Southern Company leader joins ESP's governing board to help expand transformative programs serving people with disabilities and their families.

ATHENS, GA / ACCESS Newswire / January 7, 2026 / ESP (Extra Special People), a leading Southeast comprehensive program serving individuals with disabilities and their families, is pleased to announce the appointment of Charlie Sutlive to its National Board. Sutlive currently serves as Vice President and Chief of Staff to the Chairman, President, and CEO at Southern Company.

The ESP National Board provides governance, fiduciary accountability, and strategic oversight. These volunteer leaders contribute their time, expertise, and networks to advance ESP's mission of creating transformative experiences for people of all abilities and their families.

"Charlie's career says one thing loud and clear-he knows how to bring people together for good," said Laura Hope Whitaker, CEO of ESP. "His leadership across communications, government, and corporate spaces has always centered on connection, and that heart for community makes him such a natural fit for our board and our very special mission."

Sutlive brings extensive experience across some of Georgia's most prominent organizations, including senior leadership roles at Georgia Power, The Coca-Cola Company, and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. A University of Georgia graduate, he has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to civic engagement and community leadership throughout his career.

"I have heard about ESP, but it wasn't until I experienced it for myself for the first time that I was struck by how meaningful this organization is not only to people with disabilities and their families - but everyone who touches the organization," said Sutlive. "I am honored to be part of helping it grow throughout the Southeast."

Sutlive joins a distinguished National Board composed of executives and community leaders from across the Southeast, including representatives from Ernst & Young, Georgia Lottery Corporation, ESPN, and other prominent organizations.

For 40 years, ESP has provided life-changing programs to individuals with disabilities from birth through adulthood. The organization's social enterprises, Java Joy and SEEABILITY, provide meaningful employment opportunities for adults with disabilities while generating revenue to support ESP's mission.

About Extra Special People

Extra Special People, Inc. (ESP) is a nonprofit organization that creates transformative experiences for people with disabilities and their families, changing communities for the better. Through summer camps, year-round after-school programs, employment opportunities and wrap-around family support ESP creates communities of belonging that ripple much further than its walls. . Today, ESP serves more than 1,300 members annually across four Georgia communities in Athens, Rome, Atlanta, and Savannah. Learn more at https://espyouandme.org/

Follow ESP:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExtraSpecialPeople/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/esp-empowers
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/esp_inc/

Media Contact:

Extra Special People, Inc. (ESP)
Chris Fralish
Director of Marketing
chris@espyouandme.org

SOURCE: Extra Special People, Inc.