Governing Board

Governance@fastk8.org

Paras Shah – FAST Board Chairman

Paras Shah is an experienced business leader with over 15 years of marketing & sales experience across a wide range of consumer-facing industries. He is currently the Director of Digital Marketing for Georgia Pacific’s Consumer Brands business. Paras began his career at Procter & Gamble, where he worked in marketing for various well-known household brands in the Beauty Care & Home Care business units across North America & globally. He has also held positions in brand management, eCommerce & digital marketing at Yum! Brands, Benchmark Brands, and INVISTA. Paras holds a BBA in Management Information Systems and Business Honors as well as an MBA in Finance from The University of Texas at Austin. He lives in Alpharetta, GA, with his wife and two kids, who attend FAST.

Term expires June 30, 2026 paras.shah@fastk8.org

Desiree Andrews – Vice Chair FAST Board

Desiree Andrews is an established healthcare leader with multimillion-dollar strategic, operational, and cultural transformation experience in the public and private sectors. With over two decades of experience in management consulting, productivity, healthcare operations and care delivery administration, market intelligence, and strategic planning, she has a proven track record of success. Her leadership at Kaiser Permanente reflects her dedication to enhancing consumer experience. Desiree is committed to making a positive impact on education by leveraging her professional skill set and board experience with Solidarity Sandy Springs and various community partnerships throughout Metro and Greater Atlanta. Her scientific foundation and analytical mindset provide a strong basis for her continuous improvement efforts and problem-solving approach.

In addition to holding a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from the University of Texas at San Antonio, she is certified as a Lean Six Sigma practitioner. Her extensive experience in managing complex operations, coupled with her strategic thinking and analytical skills, contribute to effective decision-making and the implementation of initiatives that benefit FAST students, families, and staff.

Desiree lives in Sandy Springs with her husband and their two sons who attend FAST.

Term expires June 30, 2026 – desiree.andrews@fastk8.org

Steve Jones – FAST Board Secretary

Steve Jones is an experienced business leader. He is currently the CEO and President of SJJ Advisory Services which provides Strategic and Operational expertise to Private Equity Firms as well as portfolio company leadership teams across industries in North America and Europe. Prior to this role, Steve was the CEO of Brill which is a leader in the manufacturing of Icings and Bakery products with over $650MM in revenues and over 3,000 employees across the United States. Steve spent a dozen years with The Coca- Cola Company and also held positions with General Electric and Lockheed Martin where he worked as an Engineer in the Aerospace Industry. Steve also worked for Bain & Company. Steve has degrees in Electrical Engineering and History from Duke University, a Masters in Engineering from Virginia Tech and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He lives in Milton, GA with his wife and six children – four of whom have graduated from local public schools, and two who are currently attending public schools. One of his children is an elementary school teacher at a local public school.

Term expires June 30, 2026 – steve.jones@fastk8.org

Al Stanley – FAST Board Member, Finance Committee

Al Stanley is currently Chief Technology Officer for JPMorgan Chase, Correspondent Lending Division.  He has over 20 years of global experience serving in a variety of Business Operations, Information Technology, and Information Security positions including Chief Operating Officer, Chief Technical Executive, and Chief Information Officer for Fortune 500 and mid-market companies.

Al has served on boards of several business and technology associations and non-profit organizations, including Innosale Consulting, Holistic Information Security Practitioner Institute, the Society for Information Management, NPower CIO Council, The International Center, American Pianist Association, and Opera Carolina.  He holds a degree in Management Information Systems from California State University, Sacramento.

Al lives in Alpharetta with his wife and their daughter who attends FAST.

Term expires June 30, 2026 – al.stanley@fastk8.org

Tara Colon – FAST Board Member, Communications Committee

With over 17 years in the telecom business, Tara has hands-on experience in national marketing/promotions, product strategy and portfolio management. Currently, she serves as the Assistant Vice President overseeing all mobile products for AT&T and Cricket and is accountable for all device manufacturers’ relationships. Prior to her current role, Tara led the product launch execution and marketing strategy for video, broadband, and wireless, as well as support for National Retailers and Care.  Tara oversaw promotions, AT&T’s messaging strategy, and field marketing efforts.

A native of Kentucky, Tara is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and received her MBA from Lindenwood University. She currently resides in Alpharetta, Georgia, with her husband Alex, and their two sons with attend FAST.

Term expires June 30, 2026 tara.colon@fastk8.org

Stacy Perlman – FAST Board Member, Academic Committee

Stacy Perlman is a retired educator with 31 years of experience in Fulton County Schools. Stacy most recently as the principal of Mountain Park Elementary School from 2007 to 2022. She has an extensive background in Educational Leadership and Design Thinking, and has coached and mentored school administrators for the past two decades. She currently works as a new programs consultant with Construction Ready and as a Hearing Officer for the Fulton County Schools Office of
Student Discipline. Stacy also serves on the Executive Board of the StarHouse Foundation, a local non-profit which provides after school programming and support for underserved students in Roswell.

Stacy holds a B.A. and M.Ed. in Education from the University of Florida. She lives in Roswell
with her daughter who attends Roswell High School.

Term expires April 17, 2028 – stacy.perlman@fastk8.org

Ivy Goggins-Young – Board Member

Ivy Goggins-Young is a retired educator with over 30 years of service in Fulton County Schools, including 13 years in the Roswell community before being promoted to Principal of Dunwoody Springs Elementary in neighboring Sandy Springs. She is respected for her innovative leadership and student-centered approach to education. During her tenure, Ivy spearheaded the successful implementation of a schoolwide Project-Based Learning teaching methodology, transforming the student learning experience and driving academic achievement. She also launched a successful, nearly revenue-neutral Model Teacher program to define and promote high-quality instruction. This initiative provided targeted professional development, supported staff retention, and expanded teacher leadership opportunities. Over half of the original Model Teachers, were promoted to leadership roles within the school, district, or metro Atlanta area.

A native of Charleston, South Carolina, Ivy holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Winthrop University and a masters degree in school administration from the University of West Georgia. In retirement, Ivy continues to champion educational excellence as an Executive Coach for new administrators in the Walton County School District. She is proud to serve on the board of the Fulton Academy of Science and Technology.

Ivy resides in Tucker, Georgia with her husband. Her daughter is a proud graduate of Fulton County Schools and is a recent graduate of Florida A&M University.

Term expires July 1, 2028  ivy.goggins-young@fastk8.org