Robert (Bob) Smith is a semi-retired business executive. Bob spent many years in manufacturing leadership, rising to serve as CEO of two midsized companies. With four patents to his credit, he is also an accredited servant leadership coach, plus a statistical analysis expert. Having lived in five states, he has resided in the New Georgia area with his wife Lynne, for the past twenty years. Together, they have four adult sons. Bob is passionate about preserving the freedoms we have been blessed with in this county.

The Vetting Committee Chairman reports to NFRA Director Catherine Bernard and is responsible for interviewing candidates for office seeking the GRA’s endorsement. The committee makes recommendations to the GRA membership regarding endorsement. Eddie Caldwell has also been elected the President of the Northwest GA GRA chapter & the Chairman of the Whitfield County Republican Party.

David Carlson has been a political activist in metro-Atlanta, serving in many capacities. As Chapter Relations Chairman, he runs support for local chapters, traveling to visit them and get local feedback, and serves as the liaison between them and the state GRA leadership, as needed.

Field serves as the I.T Committee Chair, and redeveloped the GRA web site in 2020. He’s formerly served as a House District Chair in the Cobb County Republican Party, and has worked competently in the I.T. business for many years. He currently resides in South Georgia.

As the Treasurer, Banks Wise manages the finances of the organization. He has been involved in the Republican Party as a volunteer activist for over a decade, first getting involved in the presidential races of Congressman Ron Paul from Texas. He resides in Cherokee County and works in an accounting firm. He has previously worked as a campaign manager for several successful State House races and worked as those elected Republican legislators’ Chief of Staff and their political advisor.

Denise Burns was elected as the Assistant Secretary of the GRA at the State Convention in December of 2021. She has been a GRA member in good standing for many years, and was also first elected the 14th Congressional District GA GOP Chairman in May of 2021. She was reelected to that position in 2023. She lives in the Walker County / Catoosa County area, has been a good long-term friend of Secretary Joanna Hildreth, and she assists Joanna with the official correspondence on behalf of the GRA.

Joanna Hildreth serves as the Secretary of the GRA as well as one of the leaders of the NWGRA in Catoosa County, Georgia. She has also twice been elected as the Catoosa County GOP Chairwoman.

Abigail Hope Darnell (formerly Abigail Hope Cochran) grew up in Whitfield County in northwest Georgia before marrying Nathaniel Darnell in the summer of 2020. She is the grateful mother of their first child Patience Hope Darnell, who was born in November of 2021. She is the eldest daughter among seven children belonging to Crystal Cochran and CPA Keith Cochran, and worked at his accounting firm for many years. She has also been heavily active in Georgia Right to Life, helping her family organize and run the northwest chapter of GRTL beginning in 2016. In 2019 she was elected as the Vice President of Georgia Right to Life by the state board, serving under Ricardo Davis, the President of that organization. She was re-elected to that position in August 2021. She served for five years as Secretary on the board of the L’Abri Symphony, a non-profit community orchestra in Dalton, Georgia, and has trained and volunteered with the Center for Bioethical Reform, doing campus outreach and street activism. In addition, she has served as a field reporter and correspondent for David Tulis’s radio show based in Chattanooga. Abigail served as 3rd Vice President originally in 2021, and was re-elected to that position at the GRA State Convention in December of 2021 for another term.

Abigail Hope Darnell (formerly Abigail Hope Cochran) grew up in Whitfield County in northwest Georgia before marrying Nathaniel Darnell in the summer of 2020. She is the grateful mother of their first child Patience Hope Darnell, who was born in November of 2021. She is the eldest daughter among seven children belonging to Crystal Cochran and CPA Keith Cochran, and worked at his accounting firm for many years. She has also been heavily active in Georgia Right to Life, helping her family organize and run the northwest chapter of GRTL beginning in 2016. In 2019 she was elected as the Vice President of Georgia Right to Life by the state board, serving under Ricardo Davis, the President of that organization. She was re-elected to that position in August 2021. She served for five years as Secretary on the board of the L’Abri Symphony, a non-profit community orchestra in Dalton, Georgia, and has trained and volunteered with the Center for Bioethical Reform, doing campus outreach and street activism. In addition, she has served as a field reporter and correspondent for David Tulis’s radio show based in Chattanooga. Abigail served as 3rd Vice President originally in 2021, and was re-elected to that position at the GRA State Convention in December of 2021 for another term.

Jim Fernander was elected the 2nd Vice President of the GRA at the State Convention in December of 2021. Living in Douglasville, Jim has been active in the Republican Party in Georgia for many years.