BOARD MEMBERS

William R. Richardson   (Co-Founder)

Bill Richardson grew up in the Atlanta area and at the age of 19 moved to Michigan with his family.  There he began a career in Law Enforcement with the Oakland County Sheriff Department.  He met his wife Diane and soon moved back to the Atlanta area.  He joined the Gwinnett County Police Department and served 25 years prior to his retiring.  He obtained a Criminal Justice Degree at Brenau University.  Bill has raised two boys who are now in their mid twenties.

Several years prior to retirement Bill began a program on the department called "It Won't Happen To Me".  This program was designed to use the stories of the lives of teenagers who lost their lives in teen driving related car crashes to educate teens of the consequences of making the wrong decisions while driving.  This program became very successful and funding for the printing of the book was picked up by the Govenors Office of Safety and continued for four years till his retirement in 2004.

Toward the end of 2004  Bill was approached by Lauren Winborne who had a mission to better educate teens on driving decisions.  Bill and Lauren joined forces and incorporated IWHTM in December of 2004 and in 2005 applied for 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.  Non-Profit status was obtained and we are now taking IWHTM nationwide.

Bill and Lauren have given IWHTM presentations to numerious schools across Georgia and the southeast.  Also Bill has developed an IWHTM program that is utilized by various traffic courts in the Atlanta area.  Bill has been interviewed on CNN Headline news along with a number of local TV and radio stations in regards to IWHTM.  

Lauren Winborne   (Co-founder)

Like many of us, Lauren knew several teens who had died in car crashes.  As her own children got closer to driving age, she began to research this topic-to see if there were ways that she could educate her own children about safe driving.  In the course of her research, Lauren spoke with the parents of victims, and she became increasingly passionate about the subject.  One of these parents introduced her to Bill Richardson.  Lauren and Bill became co-founders of today's It Won't Happen To Me organization.  The pair has developed a compelling program with DVD's, statistics, and a new book designed to appeal to a nationwide audience of teens and parents.

Lauren has used her extensive contacts to get the foundation's message to a wider audience.  She has made great headways getting their presentation into schools, where the team has presented to thousands of high school students and their parents.  She has also led the organization in fundraising efforts, including the first large-scale fundraising event in the fall of 2006.  Lauren has also expanded the message beyond Atlanta by arranging for meetings and presentations in Savannah, GA, Charleston, SC, Charlotte, NC, Princeton, NJ and Fairfield county, CT.

Lauren is a native Atlantan and a graduated from the University of Georgia.  Before she became a mother, she was an eigth grade school teacher in the Atlanta Public Schools.  Lauren lives with her husband and their six children in atlanta.

Diane L. Richardson...under development

Robert Winborne

Robert is managing director of a regional invesment bank, Brookwood Associates.  He graduated from the University of North Carolina and Harvard Business School.  His wife Lauren and he are busy with the school, sports and church life of their six children.  Robert is also a member of the Board of Directors of St. Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta and the Advisory Board of the Cox Family Enterprise Center.

Ann Lally

Ann B. Lally is a marketing communications consultant who was a partner and account director at JWT (formerly J. Walter Thompson) until March 2007, where she developed strategy and marketing communications programs.  For over 9 years, including tenure at Ogilvy Advertising, she worked with Holiday Inns and Crowne Plaza Hotels (now Inter-Continental Hotels) and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.

She has worked with franchise councils, which invest in properties throughout the world, and with multi-national brands like Allied Domecq, Simmons Bedding, and McCormick Spices.  she is a veteran of 20 years in advertising and public relations and graduated from Duke university and Columbia University Graduate School of Business Master's Degree Program for Excecutives.

She lives in Atlanta with her husband and two teenage sons.  Her articles have appeared in Atlanta Woman, 30327, Hotel-Motel Management, and Junior League Magazine and advertising supplementsof The New York Times.

Johnny Tuggle

After serving in the Army for three years, Johnny Tuggle attended Georgia Satate University and earned a degree in Business Administration with a major in Real Estate.  Shortly thereafter, he started a residential building business and has built homes in the Atlanta area for the past 29 years. 

He and his family live in the Brookwood area of Snellville where he is currently serving as President of his neighborhood's association.  His oldest son Bo was killed in a car accident during his senior year at Brookwood High School.  Johnny supports the organizations It Won't Happen To Me, Compassionate Friends (for bereaved parents), and Habitat for Humanity.

David Groff

David Groff graduated from Moultrie High School in 1970.  Obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Managment from Georgia Southern University in 1974.  He obtained his Juris Doctor Degree at Atlanta Law School in 1983 and became a member of the State Bar Association in 1983 to present.  Is a member of the American Bar association and a member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association.  He is authorized to practice law in the Supreme Court of the State of Georgia and the Court of Appeals for the State of Georgia.  Further he is authorized to practice law in the United States Federal Distric Courts for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districs of Georgia.

David Groff is a member of the Snellville United Methodist Church.

David Groff is the father of Lindsay Groff who lost her life in 2003 in a car crash and is featured in our book and program.

Jane Haverty...Under development