Neal named drug court coordinator
Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Court judges Kristina Cook Graham and Don Thompson have named Gretchen Neal as the Coordinator of the Adult Felony Drug Court.
In her new role, Neal will oversee the program and coordinate team efforts. She will receive training from the State of Georgia’s Council for Accountability during the Court Judges Annual Training Conference in Athens in the coming weeks. While Neal will be considered an employee of Walker County, her salary and benefits will come from funds provided by the grant that funds the entire program.
Neal comes to the Adult Felony Drug Court with 22 years of experience managing employees; 25 years of ensuring compliance with banking regulations; and, 27 years of customer service experience. Neal has a breadth of experience in managing daily operations and maintaining staff while ensuring employee and customer satisfaction.
Most recently, Neal served as Branch Office Administrator at Edward Jones Investment Company in LaFayette. While there, she was responsible for customer relations including appreciation events, scheduling and preparing client reports. Prior to Edward Jones, she was Vice President and Manager of the Chickamauga and LaFayette branches of Cohutta Banking Company (a division of Synovus Bank). While there, she was responsible for all personnel and operations at the two branches.
In addition to her professional resume, Neal brings significant volunteer experience to the team. She currently serves on the LaFayette Downtown Development Authority, the Executive Board of the Walker County Chamber of Commerce, and is a Rotarian. In addition, she worked with men in recovery in her local church The Wesleyan, for over 30 years.
Neal is married to Jay Neal, Senior Pastor, of The Wesleyan Church in LaFayette. He is a former State Representative in the Georgia General Assembly and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council for the State of Georgia.
Judge Thompson, who will be hearing the cases coming before the Court, said, “We are pleased to have someone with Gretchen’s significant community involvement joining the team. As someone who knows and is known by the community, we know she will provide valuable in-roads to organizations and individuals who can assist in making a difference in the lives of those coming before the Court.”
Judge Graham noted more announcements would be made in the coming weeks. “We’re excited how well the program is coming together and look forward to sharing updates as the program prepares to launch in early Fall.”
The Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Adult Felony Drug Court addresses the needs of habitual users, helps to break the cycle of addiction and prevents further criminal activity in the community. The Adult Felony Drug Court serves Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, and Walker Counties. For additional information about the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Adult Felony Court, please contact Judge Graham at judgegraham@lmjc.net or Judge Thompson at judgedonthompson@gmail.com.