About Us

She earned a PhD from Columbia University in 1982 and has researched and published on topics related to the organization of and innovation in health services related to behavioral health care. She has served on many NIH study sections and has been a co-investigator for research grants related to the study of organizational and entrepreneurial factors that influence the transfer, adoption, and diffusion of innovation to for-profit and not-for-profit health treatment organizations. She is the co-founder of Georgia Tech’s Excel Program, which provides a 4-year certificate in Academic Enrichment, Social Fluency, and Career Exploration for students with Intellectual Disabilities. She co-developed a curriculum in entrepreneurship and innovation for graduate students in biomedical technology and life sciences, reflecting her interests in technology transfer and value creation. This curriculum has since been expanded to include students from all of the engineering, science, and computing disciplines.

She serves as a member of the editorial board of the Academy of Management Journal. She serves on the Scheller College of Business Diversity and Inclusion Council and is the PhD coordinator for Organizational Behavior at Scheller College. She leads the Enhancing Meaningful Creative Challenges (EMC2) workshop that celebrates Georgia Tech’s newly tenured faculty and the Provost’s Emerging Leadership Program. She also collaborates with colleagues on an NIH training grant to provide a year-long leadership development program for doctoral students in Biomedical Engineering.

Blum has served as an advisor or director for several entrepreneurial endeavors, including Stanford's Roundtable on Engineering Entrepreneurship Education; a non-profit accelerator for women's entrepreneurship, Project Tsunami's Global Brain Trust (partially funded by the Kauffman Foundation); the non-profit board of the Georgia Tech Technology Ventures (GATV), which facilitates the transfer of technology from Georgia Tech and other research universities; and Georgia Tech's Economic Development Institute (EDI). She participated as an organizer and director of a de novo community bank, Midtown Bank and Trust. She has served on the boards of Global Growers, Community Foundation for Morgan County, and Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy. She currently serves on the executive committee of the board for Camp Twin Lakes, which provides camps for those with serious illnesses, disabilities, and other life challenges. She served many years on the board of MedShare International. This not-for-profit venture creates value and improves health by collecting surplus medical supplies and equipment for distribution to health facilities in developing countries.

Cowen is owner of the investment company Habersham & Cowan, Inc. He founded Georgia's Peachtree City, serving as the town's first mayor from 1959 to 1963. Peachtree City is widely known for its innovative lifestyle features and effective land use, including 20 percent open space and 80 miles of paved golf-cart paths for residents' transportation. He served as CEO of Peachtree City's development company through 1976.

Cowan also has developed such projects as Phipps Plaza, Snapfinger Woods, and Palmetto Dunes. He is a member of the Society of International Business Fellows and the Carter Center's Board of Councilors. Cowan has shifted his focus in recent years from real-estate development to international activities. His focus is on the emerging economies of Central and South Asia, Russia and China. His nonprofit contributions in these same regions include education and leadership training. He was the Co-Founder of the Central Eurasia Leadership Academy in Istanbul.

Cowan is currently a director of the EastWest Institute in New York. He was formerly on the board of Continental Airlines and World Airways and has held leadership positions with the Atlanta and Georgia Chambers of Commerce as well as the International Relief & Development (IRD) in Washington, D.C. He was the founding chairman of both the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District.

Cowan holds a bachelor's degree in industrial management (1958) from Georgia Tech and has served on both the College of Business and Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts advisory boards. He is a trustee emeritus of the Georgia Tech Foundation and was a member of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia from 1990 to 1995.

Chuck has extensive experience in strategy execution of supply chain optimization and design, business transformation, operations improvement, process improvement, and executive coaching. After many years in various corporate roles, he started and leads his own firm, EPIC Performance Group LLC.

He has been the Senior Director of Labor, Engineering, and Process Optimization at Walgreens, focused on improving the pharmacy operation as unprecedented clinical services were installed due to the Affordable Care Act. Before Walgreens, Chuck served as Vice President of Business Process Management for Lowe’s Companies and led their EPMO for implementing major strategic initiatives and process improvement. Before joining Lowe’s, he was a Senior Principal with Kurt Salmon Associates (now part of Accenture), where he led the Business Transformation Services Practice, created the Process Improvement Global Center of Excellence, and was the Global Director of Professional Development.

Throughout his career, Chuck has been recognized by various professional organizations like the Center for Creative Leadership, Walgreens Leadership Academy, Who’s Who Among International Professionals, and others.

He is a Rotarian, an elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA), and has served on the boards of many civic and non-profit groups including his former high school The Westminster Schools, The Georgia Alumni Association, The Georgia Tech Athletic Association, Johnson C. Smith University College of Economics and Business, etc.

A former Rhodes Scholar State Finalist, two-times Academic All-ACC, and three-time Letterman in Football, he has been named to the Top Ten Outstanding Young Atlantans, and was recognized for his service with awards like the Camp Fire Ember Award, Georgia Tech Outstanding Young Alumni, and Georgia Tech Total Person-Former Student Athlete of the Year.

Chuck holds a BS in Industrial Management and a minor in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Georgia Tech, graduating cum laude. He is a member of various academic honor societies, including Gamma Beta Phi, Omicron Delta Kappa, Beta Gamma Sigma, and the ANAK Society, Georgia Tech’s highest honor.

Outside Tech, Dóri serves on the board of Global Growers Network, a nonprofit organization that connects the agricultural talent of the refugee community in and around Atlanta to opportunities in sustainable agriculture. She is a board member for the Center for Civic Innovation, an organization that works at the frontline of civics education and advocacy, and she serves on the board of the Georgia Social Impact Collaborative. Dori is a triple Yellow Jacket and is currently pursuing her doctorate degree at the Institute for Higher Education at UGA.

Prior to this, Amber worked at Georgia State University as an academic specialist for the Public Management and Policy Department. She holds a BA in English from Berry College and a Master of Public Administration in Nonprofit Management from Georgia State.

He is active in the servant leadership community and currently serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. 

Prior to joining Georgia Tech, Thomas held teaching and administrative positions with LaGrange College, the University of Georgia, and the University of North Georgia. He was engaged in developing programs on leadership and international education at these institutions.

Thomas spent twelve years with his family business before shifting to the financial sector in 1983. He has held several senior level positions in banking and investment banking. He was engaged with foundations, universities and nongovernmental organizations in Eastern and Central Europe from 1990 – 2002. He has served on numerous nonprofit boards. 

Thomas has an MBA from Georgia State University and a PhD from the University of Georgia.