Our Directors

Juanita Yancey is the Executive Officer of the Georgia Head Start Association. Juanita has been an early childhood administrator since 2004 beginning this journey as a Program Manager for the North Carolina Smart Start early childhood initiative. Juanita’s familiarity with Head Start extends to the time she was a child enrolled in the Program. She has worked as a Head Start Director in a Regional program and in a Migrant and Seasonal Program. She is a 2017 graduate of the UCLA Head Start Management Fellows Program. Juanita  has also served as a past member of the Georgia Head Start Association. She holds a B.S. in Business Education from St. Augustine’s University in Raleigh, N.C. and a Masters in Business Administration from Brenau University in Gainesville, GA. She also holds a certificate in Non-Profit Management from Duke University School of Continuing Education in Durham, NC. and certificates in Program evaluation from George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

Mrs. Donnis J. Pace is a native of Cedartown, Georgia. She has an
Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Education, Bachelor of Science in
Sociology, and a Master of Arts in Public Administration She has worked
for Tallatoona Community Action Partnership (CAP), Inc. for 20 years in the
capacity of teacher, center manager, and currently the Head Start and
Early Head Start Director. Mrs. Pace oversee the operation of all Head
Start and Early Head Start locations within Bartow, Floyd, Gordon,
Haralson, Paulding and Polk Counties.
She is the current president of the Georgia Head Start Association and a
member of the Region IV Head Start Association board. Her community
service and leadership involvement include, Youth Leader and Praise and
worship team for Zion a Habitation of God’s Glory and Praise.
She is married to Mr. D. Pace, 27 years and have four children and one
grandchild. They are Xavier, Nehemiah, Kiersten and Elijah Pace,
granddaughter is Nilah Diane.