Meet your Board of Directors
Grace Parfitt, CTRS
I have worked as a CTRS in behavioral health since I graduated from Southern Miss in 2017 (SMTTT!). I love to learn and I love to teach the future of RT by supervising interns every semester.
Some of my leisure interests include: swimming, running, travel, reading, and hiking with my dog, Akira!
Education: B.S. Therapeutic Recreation, The University of Southern Mississippi, 2017
Population Expertise: Behavioral Health
PAST-PRESIDENT
Isabel Jones, CTRS
Isabel Jones earned a Bachelor of Science in Therapeutic Recreation from Georgia Southern University in 2020. During her studies she served as Student Representative for the GTRA board and a Teaching Assistant for the RT Department.
After completing her internship at Augusta VAHCS, she worked as a Recreation Therapist with children and adolescents in an acute and residential behavioral health center. She returned to Augusta VAHCS as an RT on Community Living Center Unit as well as outpatient programming and co-coaching the National Veterans Golden Age Games team.
She is passionate about serving the Veteran population, geriatrics, and the Recreational Therapy community. Her leisure interests include fishing, spending quality time with her family and photography.
Education: B.S. Therapeutic Recreation, Georgia Southern University, 2020
Population Expertise: Older Adults; Veterans; Behavioral Health
PRESIDENT
Juliana Heimann, CTRS
Juliana Heimann has been a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist for about 5 years, after the completion of her bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, GA. Juliana has experience working with older adults, children with intellectual/behavioral disabilities, and now works on the Inpatient Spinal Cord Injury Unit at Shepherd Center. She has been at Shepherd Center for over two years and during her time there she has been involved in growing the Return to Work committee, participating in community programming and various Health and Wellness Clinics, High Tetra committee, and managing the Recreation Therapy treatment plan for 15 patients.
Education: B.S. Therapeutic Recreation, Georgia Southern University, 2020
Population Expertise: Spinal Cord Injury; Older Adults; Behavioral Health
PRESIDENT ELECT
A.J. Sumser, MS, CTRS
A.J. Sumser is a 2022 graduate of Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania and is originally from Cleveland, Ohio. Following completion of his internship in adapted outdoor recreation at the National Ability Center in Park City, Utah, he moved to Atalnta, Georgia to work at the Shepherd Center as the Aquatics Specialist. In his time at the Shepherd Center, he has worked to revamp the aquatics program including increasing education on aquatic treatment options more than doubling available pool programs, and revitalizing the adapted SCUBA diving program. He is very passionate about water safety and spends his time outside of Shepherd teaching swim lessons for Neverland Adaptive Aquatics and lifeguard training courses for Safety Penn LLC. He recently received his Masters in Parks and Recreation Management from Northwest Missouri State University and plans to further his education by receiving his PhD in the following years. He is thrilled about the opportunity to serve on the GTRA BOD and is working to foster outreach and growth within other geographic areas of the state.
Education: B.S. Therapeutic Recreation, Slippery Rock University, 2022; M.S. Parks and Recreation Management, Missouri State University, 2024
Population Expertise: Aquatic Therapy for individuals with Spinal Cord Injury and/or Traumatic Brain Injury
TREASURER
Jamee Gridine, CTRS
Jamee is an alumna of Clemson University. She is currently working in a Mental Health facility and has been a Recreational Therapist for a year and half. She enjoys spending time with family, reading, traveling, and spending time outdoors when the weather is nice.
Education: B.S. Therapeutic Recreation, Clemson University
Population Expertise: Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health
SECRETARY
Kylee Colby, CTRS
Kylee obtained a B.S. in Therapeutic Recreation from from Georgia Southern University in 2021. After starting her career at a children’s behavioral health hospital, she transitioned to the Augusta VAHCS, where she completed her internship. Kylee works on a Community Living Center, facilitates outpatient groups and is a co-coach for the National Veterans Golden Age Games. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her two corgis, reading, and engaging in water sports
Education: B.S. Therapeutic Recreation, Georgia Southern University, 2021
Population Expertise: Older Adults; Behavioral Health
MEMBER AT LARGE
Caitlin Piland, CTRS
Caitlin Piland is is a Recreation Therapist at Manor Care in Marietta, GA. Caitlin also previously served on the board as student representative and enjoyed getting to work with her fellow BOD members and serving Recreation Therapists in the state of Georgia. She has worked with individuals of all age ranges with various types of disabilities as well as individuals ages 18 and up who are in recovery from Substance Use Disorder. She enjoys getting to work with the geriatric population.
Education: B.S. Therapeutic Recreation, University of Tennessee, 2022
Population Expertise: Older Adults
MEMBER AT LARGE