Michael J. Morrier (Ph.D, BCBA-D) completed his doctorate in special education at Georgia State University with a focus on educational policy issues. He has worked with children with autism and their families for the past 25 years. Dr. Morrier currently consults to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an expert clinical reviewer for their Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network. Dr. Morrier has co-authored several journal articles and book chapters on autism and childhood early intervention, including several articles with Dr. Hess on best practices used in public schools and disproportionate representation of ethnically diverse students with disabilities in public schools.

For the past ten years, David has represented clients in Atlanta as both a public defender and criminal defense attorney. David is active in the non-profit community and helps advise students seeking careers in the non-profit sector. David holds a Bachelors degree from Kenyon College and earned his law degree at Fordham University.

Renee has spent 15 years dedicated to improving the lives of families and children. A massage therapist by training Renee has owned the Pregnancy Massage Center in Virginia Highlands since 2007. Her commitment to whole family wellness includes working as a doula, providing infant and adult massage, and educating and supporting families during significant life changes. Renee is excited to continue to support children and their families through her work on the Hess Academy Board.

Nate Seymour is the Market Executive for Southeast Commercial Real Estate Banking at BankUnited, based in the Atlanta office. With more than a decade of industry experience, he develops and leads the bank's commercial real estate lending team serving clients in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Prior to joining BankUnited, Mr. Seymour served as Vice President, Commercial Real Estate for Truist in Atlanta. He earned his bachelor’s in commercial real estate and finance from Georgia State University and serves on the ULI Atlanta Advisory Board as Treasurer.

James is the owner of Atlanta Pro AV (APAV). Using his background as a professional touring musician, he developed an audio visual company that specializes in live production, integration, and design for corporate clients. He has been contracted by several institutions of higher learning (Georgia Tech, Georgia State, Kennesaw State, etc…) as a technology solutions provider. James loves the emphasis on individualized instruction and active learning at Hess Academy. He is very happy to be a part of the Hess community.

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Zawn is a philosopher and writer who writes primarily about reproductive justice, gender equity, and mothering. Her work endeavors to make feminist and moral philosophy accessible to lay audiences and relevant to daily life. She founded the Georgia Birth Advocacy Coalition to help reclaim birthing rights in a system plagued by racism and obstetric violence. She started her career as a science and health journalist writing about neuropsychology, mental health, child development, and primatology. She's currently writing a book about labor exploitation in relationships. She's thrilled to be part of the Hess community, and believes that Hess Academy is daily changing lives and the world.