GSP Board

The Global Soap Project is a grassroots organization, managed and supported by volunteers and our Board of Directors.

Derreck Kayongo, Chairman
An executive and development expert, Derreck Kayongo has more than 15 years experience developing strategic social campaigns within organizations for cause-related advocacy, public policy, issue management, and community organizing. His work has made a profound contribution in raising awareness aimed at realizing permanent solutions to global poverty.

Beth Penland, Secretary
Beth Penland is a communications specialist, with experience in travel, hospitality and health care industries. She has done extensive work with non-profit organizations as well as marketing social responsibility initiatives for global corporations including the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and The Coca-Cola Corporation.

John E. Parkerson, Jr., Treasurer
John Parkerson has over 30 years international legal, business and policy experience in global corporations and government.  Currently a Partner with FSB Legal Counsel, he was for 15 years part of the international legal practice group at Delta Air Lines.  Prior to Delta, John served as the Army’s international lawyer in The Pentagon, U.S Embassy-Bonn, European headquarters-Heidelberg, and Professor at West Point.  John also is the Republic of Hungary’s Honorary Consul for the southeast U.S.; and he serves as Director of International Programs and MBA Professor of International Business and Global Logistics at Clayton State University.

Marie-José G. Labaye
Marie-Jo Labaye is the CEO and founder of Keystone Strategy Consulting Group, a management consulting firm advising leading global companies on issues of strategy, organization, technology, operations and mergers & acquisitions’ negotiation and implementation.  Ms. Labaye has over 25 years experience as CFO and COO of several major Fortune 100 companies.  She has developed strategies and operations globally including in several emerging countries.

Vicki K. Gordon
Vicki Gordon is the founder of the Collins Gordon Group, a public affairs firm that provides strategic counsel on business strategies for social change.  Ms. Gordon has over 30 years of experience as a corporate executive including 19 years with the InterContinental Hotels Group, one of the world’s largest hotel companies, where she held leadership roles in consumer marketing, new product development, brand management and public affairs.

Mike Klein
Mike Klein is a communications leader whose career includes positions as CNN Vice President, assignments in commercial and public broadcasting, as well as major market newspapers in Chicago and San Diego and television sports production. Mike serves on The Commerce Club operating board in Atlanta, the Atlanta Press Club board and he has been a University of Georgia guest instructor.   He also writes a twice weekly online public affairs column.

Quinn Hudson
Quinn Hudson is a 25-year corporate communications and public affairs veteran and owner of the Hudson Group Inc., a firm that provides executive level communications to businesses in the Atlanta area.  Quinn serves on the boards of the Commerce Club of Atlanta and the Atlanta Chapter of the National Investor Relations Institute.

Elaine R. Hudson
Elaine is the assistant director of the Atlanta Press Club and a graduate student in public administration at Georgia State University where she is majoring in non-profit association management.