in New York City and at Walt Disney World. With a mission to do more than teach dance, Rados is helping to shape the confidence of her students and provide them with opportunities to have cultural experiences. In addition to classes at her studio, Rados is teaching dance and theatre to students at Brooks County High School, and recently established a competitive dance line at the high school. Lindsa y H e r r i n g - R a d o s