Dr. Tim Lea serves as the President of VAAMS. He is employed at Copiah-Lincoln Community College as the Director of Veteran Services and has served previously on the VAAMS Executive Board as Membership/Newsletter Chair and aided with other conferences.
Lynda Gist have been employed with Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus since April 2004. She assist students with State & Federal Aid, Federal Work Study, Scholarships and Veteran's Affairs.
She assisted with the 2008, 2009 & 2010 VAAMS Conferences. She has served as VAAMS Treasurer since 2011.
Board Members
VAAMS
DR. TIM LEA, President
LYNDIA GIST, Treasurer
CHASSE KELLY, Northern Representative
Chase Kelly serves as the Northern Representative on the VAAMS Executive Board. She has been at Northeast Mississippi Community College for 9 years, serving as the School’s Certifying Official for the last 8 years.
She has held roles in the Admissions and Records office and now serves as Administrative Assistant for the Dean of Student Services/Athletics. She handles athletic eligibility, academic scholarships and Veterans Education benefits.
BRITTANY WILEMON, Secretary
Brittany is originally from Belmont, MS and first came to Mississippi State University as an undergraduate student. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences and is now pursuing her Master’s Degree in Public Policy Administration. She began her career at the G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Center for America’s Veterans as a student worker while receiving her father’s GI Bill benefits under the Frye Scholarship. Brittany is now the Veterans Benefits and Program Counselor at MSU, and she is very passionate about her service to the veterans, service members, dependants and survivors of the university. She is proud of her father’s service and proud of her soon to be husbands service in the Army National Guard and considers it a privilege to serve the veteran community.
ROXANNE TOWLES, Southern Representative
Roxanne Towles-Counselor/VA Certifying Official at MGCCC-Jefferson Davis Campus/Keesler and Navy Base Centers
Roxanne has been with MGCCC for 22 years and has served as VA Certifying Official at the JD Campus since 2004. Roxanne is a native of Gulfport and holds an AA degree from MS Gulf Coast Community College, a B.S. degree in Communication/Public Relations and an M. Ed. In College Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Southern Mississippi. Roxanne currently serves VAAMS as the Southern Region Representative.
TAVARIS JONES, Membership Chairman
Tavaris Jones serves as VP of Membership/Newsletter Chair for VAAMS. He is employed at ITT-Technical Institute as the Director of Finance and as school Certifying Office. He provides executive level leadership in areas of compliance; finanical aid administration; cash management; veteran affairs administration; procurement; and retail operations.
