PGA HOPE Council
Troy Brin
Troy Brin is a distinguished retired US Army Combat Veteran and a 2021 PGA HOPE Graduate, earning recognition as a member of the Class of 2022 PGA HOPE Ambassadors. Possessing extensive leadership and human capital management experience, Troy currently serves in the capacity of Director of Human Resources in municipal government. His career is marked by a profound commitment to service, exemplified by his active participation and passion for PGA HOPE. Troy is excited to leverage his skills and expertise to contribute meaningfully to the PGA HOPE Georgia Council, embodying a dedication to continued service and community impact.
Ryan Carr
Ryan Carr is a Georgia native and University of Texas Graduate. After graduation, Ryan commissioned into the Navy and spent several years flying F/A-18E Super Hornets before he was medically retired. While in the Navy, Ryan served at NAS Pensacola, NAS Kingsville, NAS Whiting Field and NAS Lemoore, California and has carrier arrested landings on the USS Gerald R. Ford, USS Carl Vinson and USS Chester Nimitz. Ryan graduated from all of his trainings as a Distinguished Graduate and was a rising star in Naval Aviation before being retired. Ryan now works at the Georgia Tech Research Institute as a Flight Test Engineer and lives in Kennesaw with his wife, Elizabeth, and two children, Leighton and Bennett. He is excited to continue to find ways to impact the veteran community through PGA Hope, all while participating in a game he loves.
Monique Carter
Monique Carter is a semi-retired community engagement leader with a passion for connecting people and fostering positive change. Known for advocacy work and a commitment to philanthropy, she has dedicated her skills to making a meaningful impact.
Monique was most recently employed with Southern Company/Georgia Power (where she was employed for 19+ years) as a Senior Community Relations Representative. In this role she worked to enrich and empower diverse communities across Georgia through education, advocacy, leadership development, and meaningful connections.
Monique also served four years in the United States Air Force where she received an honorable discharge. Monique received her Bachelor of Science in Business Management degree from the University of Phoenix – Atlanta campus.
Monique enjoys traveling, reading, trying new restaurants, and live music events. Monique is a huge sports fan and enjoys attending Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta Dream games having great pride in being an inaugural season ticket holder/Founding Fan of the Atlanta Dream. Monique began golfing seriously in 2022 and loves the game and is working to become a proficient golfer.
Ashley Gawron
Ashley Gawron is a strategic and action-oriented marketer focused on helping companies solve their most pressing business challenges. She possesses an insatiable curiosity that has generated diverse experience across industries and platforms, and is currently working as a consultant at Accenture out of Raleigh, NC. Ashley is passionate about serving the veteran community, and is excited to apply her skills on the PGA HOPE Georgia Council.
Robert Leahey
Robert Leahey is a former Navy Corpsman who served 5 years with Marine Corps and Navy Expeditionary Units. After the military, Robert attended the University of Iowa where he completed a Bachelors in Business Enterprise and Leadership. Robert is now enrolled at the University of Georgia to complete his Masters of Business Administration. Robert currently works in Employee Benefits for an Insurance Brokerage. He enjoys golfing, hiking/traveling with his fiancée, coaching lacrosse, and hanging out with friends & family in his spare time.
Robert was first introduced to PGA HOPE when attending the 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. During the opening ceremony, Robert heard a speech about the program and knew he wanted to be involved. After speaking with the VA, Robert was connected to PGA HOPE Georgia and attended a Session at Bobby Jones Golf Course where he felt right at home. Robert has an electric passion for the game of golf and helping fellow veterans. Robert now volunteers his time recruiting other veterans to PGA HOPE and spreading the story of how PGA HOPE impacted his personal journey in finding camaraderie after the military.
Caroline Stephens
Caroline Stephens has a connection to golf and the veteran community that is inspired by her late father, Lt. Col. Robert John Gunn, “Gunner” to his fellow aviators. Born on Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany, she grew up with strong ties to those who served, which helped shape her values of service, resilience, and community. After her father’s retirement at Aviano Air Force Base, the family settled in Valdosta, Georgia where Caroline still lives with her husband, Shane, and 13-year-old son, Sawyer.
In 2022, Caroline lost her father to cancer, a profound loss that ignited her mission to honor his legacy in some way. Through her son’s active involvement in the PGA’s Jr. League, she found PGA HOPE, a program that merges her father’s two greatest passions: the United States military and the game of golf. For Caroline, PGA HOPE is more than a program, it is a tribute to her father.
Beyond her involvement with PGA HOPE, Caroline enjoys traveling, cooking, quality time with family and friends, and all things interior design. She is currently working on getting her golf game back, so on Saturdays, you can find her and Sawyer on the golf course or cheering on the Alabama Crimson Tide. Caroline is thrilled to contribute to the PGA HOPE mission, sharing a game that means so much to her with a community she admires and holds dear.