Georgia
HOSA
History
Twenty-six years of students learning, leading, serving, and innovating as the next generation of health professionals.
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2026
Our Founding
01Georgia HOSA was chartered in 2000 as a state affiliated association of National HOSA, then known as Health Occupations Students of America. Its creation was driven by Georgia's health science education leaders: the Georgia Department of Education partnered with Blue Ridge AHEC, the Area Health Education Center based in Rome, to bring HOSA to the state and give future health professionals a home to learn, lead, serve, and innovate. Blue Ridge AHEC went on to help coordinate the Fall and State Leadership Conferences and to fund scholarships for students attending national conferences.
In those founding years, the new association was guided by a small leadership team, including Executive Director Catherine Faust, Ph.D., and State Advisor Regina St. George, the Health Science Technology Education (HSTE) Program Specialist at the Georgia Department of Education. On the student side, Kevin LuAllen served as the first Georgia HOSA State President in 2001. In 2004, the national organization broadened its mission and rebranded as HOSA: Future Health Professionals, reflecting the wide range of careers its members pursue.
From a handful of early chapters, Georgia HOSA has grown into one of the state's largest career and technical student organizations. Today, under State Advisor and Executive Director Nikki Bentley, the association serves more than 22,000 members across nine regions, all carrying forward the mission its founders set in motion a quarter century ago.
Milestones
02HOSA Founded
National HOSA is chartered by six states in Arlington, Texas.
Georgia Chartered
The Georgia association is established.
A New Name
HOSA adopts "Future Health Professionals."
10,000 Members
Membership tops 10,000 across 188 chapters.
300+ Chapters
More than 300 chapters now span the state.
15,000 Members
Membership climbs past 15,000 students.
Nine Regions
Georgia HOSA expands to nine regions statewide.
25th Anniversary
A quarter century of future health professionals.
22,000+ Members
Serving over 22,000 members across nine regions.
State Presidents and Their Teams
032000CharteredGeorgia HOSA is founded▾
2001Kevin LuAllenFirst Georgia HOSA President▾
2002Allen Seigler▾
2003Tran Nguyen▾
2004Carol Finch▾
2005Ryan Barrett▾
2006Ryan BarrettSecond term▾
2007Jordanna Lundgren▾
2008Tyanna Allen▾
2009Patrick Chancy▾
2010Whitney Wilkes▾
2011Maria Van Allen▾
2012Sabrina Singh▾
2013Brooke Vaughan▾
2014Kyle SoutherlandCompleted by P. Rathakrishnan▾
2015Priya RathakrishnanFormer international officer▾
2016Ayesha Ahuja▾
2017Kaylee Blount▾
2018Callahan Thompson▾
2019Faith Ediae Holly▾
2020Faith Ediae HollySecond term▾
2021Reema Chande▾
2022Sriya Sirigireddy▾
2023Cameron CarterFormer international officer▾
2024Neal Fernandes▾
2025Gianna White▾
2026Shivani LalCurrent President▾
Help Tell Our Story
Have photos, memories, or memorabilia from your years in Georgia HOSA? We'd love to add them.