Leadership Team

Jim Potvin 
Executive Director

Jim Potvin is the Executive Director for the Employees’ Retirement System of Georgia. Jim has served ERSGA since 2009, and was appointed to the position of Executive Director in 2012. He earned a BA in Mathematical Economics and Managerial Studies from Rice University and an MS from Georgia State University. Jim brings nearly 30 years of experience in retirement plan administration and consulting to the position.

He is responsible for all aspects of pension fund management, including analysis of plan funding, investment oversight, operational and strategic planning, and fiduciary and governance issues. Under Jim’s leadership, ERSGA administers five defined benefit plans (including a hybrid defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plan), two life insurance plans, and three defined contribution plans. These plans combined cover more than 115,000 active members and 77,000 retirees. ERSGA pays more than $1.5 billion in retirement benefits each year, over 90% of which is distributed in the state of Georgia. Jim is also responsible for developing the agency’s strategic vision, in collaboration with the Board of Trustees, the agency’s Executive Team, and other state officials.

Jim is a Past President of the National Association of State Retirement Administrators (NASRA), and a member of the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators (NAGDCA), the National Conference of State Social Security Administrators (NCSSSA), and the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). Jim strives to embody the mission of ERSGA, which is to be the guardian of state employee pensions.

Angie Surface
Deputy Director

Angie Surface is the Deputy Director for the Employees’ Retirement System of Georgia. Angie has served ERSGA since 2009. She holds a BS in Finance from the University of Central Florida. Angie brings 26 years of experience in finance and retirement plan administration to the position.

She is responsible for the administration of the State of Georgia’s Peach State Reserves 401(k) and 457 plans, serving an estimated 100,000 eligible participants with $2.2 billion in assets. Her oversight also includes the operations of five defined benefit plans (including a hybrid defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plan), two life insurance plans, and an additional defined contribution plan covering more than 115,000 active members and 77,000 retirees.

Angie is a member of the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators (NAGDCA), the National Association of State Retirement Administrators (NASRA), the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), and the Georgia State Employee Benefit Council. Angie is devoted to the delivery of accurate, timely, and consistent retirement administration to ensure state retirees can depend on their retirement income.

Susan Anderson
Chief Operations Officer
Director of Member Services

Susan Anderson is the Chief Operations Officer and Director of Member Services for the Employees’ Retirement System of Georgia. Susan has served ERSGA since 2010. She holds a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo, and an MBA from the University of Toronto. Susan brings more than 40 years of experience in actuarial science and pension administration to the position.

She is responsible for all aspects of Member Services as well as Document Processing. Susan’s leadership includes oversight of pension benefit administration, including survivor, disability, and retirement programs. Her knowledge and experience crosses all departments and support services of ERSGA.

Susan is passionate that members receive the correct information about their benefits so that all state employees have the knowledge they need to be successful in their retirement.

Chris Hackett
Chief Information Officer
Director of Information Technology

Chris Hackett is the Chief Information Officer and Director of Information Technology for the Employees’ Retirement System of Georgia. Chris has served ERSGA since 2008. He holds a BS in Communications from Georgia Southern University. Chris brings 30 years of experience in Information Technology to the position.

He is responsible for the development and execution of ERSGA’s overall technical strategy, including cybersecurity and operations management.

Chris is the Past President and current President Elect of Public Retirement Information Systems Management (PRISM), and a member of the Atlanta Technology Partners (ATP), the Society of Information Managers (SIM), and the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG). Chris strives for operational excellence and the protection of state employees’ sensitive information.

Carolyn Kaplan
Director of Financial Management

Carolyn Kaplan is the Director of Financial Management for the Employees’ Retirement System of Georgia. Carolyn has served ERSGA since 2013. She holds a BA in Journalism from the University of Florida. Carolyn brings 40 years of experience in benefits administration to the position.

She is responsible for ensuring ERSGA maintains accurate data, efficient financial reporting, and payroll for State of Georgia employees, employers, and retirees.

Carolyn is a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist through the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP). Carolyn empowers employers by providing them with the tools and knowledge their members need to succeed in retirement.

Nicole McGlathery
Director of Human Resources

Nicole McGlathery is the Director of Human Resources for the Employees’ Retirement System of Georgia. Nicole has served ERSGA since 2008. She holds a BS in Business Administration from Auburn University and an MS in Human Resources Management from Troy University. Nicole brings nearly 25 years of progressive Human Resources experience to the position.

She is responsible for building and driving successful talent strategies across the agency, as well as creating a culture of trust and collaboration. Nicole oversees all aspects of Human Resources including strategic planning and organizational design, leadership training and development, change management, program development, compliance, talent acquisition, and community involvement.

Nicole is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). She brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the agency.

Kelly L. Moody
Director of Legislative Affairs

Kelly Moody is the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Employees’ Retirement System of Georgia. Kelly has served ERSGA since 2008. She holds a BA in Communications from Georgia State University. Kelly brings 20 years of legislative experience to the position.

She is responsible for legal policy and research, open records requests, legislative standards, and the creation of new bills. Kelly is the agency ethics officer and works closely with each ERSGA division, outside counsel, and other state agencies to ensure the agency follows all state and federal laws, Board of Trustees regulations, and Governor’s mandates.           

Kelly is passionate about protecting and enhancing retirement benefits for all State of Georgia employees.

Flavia Peynado
Director of Quality Assurance 

Flavia Peynado is the Director of Quality Assurance for the Employees’ Retirement System of Georgia. Flavia has served ERSGA since 2001. She holds a BS in Economics from the University of the West Indies, and an MS in Decision Sciences from Georgia State University. She brings 10 years of experience in quality assurance to the position.

Flavia is responsible for legislative and policy pension compliance changes and the overall quality of internal and external pension administration applications.

Flavia specializes in multi-agency collaboration to achieve high quality results.

Danielle Templeton
Director of Communications and Outreach

Danielle Templeton is the Director of Communications and Outreach for the Employees’ Retirement System of Georgia. Danielle has served ERSGA since 2018. She holds a BA in Journalism and Public Relations from St. Thomas Aquinas College, an MS in Public Relations and Communications from Walden University, and a postgraduate certificate in Strategic Marketing from Cornell University. Danielle brings 25 years of experience in Communications to the position.

She is responsible for the creation and distribution of internal and external communication efforts for all state employee retirement plans. Danielle is a keynote presenter, both in person and virtually, at conferences and throughout Georgia State Government.

Danielle is a member of the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators (NAGDCA) and the National Pension Education Association (NPEA). She is passionate about helping people and enjoys educating her fellow state colleagues about how to reach their retirement goals.