Glory Jewitt
Global Head of Environment, Health & Safety – Google
Story by Sydney Kate Lewis
In her newly published memoir, In Pursuit of Glory, Fayette County’s own Glory Jewitt shares the story of a woman driven by grit and purpose as she climbs the ranks in a male-dominated field.
Jewitt’s journey began not in steel-toed boots, but in service-driven roles, fueled by a desire to travel the world. Initially, she saw the industrial sector as a means to fund that dream... until she stepped onto her first job site. In that moment, she realized safety management is “a critical, life-saving puzzle.” From then on, her mission became clear: to transform high-risk operations into environments where everyone returns home safely. This transition, from working in a hair salon to standing in the oil sands of Fort McMurray, was more than a career change. “It was a total immersion into a world that felt completely foreign, yet it was where I finally found my footing,” she said.
Much of Jewitt’s early drive was fueled by her daughter, Ella, and a desire to create stability. Over time, that motivation evolved into something greater: a passion for showing Ella - and other women - that they don’t need to shrink themselves to succeed. Now, she emphasizes service and mentorship.
Though writing her memoir had long been a dream, the vulnerability it required was daunting. But Jewitt knew authenticity demanded honesty. Her memoir pulls back the curtain on what résumés often leave out: the sacrifices, relocations, and resilience required to rise. It is an encouragement to women to “keep her heels high and her hard hat higher.”
Karen Gillespie
Founder & Executive Director – Generations Together
Story by Pam Reid
Karen Gillespie is the Founder and Executive Director of Generations Together, Inc., an organization devoted to supporting grandparents and other family members raising children outside of the foster care system. This work was not born from theory. It was born from lived experience. As Karen navigated the journey of raising her own granddaughter, she searched for resources, community, and understanding, and found gaps that needed to be filled.
Karen worked for ten years with another organization serving grandparents in a similar capacity. During that time, a community scan revealed something critical: aunts, uncles, cousins, and other relatives stepping in to raise children often felt invisible. They didn’t see themselves reflected in available support systems. Karen formed Generations Together to change that.
Serving families primarily in Fayette and Coweta counties, the organization provides essential services including case management, preventative support, a food pantry, and monthly support groups that foster connection and reduce isolation. For many caregivers - some in their late 70s raising multiple children on fixed incomes - these services are life-changing. Families no longer have to choose between buying food or medication. They gain both practical support and a sense of belonging.
Generations Together also equips children with essentials - backpacks filled with pajamas and toiletries, holiday meals and gifts, clothing, and school supplies - while partnering with community organizations to provide legal assistance, mental health resources, and educational trainings both in-person and online.
A volunteer-driven organization, Generations Together thrives because of community support. Its impact is deeply personal and far-reaching. This is Karen’s calling, and she accepts it fully. She says, “If I had to give it a name, I would say, ‘leading with love and strengthening families across generations.’”
Today, that love is evident not only in the families served, but in Karen’s own legacy. Her granddaughter is now a college graduate, pursuing dual master’s degrees in social work and business. Karen answered her calling, and through Generations Together, countless families are no longer walking alone.
Paige Cotchett
Director of Community Relations – Piedmont Fayette Hospital
Story by Pam Reid
Paige Cotchett’s passion for community is rooted in the mentorship and deep sense of connectedness she has experienced throughout her career in Fayette County. Today, as Director of Community Relations at Piedmont Fayette Hospital, Paige continues to invest in the very fabric of Fayette County. However, her journey into healthcare was not linear. In fact, it was shaped by curiosity, connection, and an undeniable pull toward purpose.
After graduating from the University of Georgia, Paige began a career in marketing, communications, and investor relations. From a publishing company to the Fayette Chamber of Commerce, she built a foundation rooted in storytelling and strategy. During her six years with the Chamber, Paige found her rhythm in bringing people together, leading programs like Leadership Fayette, and sitting at the table with community leaders to shape the county’s future.
One of her proudest contributions was helping lead community vision trips - immersive, multi-day experiences where local leaders explored best practices from similar communities. “It has been fabulous to watch Fayette County take cues from other places and bring it to life in a way that works for us,” she reflects.
That same spirit of connection drew her to Piedmont. The opportunity to continue building relationships, this time within a healthcare system that serves as a cornerstone of the community, felt like a natural next step.
Paige credits much of her growth to three influential female mentors who recognized her potential early and poured into her at pivotal moments, shaping her understanding of leadership, relationships, and community impact. Equally influential is her mother, her greatest role model, trusted advisor, and a former hospital executive, whose wisdom and example have guided Paige throughout her life.
Above all, Paige is most proud of her two daughters, Anna and Rebecca, who inspire her daily. Her advice is simple yet powerful: reach out to those you admire. “There is beauty underneath the surface,” she says. “And connection has no limits in what it can create for you, for others, and for the community.”
Octavia Samuels
Chief Play Officer – PlāSpace
Story by Chelsie Nichole
If you’ve ever been to an Octavia Samuels event, two things are true: you know instantly that it’s an Octavia Samuels event, and you will always remember it. What started as a Fayette County Pitch Contest idea has turned into a growing movement of event and space activation locally and nationally. Her company, PlāSpace, is storytelling through site activation, bringing the fun of play spaces to corporate, health care, and non-profit spaces, trade shows, and events. She has also been an integral part of the Night Market with founder Jason Bass of Jason Hunter Designs. Octavia has brought in new sponsors, including Land Rover of South Atlanta, creating their lounge experience last year.
Octavia is seemingly everywhere, finding partnerships and collaborations between the unlikeliest of industries, but that’s just how her brain works. She’s taking it all in, logging the information, and always knows exactly who to connect with for their ideas to come to life. While she is doing all the things all the time, she is intentional about her break time. She and her wife, Natalie, are a true power couple, both high-level entrepreneurs and philanthropists. They know how to focus on work and on play, taking quarterly trips together and resting purposefully in these ‘break’ moments.
Octavia grew up in Decatur, GA, with a family that valued productivity. She rarely had downtime and learned from an early age how to be intentional with every moment she was given. Her mother is, of course, one of her biggest influences, providing her with a sense of love and home and belonging. Octavia says that her mother made sure everyone had a place in her home and made holidays so impactful. This is Octavia’s inspiration for her Winter Wonderland holiday activation, which is her signature community and social responsibility event, creating a carefully curated opportunity for children to form core holiday memories that they would not have otherwise.
Octavia wants to leave a lasting legacy of memories that she facilitated. She says her grandparents taught her the hardest lesson: all we are left with are memories.
A volunteer-driven organization, Generations Together thrives because of community support. Its impact is deeply personal and far-reaching. This is Karen’s calling, and she accepts it fully. She says, “If I had to give it a name, I would say, ‘leading with love and strengthening families across generations.’”