Office of Special Events and Protocol
What We Do
- Manage special events and/or initiatives for the President and President’s Cabinet as well as high level university events
- Consult on protocol and special events for high-level state, national, and international visitors and delegations
- Serve as a campus resource regarding event and protocol policies and procedures, special events, and event space usage
Staff
Kendria Lee, Associate Vice President for Corporate and Community Affairs
Kendria Lee serves as the Associate Vice President for Corporate and Community Affairs for Georgia Southern University.
In her role, Lee manages the Office of Special Events and Protocol and oversees economic development and community relations for the university, working closely with economic development officials; city and county officials; and key stakeholders throughout the region to establish new ways to align the strategic goals of the university with the initiatives of the University System Office.
Prior to her current role, Lee held the position of Operations Manager and Executive Associate for Government and Community Relations – both with the Office of External Affairs.
Lee is a “Double Eagle” graduate of Georgia Southern University earning a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Information Systems from the Parker College of Business. She is a graduate of Leadership Georgia Class of 2020/2021. Engaged in several community initiatives, Lee, an alumna of the regional program, Leadership Southeast Georgia, is currently serving on the Board of Directors. She also serves on the board of Synovus (Statesboro) and Junior Achievement of Savannah. Lee is a certified Protocol Officer and is a member of the Protocol and Diplomacy International – Protocol Officers Association.
Dr. Lanita Reesie Holsey, Director of Special Events and Protocol
Dr. Lanita Reesie Holsey is an accomplished educator and higher ed practitioner with over 19 years experience in the field. Holsey joined the Office of External Affairs as the Director of Special Events and Protocol, where she assists in the management of signature initiatives for the President and President’s Cabinet as well as high-level university events.
Dr. Holsey has been an educator and administrator, starting her career as a secondary education teacher and administrator in Durham Public Schools, Durham, North Carolina. Holsey has held leadership and faculty appointments at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and Bethune Cookman University. She has also had the pleasure of serving as the Assistant Vice President for Student Success and Engagement at both Edward Waters University in Florida and at Texas Southern University. Prior to her appointment at Georgia Southern University, Dr. Holsey served as a student affairs administrator within the Dean of Student Office at the University of Houston.
Holsey is a two-time, North Carolina Central University alumna holding a bachelor’s and master’s degree in History. She earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership (Ph.D.) from Florida A & M University. She was named to North Carolina Central University’s “40 Under 40” outstanding alumni class of 2020. Dr. Holsey’s career has taught her the value of solid leadership fueled by best practices and a desire to professionally serve others with excellence and integrity.
Kensley Brooks, Events Producer
Kensley Brooks serves as an Events Producer in the Special Events and Protocol department for Georgia Southern University. She assists in the management of signature initiatives for the President and President’s Cabinet as well as high-level university events. Prior to joining the External Affairs team, Kensley worked as the Event Manager at The Village of Baytowne Wharf in Miramar Beach, FL for four years, where she organized large-scale festivals and events to raise record breaking donations for local charities. Kensley is a graduate of Georgia Southern University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Recreation with an Emphasis in Tourism & Community Leisure Services, and a Minor in Marketing. During her previous time in Statesboro, GA, she interned with South Georgia Tormenta FC and Visit Statesboro becoming well involved within the community. She has always enjoyed being a part of Eagle Nation and strives to be a great asset and provide excellent service for the university.
Amanda Heinz, Assistant Director of Special Events and Protocol
In her role, Amanda provides leadership and direction in the execution of large-scale university events and ceremonies as well as establishes procedures and protocol for events to ensure that all university functions advance the university’s mission, vision, and strategic pillars. She has served the university in prior roles as the Manager, Office of Event Management in the Division of Continuing Education, Community Affairs Coordinator in the Office of the Vice President of Armstrong/Liberty Campus Operations and the Special Events Coordinator in the Office of the President (Armstrong State University).
Ms. Heinz has over 15 years of experience in higher education and nonprofit event management. Prior to her tenure at Georgia Southern, she worked at the Savannah College of Art & Design’s Trustees Theater managing theater and signature university events for SCAD such as the Savannah Film Festival and Atlanta Television Festival. She has worked at multiple institutions around the country creating and implementing event management policies and procedures as well as developing and executing executive, advancement/fundraising, and signature events for university administrative offices. Ms. Heinz has a Master of Tourism Administration with a concentration in Event & Meeting Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language & Literature from The George Washington University in Washington, DC.
Bonnie Overstreet, Coordinator of Special Events and Protocol
In her role, Bonnie provides assistance in the execution of large-scale university events and ceremonies. She has been with Georgia Southern University since April of 2018. Previously, she served as the Conference Services Manager, in the Division of Continuing Education, where she managed several annual Georgia Southern academic conferences. She has established relationships with many campus partners in her time at Georgia Southern and will continue to grow those relationships by serving as a newly elected member of the University Staff Council. Prior to starting at Georgia Southern, Bonnie worked at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel where she specialized in both hotel and catering sales as well as conference and event planning. She began her career in hospitality and event management with Marriott International in late 2012 and now has over 10 years of experience.
Bonnie was born and raised in Savannah, GA and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Public Relations from Valdosta State University in 2010. She now proudly calls Brooklet, GA her forever home with her husband, Dain, and son, Britton.
Margaret Lee-Jones, Coordinator of Special Events and Protocol
In her role, as the first line of contact, Margaret provides oversight and assistance of event bookings through the use of the university’s current space management software. She has been with Georgia Southern University for over 35 years. Previously, she served as the Manager of Operations for the Nessmith-Lane Conference Center where she dedicated her time to assisting clients in successful events. She has developed an expertise in accountability, focusing on client centeredness and bias for actions to campus and community partners.
Margaret is a graduate of Georgia Southern University with a Bachelor of Business Administration. She has been married for over 30 years to her husband Sam and together, they have three children and four grandchildren.
Matthew Reynolds, Facilities and Event Coordinator
In his role, Matthew serves as the facilities and event coordinator for Nessmith-Lane Conference Center. As an employee at Georgia Southern University, Matthew has taken on many roles within the facility over the last 10 years including Facilities Use Coordinator and A/V Operations Coordinator. During that time, Matthew has developed a dedication to providing great customer service.
Matthew graduated from Georgia Southern University with a Bachelor of Writing and Linguistics. He has been a resident of Statesboro since 1997, and has two cats named Bean bag and Black bean.
Contact Information
P.O. Box 8033-2
Statesboro, GA 30460-8033
Phone Number: 912-478-6737
Last updated: 10/28/2024
