The Georgia State University Foundation Board of Trustees welcomed five new members at its June 11 meeting. Beginning their three-year terms on July 1, 2025, this dynamic group of leaders brings expertise in fields including technology, law, finance, real estate and insurance, and will play a vital role in helping the foundation support the goals of Georgia State’s strategic plan, Blueprint to 2033.

“The GSU Foundation board will greatly benefit from the talent, experience and commitment to Georgia State — it’s mission and bright future — of our new trustees, each dynamic professionals and leaders in their field,” said Cheryl Harrelson, Georgia State vice president for University Advancement and president of the Georgia State University Foundation. “We greatly appreciate our new trustees’ generous commitments to guiding the foundation’s efforts in advancing Georgia State’s ambitious strategic objectives in student success and career readiness, campus transformation, and innovative research, scholarship and creative activity.”

These new trustees, who will serve a three-year term, are:
• Michael J. Carr (B.B.A. ’89, M.B.A. ’98): With a distinguished career in property insurance, Carr is executive vice president at AXIS. He previously held senior leadership roles at Liberty International Underwriters, Max Specialty, Crum & Foster, ACE USA and AIG. Carr has previously served Georgia State as a trustee of GSU’s Risk Management Foundation, which recently merged with the GSU Foundation.

• Lanier “Saxon” Dasher (B.B.A. ’87): A senior partner and private wealth adviser at Blue Trust, Dasher brings to the GSU Foundation board a wealth of experience helping individuals, families and businesses steward their financial resources and legacy. Dasher has also supported his alma mater as a member of the Panther Athletic Club.

• Casey J. Farmer (B.B.A. ’90): Vice president of land management at Pattillo Industrial Real Estate, Farmer has more than three decades of experience in real estate operations and property management. He has previously served as an advisory board member of the GSU Athletic Association Panther Club and a board member for the Panther Athletic Club.

• Randall H. Kent (B.B.A. ’08): As co-founder of Cypress.io, Kent led the creation of software testing tools used globally by companies like Adobe, Netflix and Microsoft. Kent has an extensive background of service to GSU, most recently as the chair of the Georgia State Alumni Association Board of Directors, a role that also placed him as an ex-officio member of the GSU Foundation board.

• Petrina Hall McDaniel (B.A. '01, J.D. '04): Managing partner of the Atlanta office of Squire Patton Boggs, McDaniel is a nationally recognized litigation leader known for defending high-stakes class actions and shaping precedent-setting legal decisions. McDaniel is a member of the Georgia State Honors Program Alumni Club and former member of the GSU Honors College Board of Visitors.

The newest trustees joined Fabiola Charles Stokes (B.A. ’03), who was appointed in March 2025, in serving on the GSU Foundation board. A global sites strategy lead at Google, Stokes’ experience spans multiple sectors as she’s held leadership positions at organizations including Google Fiber, Make-A-Wish, Points of Light and the American Red Cross. She has also previously provided her expertise to the GSU College of Arts & Sciences as a member of its Board of Visitors.

The following trustees will continue in their roles as GSU Foundation officers in the fiscal year ahead:

• Chair – Kevin Lofton (M.H.A. ’79), CEO (ret.) of Catholic Health Initiatives

• Vice Chair – Mary Stokes, head of institutional investments, Bank of America

• Past Chair – Frank Boykin, (B.B.A. '78), CFO (ret.) of Mohawk Industries Inc. and co-founder of the Addiction Alliance of Georgia

• Secretary – Regynald Washington, president (ret.) of Paradies Lagardère Dining Division and hospitality industry leader

• Treasurer – Ursula Godoy-Arbelaez (B.B.A. '01, MBA '08), CEO and president, Guardian Vue Partners

Explore the full roster of trustees at  giving.gsu.edu/trustees. Learn how the work of the Georgia State Foundation and the university’s donors are making a daily difference in students’ lives at giving.gsu.edu.