GVRA Executive Leadership

Chris Wells leads Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA) as its Executive Director. Mr. Wells is assisted by Ahnieyah Porter, Executive Assistant.

Bethany Whetzel is the Executive Deputy Director of Programs at Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA).

Ms. Whetzel began her career with the state at the Georgia Department of Corrections as an assistant counsel and went on to serve as Deputy Executive Secretary at the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission and General Counsel for the Office of the State Inspector General. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Child and Family Development from the University of Georgia, a law degree from Mercer University, and an LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University.  

Mamta Patel is the Executive Deputy Director of Administration at Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA). Mrs. Patel has 13 years of experience, 10 of which she has served in leadership roles from Senior Accountant to Enterprise Payroll Director.  Mrs. Patel is a Certified Payroll Professional and holds a bachelor's degree and master’s degree in Accounting from DeVry University. 

Jennifer Statham is the Human Resources Director at Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA). Ms. Statham has over 26 years of state government experience in Human Resources at the agency and enterprise level, respectively.

Prior to joining GVRA on November 1, 2019, Ms. Statham served in several HR management roles, most recently as a Sr. Human Resources Manager with the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Department of Early Care and Learning. Ms. Statham’s areas of expertise include policy and compliance, organizational development, talent management, classification and compensation, operations and benefits, training, and labor relations.

Zain Farooqui serves as the General Counsel at Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA). Mr. Farooqui has over 10 years of experience in Georgia state government, with prior experience at the Georgia Department of Public Health, where he served as an Associate General Counsel within the Division of Emergency Preparedness and Response, and the Georgia Department of Human Services working within the Division of Child Support Services.

Prior to his experience in Georgia, Mr. Farooqui practiced in New York working in child protective services representing the City of New York.  Mr. Farooqui is a graduate of Indiana University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Health. He’s also a graduate of Quinnipiac University, where he earned both a law degree and a Master of Arts degree in Health Administration.