Pacer and Julie Cordry

Pacer and Julie grew up in Nebraska, where they met and married. They have been married for 27 years and have a 23-year-old son and a 22-year-old daughter.  Their journey with addiction began when their son started struggling with addiction as a teenager and was later diagnosed with a mental health condition. This challenging and ongoing journey has deeply impacted them, shaping their commitment to helping other families facing similar struggles. Through it all, their faith has been an anchor, and they’ve witnessed God’s protection and provision in incredible ways.

Understanding the financial and emotional burdens that come with treatment for addiction, Pacer and Julie started Sunrise Parent Retreat in 2020. They wanted to create a safe and supportive space where parents could rest, refocus, and refuel. These weekend retreats, offered at no cost, became a lifeline for many families, much like the mission of Prodigal Child Ministries.  Following the initial retreat, one of the women in attendance began hosting a bible study, so Julie continues to have the pleasure of fellowship and the support of many women who also have children battling addiction and mental health conditions.  The Bible study has faithfully met each Monday night since 2021. Sunrise Parent Retreat has since been dissolved and the retreats continue through Prodigal Child Ministries.

We have been actively involved in two support groups: Parent Recovery Network (PRN) and Parents of Addicted Loved Ones (PAL). We began facilitating a PAL (Parents of Addicted Loved Ones) support group at Northpoint Community Church and have expanded PAL to Browns Bridge Church where we currently facilitate a support group twice a month on Tuesday nights. We have a passion for high school ministry; we’ve served as small group leaders and led high school mission trips for eight years at Browns Bridge Church.
Our commitment to breaking the stigma of addiction drives us to participate in local recovery events. These include the annual pizza party honoring Alec Davis, which raises funds for recovery programs, and the annual Walk for Recovery in Cumming. We aim to raise awareness and support for addiction recovery through these events.

Professionally, Julie has been a Speech-Language Pathologist since 2000, working with children both privately and within the Forsyth County school system. Her career has allowed her to support and nurture children’s development, further fueling her passion for helping families navigate difficult times.
Pacer brings valuable experience as an officer at the Canton Police Department, where he has served since 2011. He has held positions as Public Information Officer, Community Outreach Officer, Instructor and advisor to the youth Police Explorer program. He is dedicated to community relationships and youth development. Additionally, Pacer’s personal experience with addiction allows him to provide practical advice and support to families dealing with legal matters related to addiction.

For many years, Pacer also spent his Sunday afternoons volunteering at the Hartmann Adolescent Center, working with teens struggling with substance abuse issues. His compassion and dedication to helping these young people find a path to recovery have been a significant part of his life’s work.
In his free time, Pacer enjoys creating special gifts and items in our home shop, which is equipped with laser equipment, woodworking tools, 3D printing capabilities, and a CNC router. His creativity and love for giving back are evident in the items he produces to support our ministry efforts.
We are committed to continuing the legacy of support, compassion, and hope established by the founders Fair and John Brocard. We are honored to be entrusted with the leadership of Prodigal Child Ministries, and our desire is that God will be glorified and that parents will see that they are not alone. We want parents to know that God is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine and that He can be trusted with their children. My prayer is that God will give us His vision for Prodigal Child Ministries and that we will act in faith.

Kelly and Heather Golden

Kelly graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Management. After graduation, he designed and implemented industrial air pollution control systems for several years. He has spent the last 25 years in the Wireless Telecommunications space involved in everything from engineering to the construction of wireless networks. Kelly currently concentrates on regulatory environmental compliance, assuring the protection of historical or environmentally sensitive spaces.

Heather is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with dual degrees in Early Childhood Education and Special Education. Heather also possesses a degree in Interior Design from the Art Institute of Atlanta. Heather has been both an educator and an Interior Designer in different seasons of her life and currently focuses on residential and commercial design. Heather has also been actively involved in volunteering and outreach for many years in programs such as Young Life, Lighthouse Ministries, Committee Chairperson of Christian Education at the Big Canoe Chapel, Fundraising Chair for Wildwood Christian Academy’s Annual Gala, and Booster Club President for Denmark High School Dance.

Kelly and Heather are parents of two college-age children and members of Browns Bridge Community Church. Kelly’s passions include the outdoors and well as both amateur and professional soccer. Heather enjoys reading and hiking as well as creative pursuits such as arts/crafts, costume design, gardening, and event planning.

Scott and Susan Tanner

I am Susan Hartsfield Tanner and I am honored to be on the Board of Prodigal Child Ministries with my husband, Scott.  We were both born in Atlanta and raised in warm, loving Christian homes.  Scott has 3 brothers and I have 1 sister.  We met at North Point Community Church in January 2001 during a Sunday morning service.  We had both married young the first time and experienced many challenges such as infidelity and drug abuse.... certainly not the life we had imagined.  Within a year of our meeting, we knew God had this plan for us to meet and have an abundant life together.   We married in my parent's backyard on Lake Lanier in July of 2002.  

We were a blended family with 3 teenagers.  I have one daughter and Scott has a son and a daughter.  My daughter married in 2002 and sadly, her husband shocked us a few years later with a prescription pill addiction.  Their children were 2 and 3 years old.   Scott's son had a pain pill addiction, as well.  He attended NO LONGER BOUND in 2018 and is doing well. Scott's daughter has dealt with pain pills and alcohol and has been to 2 rehabs over the years and has a sweet 9 year old son.  

Our steadfast faith and attending the very first Sunrise Parent Retreat in 2020 has strengthened our lives tremendously.  Meeting other parents with these same challenging struggles has given us a great bond of friendships like no other.  This has resulted in my ladies' Monday night Bible Study of moms/stepmoms of addicted children.  I cherish these women!

I was in the hotel business for several years as a Sales Manager, then owned a sandwich shop for 8 years in Dunwoody and started my own pet sitting business 18 years ago. 

In 2013, Forsyth County started a DRUG AWARENESS COUNCIL and I joined immediately attempting to turn my pain into passion by helping others.  I began mentoring children in 2006 through Big Brothers/Big Sisters which lead me to Mentor Me of North Georgia where I currently mentor at 3 local schools and individually mentor a middle school girl on a weekly basis.  I have been a volunteer for many years at THE EXCHANGE, a ladies monthly event encouraging women to live with intention and purpose.   I love all sports and specifically running.  I've been running for about 40 years and it has been my pure therapy throughout tough times in my life.  Ironically, the first time I took off to run down the street was the day my first marriage was over.  It gave me a natural high that I love to this day!

 Scott is a real estate broker for Scott Tanner Realty, Inc. and has been a high school wrestling coach for over 30 years.  He was the State Champ in high school and received a wrestling scholarship to UGA.  He has been a mentor to middle school kids at a local school for several years now.  He enjoys all sports and enjoys tennis and pickleball specifically.  

 We dearly love our 3 grandkids now 9, 16 and 18 years of age.  Weekend getaways are a must and our 2 trips to Destin each year at our favorite high rise oceanfront condominium.  We can be found every single Sunday on the 2nd row at Browns Bridge Church.... our favorite day of the week.

 Again, we are honored to serve on the board of Prodigal Child Ministries and excited to see how God navigates us all on this journey ahead. I love "let us run with endurance the race that is set before us". Hebrews 12:1.

Bill and Sharon Hamilton

Bill Hamilton retired as a Senior Telecommunication Program Manager with the United States Air Force in 1998, serving with distinction and overseeing critical programs that supported national security and operations. In the 27 years following military service, he held executive management roles at AT&T, Verizon, and Granite Telecommunications providing innovative telecommunications solutions to the Department of Defense, further exemplifying a commitment to impactful service.  Beyond professional achievements, Bill has been engaged in his community and church. With a passion for mentoring and leadership, he has coached football at the youth, middle school, and high school levels, shaping both players' skills and character. Bill has also served as treasurer on the boards of Sharon Springs Youth Football, Otwell Middle School Football, and South Forsyth High School Lacrosse, bringing valuable organizational and financial expertise to these roles. In addition, Bill has been actively involved in youth ministries at First Redeemer Church, demonstrating a heartfelt dedication to guiding and inspiring young minds spiritually.

Sharon is a native Floridian and was a Gator fan long before she attended the University of Florida where she graduated with a degree in Business Administration. She went on to the University of South Florida where she studied a master’s in health administration. She held several positions in healthcare management as a medical practice manager, a DME department manager, a financial analyst and an account representative for a health insurance company before she and Bill moved to Georgia in 2003. At that time, they decided she would take some time off to raise their children, which has been her most rewarding job by far. She now works as a bookkeeper in the school system.  Sharon has served as an executive officer on the boards of several PTAs, PTOs, athletic booster clubs and was a small group youth leader for over 10 years in her church.  She also hosts a weekly bible study in their home for mom of prodigals.

Bill and Sharon have been married since 1994, have three adult children and one grandson. Sharon found PCM over a decade ago when looking for support in the unexpected journey they were embarking on with a prodigal child.  Through this journey they decided to allow God to open doors and show them how they can support other parents faced with the same unexpected challenges of parenting prodigal children.  Bill and Sharon have been members of First Redeemer Church in Cumming, GA for over 20 years and recently led the Prodigal Parent Process as a Wednesday night life course.

Jim & Terri Shambo

Jim and Terri are residents of Hall County, Georgia and currently live on Lake Lanier. Originally from South Florida they both have a heart for helping families whose kids are struggling. We are parents to Courtney (35) and Tyler (38) who both live nearby. Their son Tyler has been struggling on and off with his addictions since he was 13 years old and Jim’s father also had issues as well. In addition Jim’s grandfather was an addict and succumbed to the disease at an early age. They have two incredible grandkids (Hartley, 11) and (TJ, 3). Jim and Terri have been married for 45 years and have navigated this thing called life by a strong faith and consistent communication.

From a non-profit standpoint Jim served on the board for No Longer Bound for over 10 years and led the Family Recovery process (which included writing curriculum and teaching families) for almost 11 years.

Professionally, Jim is a corporate executive with State Farm and holds an MBA with a concentration in Leadership. In addition, Jim went back to school just a few years ago to earn his Certified Addiction Counseling certificate (aka a CAC II)

Terri has been Jim’s support and has held many roles including her being an amazing Mom, Grammy, and incredible wife, all while working as a hair stylist for years now. She has owned her own salon in the past and ran one of the largest salons in South Florida. Terri continues to help service clients in the Atlanta area.

We are both passionate about holding boundaries and working together to make sure we learn how to be ok, even when our son is not.

We have also been a part of PAL (Parents of addicted Loved Ones) and PRN (Parent Recovery Network). Jim has facilitated many meetings and led families in several support groups and speaking engagements regarding addiction.

We would both be honored to work alongside you all at Prodigal Child Ministries.

Courtney Rhue

Courtney is a graduate of Florida State University with Bachelor of Science degrees in Finance and Real Estate. She spent most of her career in investment sales within the hospitality industry, including 14 years with JLL. She has been married to Ron since 1998, and they were blessed with twin boys in 2004. In April 2023, one of her sons, who had walked the prodigal path through high school, was killed. That unimaginable loss divided her life into “before” and “after.”

While Courtney has been blessed with an incredible support system of family and friends, reconnecting with Laura Hutchins in September 2023—a friend she hadn’t seen since their children were in preschool—brought a new sense of understanding. Laura had recently experienced the tragic loss of her own prodigal, and together they discovered the comfort that can come from walking alongside others who understand the complexities of this unique and often stigmatized grief.

Courtney had tried a grief group, but the shame surrounding her loss made it difficult to feel safe processing her complex emotions. Online groups offered connection, but many of the stories she encountered left her discouraged rather than hopeful. Courtney and Laura began praying about starting their own group specifically for those facing “stigmatized” loss and, with the encouragement of the Brocards and PCM, they launched Hope After a Prodigal Loss at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in the summer of 2024. Though they both continue to feel unequipped, God continues to bless this group, gives them what they need to lead, and brings those who need community and support. The group has become a tremendous blessing in Courtney’s own journey of learning to carry the weight of grief, share without fear of judgment, and process and release some of the shame. While she despises this path, she has found fertile soil in the valley and continues to be amazed how God uses her story to encourage others and brings glory to Himself.

In the “after,” Courtney’s priorities and the way she wants to spend her time have changed completely. She left JLL in 2025 and soon began volunteering with No Longer Bound’s Development Team, helping with major fundraising events. She now balances the volunteer role with contract work supporting NLB’s specific fundraising initiatives. Courtney finds tremendous hope on the NLB campus and is deeply proud of every man there who is fighting for—and living in—sobriety.