Name: Tinsley English

Family: I am preparing to celebrate my 20-year wedding anniversary with my wonderful husband, Steve. I have one amazing daughter, who is starting her junior year of high school this August. My parents, Joanne Junkin and Bill Davis are both UGA Alums. My grandparents were also Bulldawgs and my grandfather ran track and field for UGA in the 1930s!

Hometown: St. Simons Island, Georgia

Current Town: Roswell, Georgia

What Years at UGA: 1995-1999

School/Degree: Risk Management and Insurance, Bachelor of Business Administration, Terry College of Business

Profession: I’ve spent over two decades in the global insurance brokerage sector and currently serve as an operations leader for a Fortune 500 insurance brokerage firm. Throughout my career, I’ve been mentored by incredible female professionals, which is why I’m passionate about supporting the next generation of women in business.

    Last December, I felt a calling to write a guide that I wish I’d had as a rising leader. In just 60 days, I penned my debut book, Grit, Growth, and Gumption for Women: Three Keys to Lead Yourself and Others with Confidence. Over the past four months, I’ve been spreading its message through blogs, podcasts, and various speaking opportunities. My mission is to reach one million women by 2026!

    Through my coaching cohort, the 24-CARAT Leader, I help women unlock their God-given leadership brilliance to enhance visibility, career growth, and decision-making. I’ve also recently completed the Next Step Navigator Program, designed to help college women transition successfully from campus to professional life.

Outside of work, I love spending time with my family and our Standard Poodle, Scout and I’m obsessed with bass fishing at our family farm near Forsyth, Georgia. I’m currently brainstorming my next book on leadership confidence for teen girls.

Celebrating my book hitting best-seller status!

Book: Jesus Calling for my morning devotional, anything by Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl, Dark Places). All time fave: The Great Gatsby

Magazine: I’ve always been a G&G and Southern Living girl but recently got turned on to Southern Lady magazine.

Podcast: The Mindset Mentor – Rob Dial. This 20-minute podcast sets my mind and my day in the right direction.

Blog: The Southern C, of course! And My Kind of Sweet.

Instagram: Outside of following my daughter’s amazing adventures, I love sarablakely

Brand: Ralph Lauren is such a classic for clothing and home. American and iconic, through and through. (2)

Fashion designer: For power suits, J. McLaughlin. Lilly Pulitzer for the weekends!

Interior designer: My mother! Joanne Tinsley Junkin who was a co-owner of Concept Designs on St. Simons Island for two decades. She can incorporate an animal print into almost any room!

Chef: My second mom, Elyse Davis! Her handmade biscuits and cornbread stuffing with gravy are my weakness!

Historical figure: Condoleezza Rice, the perfect mix of power and grace. 

Quote: 

“We must have a theme, a goal, a purpose in our lives. If you don’t know where you’re aiming, you don’t have a goal. My goal is to live my life in such a way that when I die, someone can say, she cared.” – Mary Kay Ash

Describe Athens in five words or less: Lively, vibrant, eclectic, charming, and of course, classic!

Restaurants and bars: Last Resort (dulce de leche cake), Taqueria Del Sol (enchiladas with lemon cream sauce) and miss the old Harry Bissett’s!

Shops: Heery’s Clothes Closet has been a staple of mine since ’95!

Athens/campus landmark: The Arches! Sanford Stadium.

Memory while in school: The night Widespread Panic took over downtown in ’98! The food at the Chi O house!

Professor/class: Dr. Rob Hoyt, Corporate Risk Management

Gameday ritual/plan: In school, we would set up on North Campus with food, Bloody Mary’s and lots of friends. Now, we will host at our home or gather with fellow fans in Roswell to cheer on the Dawgs.

Tailgate Recipe: Plains Cheese Ring

‌Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter was known as a humanitarian, mental health advocate, and devoted partner to her husband, former President Jimmy Carter. To her family, however, she was a wonderful mother and caregiver, always ready to feed and keep charge of her four children, and later grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her family also recalled that, like most Southern grandmothers, many of Mrs. Carter’s recipes contain mayonnaise, including this cheese ring, which was shared by the U.S. National Archives.

Ingredients

1 lb. grated sharp freshly grated cheese

1 cup finely chopped nuts

1 cup mayonnaise

1 small onion, finely grated

Black pepper

Dash cayenne

Strawberry preserves (optional)

Directions

Combine all ingredients but preserves, seasoning to taste with pepper. Mix well and place in 5- or 6-cup ring mold. Refrigerate until firm, for several hours or overnight.

To serve, unmold, and if desired, fill center with strawberry preserves, or serve plain, with crackers.