Jones speaker at Mt. Zion brunch

    The Deaconess Board and Auxiliary of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Toccoa will sponsor a prayer brunch Saturday, Sept. 14, at 10 a.m. at Gate Cottage.
    Guest speaker will be Ershla Johnson Jones.
     A native of Toccoa, Johnson is one of three daughters of Ronald Johnson and Juanita Hay. She is a 1997 graduate of Stephens County High School and is a member of Christ the King Church in Dacula.
    She received her spiritual training at Friendship Baptist Church of Toccoa before relocating to the Atlanta-metro area.
    Jones holds a bachelor’s degree in management from Georgia State University and this past May she obtained an executive master’s degree in business administration from the University of Georgia.  
    She also has the Professional in Human Resources and Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) – Certified Professional designations.
    She is a board member for the UGA Executive MBA Alumni Association.  She also participates in the Women in Leadership Mentorship program.  
    Jones is an active member and committee volunteer for SHRM -Atlanta, an organization dedicated to creating best-in-class workplaces in Atlanta by fostering communities, promoting professional development, celebrating excellence in human resources and advancing thought leadership.
    She volunteers with several non-profit organizations including United Way, American Diabetes Association, March of Dimes and American Heart Association. Ershla also volunteers with Gwinnett County Public Schools and serves on their GEMS Oversight Committee.
    Servanthood is a core principle for her as a leader in the workplace, community and in her daily life, she says.
     In 2015 she founded Provision to Purpose, an organization focused on helping young professionals and rising leaders through mentorship, career preparedness and personal development.
    Professionally, she is the vice president of operations for Decisely, an insurance technology company, where she develops and executes strategic initiatives to increase organizational capacity and profitability.
     Under her leadership, she facilitates employee growth through a culture of inclusion, collaboration, continuous feedback and innovation.
    Her “people first” management approach makes her especially effective in driving change, assessing and resolving organizational problems yielding increased productivity, she said.
    Jones is a speaker and seminar leader. She has been recognized for her  communication skills and her experience in motivating both large and small groups of people with a common vision and purpose.
    While she is very proud of her career accomplishments and civic commitment, the most important aspect of her life is being a wife and mother.
    She resides in Buford, with her 9-year-old son Solomon and husband Bobby.
    The following students will be honored with the Shining Star Award – Trayvon Blackwell, Ansley Clemmons, Jikaeus Harbin, Jaylee Scott, and Anike Tendell.
    Tickets can be purchased for $20 and will not be sold at the door. Call 706-886-0204 for tickets and more information.