NAME: Stephanie Manley
FAMILY: Husband Trey (UGA ‘91), daughters Raynor (UGA ‘23), and Elle (UGA ‘26)
Home Town: Stone Mountain, Georgia
Current Town: Griffin, Georgia
What Years at UGA: 1989-1993
School/Degree: Terry College of Business/Human Resources Management/BBA
Profession: Human Resources Manager, Accenture
Ties To Athens Music: Developed a deep appreciation for live music in the early 1990s seeing Allgood, Dreams So Real, Johnny Quest and The Connells among others!
Fave Bands You Have Seen in Athens: Kinchafoonee Cowboys (Georgia Theater), Blues Traveler (Georgia Theater), Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ (The Foundry)
Lose Control – Teddy Swims
Wondering Why – The Red Clay Strays
Ants Marching – Dave Matthews
But Anyway – Blues Traveler
The Devil Went Down to Georgia –
The Charlie Daniels Band
Ring of Fire – Johnny Cash
Strawberry Wine – Deanna Carter
Midnight Rider – The Allman Brothers
The Star-Spangled Banner (Live from Super Bowl LVII) –
Chris Stapleton
Landslide – Fleetwood Mac
Feelin’ Alright – Joe Cocker
Walking in Memphis – Marc Cohn
Takin’ The Slow Ride – Lanie Gardner
Someone I Used To Know – Zac Brown
One Man Band – Old Dominion
Georgia On My Mind – Ray Charles
Better Man – Little Big Town
Promises – Eric Clapton
Take A Chance On Me – ABBA
These Are The Days – Van Morrison
PROUST
Name: Andy Barksdale
Family: Laura White Barksdale (1987 B.S.Ed. and 1994 M.Ed), Collier Barksdale (2021 BSFCS – Fashion Merchandising), Morgan Barksdale (2022 – BBA Finance), and Addison Barksdale (2026 – BBA Real Estate and Finance)
Hometown: Athens, Georgia – Laura and I grew up on the same street.
Current Town: Charlotte, North Carolina
What Years at UGA: 1985-1989 (Undergraduate) and 1992-1993 (MBA)
School/Degree: BBA Finance and MBA
Profession: Managing Director/Owner – Symphonix (a fantastic marketing agency)
Accolades: UGA: Honors program graduate, Phi Kappa Phi, Leadership UGA, Young Alumni of the Year – 1999. Terry College Board Chair Emeritus – grateful for the opportunity and friendships! 40 Under 40, Charlotte Business Journal
What life lessons did you learn while at UGA? People + Discipline: I learned that college isn’t just classrooms and textbooks. It’s about the people. The best life lessons came from road trips with fraternity brothers, late-night conversations, and Main Library study sessions that veered off course. UGA also taught me discipline – show up, do the work, and follow through. That habit has never failed me.
What professor did you most admire? Three-way tie: Dr. Annette Poulsen (Finance) – smart and humble with a remarkable ability to make complex topics understandable. Dr. Fred Stephenson (Marketing) – he cared deeply about the classroom experience and treated students like they were his customers. Dr. James Don Edwards (Accounting) – his mantra, “look beyond the numbers,” still rings true. What a great gift to have professors who genuinely wanted you to learn, grow and achieve.
What do you consider your greatest achievement? Laura Barksdale has raised three amazing, hard-working children. She has taught them to think critically, lead gracefully, and treat other people the right way. Assuming I contributed a little bit to their journey, this would be my greatest achievement.
Which historical figure do you most identify with? I relate to Ronald Reagan, the Great Communicator. He made America feel confident again. At a time of economic struggle, global tension, and low national morale, he brought optimism, a sense of simple clarity, and a sense of humor. He spoke plain, direct language without jargon. He could disagree without being bitter. Even people who didn’t vote for him admitted they liked him, because he carried himself with dignity, humor and humility. He didn’t just lead, he lifted.
Who are your heroes in real life? My heroes are not necessarily famous. They are the people who do the right thing when no one is watching: the schoolteachers that truly love their students, the city council member who represents everyone fairly, the police officer who serves and protects with honor, and the college professor who teaches because they care about shaping future leaders, not just publishing research.
I also believe small business owners are heroes. They bet everything on a dream. They work late, manage stress, overcome setbacks, take risks, help others, and persist with most would stop. That kind of courage never makes the news, but it keeps America running.
And I admire those who live with integrity. Walter Cronkite didn’t shape history through politics or power, but through credibility. I miss the days when our news was objective and united us instead of dividing us.
Quote to live by: “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that! What the world needs is for you to come alive!”
What is your idea of perfect happiness? Being surrounded by the people I love, with nothing on the calendar except time together … and nothing more urgent than deciding what is for dinner.
What is your most marked characteristic? I’d like to think that I genuinely care about people. Whether it is family, friends, team members at work … I try to make sure people feel valued and supported.
What do you most value in your friends? I value loyalty, honesty, and people who show up when it matters. Good friends don’t have to be perfect, just consistently genuine. The best friends make life lighter.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Worry less. Most of the things that keep me up at night never actually happen.
Who are your favorite writers? Thomas Carlyle helped shape the way I think about leadership, morality, and the world around us. He believed that heroes matter…not because they are famous, but because they tell the truth, inspire virtue, and lift society by example. In a world full of political spin and shallow popularity, Carlyle believed that integrity was the real source of greatness.
Fave social media and who to follow? I enjoy scrolling X and Instagram. It is a great way to keep up with my kids. I also follow many of the Georgia Football accounts and various fly fishing accounts – there is so much to learn.