Our Staff
Mandy M. Perkins
Executive Director
Born and raised in Statesboro, Mandy has witnessed the tremendous change and growth that has transformed the area in one that has many challenges and opportunities. Mandy has continued to develop her professional career as a local business owner and volunteer in our community. As an active volunteer, Mandy became involved with Choices of the Heart Pregnancy Resource Center here in Statesboro in early 2021. Currently, Mandy is employed as the Executive Director for Choices of the Heart, a local non-profit organization focused on the needs of young women experiencing unplanned pregnancies. Mandy is happily married to Joe Perkins, a native and local business owner of our great county, as well she is the mother of four adult children. The love of helping others, her persistent work ethic, and her dedication to professionalism are what motivate her.
young woman outside smiling at the camera
Kelli Groover
Nurse Manager and Sonographer
Kelli initially joined Choices of the Heart in Nov. 2021 as an ultrasound tech. Kelli has proudly worked in the OBGYN field for the past 17 years as a Registered Nurse and Sonographer. When the opportunity presented itself in January of 2022, Kelli joined our staff as Nurse Manager and Sonographer. Her love for babies and desire to help women experiencing unplanned pregnancy choose life has lead her to this place at this time. Kelli sees God’d plan in bringing her to Choices and is thankful to be able to serve her community in this capacity.
Kelli and her husband Ashley Groover live in Statesboro with their two children Laura Ashley and Logan Groover.
young woman outside smiling at the camera
LaDawndra Robbs
Client Advocate
LaDawndra is a retired teacher of thirty years and community volunteer. She is an organizer of programs and worked fervently on community boards. She advocates for children with over thirty yearsof experience working with families and children. One of her strong passions is pregnancy resources in the community.
In her early years after completing her bachelor's degree in education. She organized a program for teenmothers at the YWCA providing mentoring and self-help skills. She also volunteered in Kansas City Kansas at Rachel’s Tea House, a Teen Mother’s Pregnancy Outreach. She donated her time teaching young mothers how to care for their infants and tutored teen mothers to get their high school diploma.
With so much experience and a love of women, men and babies we are so excited to have LaDawndra join our team as an advocate for life.
young woman outside smiling at the camera
Shelby Mullinax
Director Assistant/Volunteer
Shelby was born and raised in Augusta, Ga. She and her husband Phil Mullinax have been married for 28 yrs and have three beautiful children Maddy, Meredith and Morgan.
In 1997, Shelby and Phil served as missionaries in Colombia and Ecuador after feeling God's call to the mission field. This opened the door for Shelby to use her gift of speaking Spanish for God's Glory.
After many years of being a wife and mother Shelby felt God's calling once again to the mission field, this time it was right here in her hometown. She had prayed diligently asking God where she could be used and He opened the door for her right here at Choices of the Heart. Shelby's desire is to use her gifts to minister to the women who come into the clinic searching for help and hope in the midst of a Crisis Pregnancy.
Psalms 139: 13-16
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Pat Kelly
Client Counselor
Pat Kelly is a newcomer to Choices of the Heart. She and her husband Tim are recent transplants from South Florida, where she volunteered as a counselor in a Pregnancy Resource Center for five years. Pat is thrilled to be back in a Center where she knows she can offer Christ-centered compassion, hope, help and practical support to those making life-altering decisions. She is grateful that the Board of Directors, and the staff believe in the humanity, personhood, intrinsic value and divine creation of the unborn child and strive to honor all persons who walk through our doors. She is happy to be associated with Choices of the Heart and to work alongside teammates who are dedicated to that cause.
young woman outside smiling at the camera
Rita Hopkins
Office Assistant
I am blessed to be a small part of this ministry. Sadly, I am divorced after 31 years of marriage, but am extremely blessed to have 4 wonderful grown children and 3 sweet grandchildren. I am tired and retired (Haha) after 16 years of hospital nursing and 31 years of Operating Room nursing. God wasn’t finished with me yet. I had a thought to volunteer here – and then had the opportunity to be here at COTH. It is such a needed service for women and families for all sorts of help – physical, financial, spiritual, and emotional. I have volunteered here because:
*I believe that life is sacred, made in the very image of the creator. (Gen 1: 26-27); God “gives to all life, and breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25)
*Our responsibility and the opportunity to follow Christ’s example of serving others as when He washed the disciple’s feet given in scripture for the purpose of bringing glory to God: “love not in word or talk but in deed and truth. (I John 3:18) … let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. ( Matthew 5:16 ) “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” (Romans 12:10)
I appreciate all the work that has been and continues to be done by the founders, board, workers, and volunteers to support this ministry for so many years.