About Us
Nice to meet you!
During the winter holidays of 2013, and during the height of negativity aimed at our law enforcement, founders Kimberly and Douglas Hill decided to do something to show support to three police precincts in their area. Together they delivered home baked holiday treats to officers, and the following year, Kim and Doug delivered Thanksgiving day meals to those same precincts. This small act of kindness grew the following year, when local businesses and individuals heard about the meal deliveries and joined forces to grow the project.
With the help of many wonderful people, we have grown and every year we are able to provide a traditional Thanksgiving dinner to over 300 police officers and administrative staff in Cobb County, working on the holiday. This effort became known as “Blue Thanksgiving” and has been a huge success, growing larger every year. Officers in multiple Cobb county agencies and precincts have enjoyed the meals delivered on Thanksgiving, as well as other times and holidays throughout the year. Blue Thanksgiving, Inc. also heads up other projects including providing meals to the North Georgia Elder Abuse Task Force, National Night Out, The First Responders' Conference, movie nights for officers, cook outs, and the "Blue Family Christmas" project. While the Thanksgiving day project is our namesake, it is our goal to show support year round, with multiple campaigns, fundraiser events, and participation in community events promoting police support.
If you would like to help, either as a volunteer for our Thanksgiving Day event or other events throughout the year, please contact us. These Law Enforcement Officers deserve to know that their service and sacrifice is recognized and appreciated. To donate, please go to our JOIN US page.
To find out more, or to volunteer to help, contact us at info@bluethanksgiving.com or via Facebook at www.facebook.com/bluethanksgiving.
​Blue Thanksgiving, Inc. is a Georgia based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All contributions are tax-deductible as allowed by law, and are made with the understanding that Blue Thanksgiving, Inc. has complete discretion and control over the use of all donated funds. If we receive more than is needed for any project or case, the remaining funds will be used to help further other projects.
Thank you!
Meet Our Board
President, Kimberly Peace Hill
Kim is the co-founder and inspiration for Blue Thanksgiving, Inc. She has worked for over thirty years in various aspects of special events and trade shows and currently owns a small business specializing in wedding, events and party planning. Kim with her husband Doug started Blue Thanksgiving as a private endeavor in 2014 and she has served as president and CEO since BTI was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit in 2019.​
Secretary, Douglas A Hill
Doug is the co-founder of Blue Thanksgiving, Inc. He is an attorney who has lived and practiced law in Cobb County for over forty years and currently works for Cobb Legal Aid, a non-profit law firm. Doug serves as BTI’s corporate secretary and as legal counsel.
Treasurer, Becky Howard
Becky and her husband, Phil, have called Cobb County home for most of their lives. With extensive experience in office management, she has a strong background in organization and administration. Passionate about working with children, Becky operated her own in-home, licensed, and registered daycare for eight rewarding years, caring for children while also nurturing her own family. After her daycare journey, Becky transitioned into an accounting administrative role at a long-standing local business. Beyond her professional work, she actively partners with the Cobb Community Affairs Unit, working to promote positive encouragement and community involvement throughout the county. In her free time, Becky enjoys playing with her two cats, creating beaded jewelry, traveling between the beach and the mountains, and listening to her favorite music by Aerosmith and Steven Tyler.
Director, Deputy Chief Steve Kucynda
Steve serves as Deputy Chief for the Cobb County Police Department where he has worked for over 26 years. He is married to fellow board member, Robin and together they have two beautiful daughters. Steve is honored to be a part of an organization that helps the men and women who protect us every day, and has served as a Blue Thanksgiving board member since 2019.
​Director, Robin Kucynda
​Robin has worked for Carmax for the past 16 years. She enjoys giving back to the police officers who serve our community, and is proud to have joined with her husband Steve on the Blue Thanksgiving Board of Directors in 2021.
Director, Captain Matt Brown
​After serving four years as a Military Police Officer in the United States Marine Corps, Matt Brown began his distinguished 31-year career with the Cobb County Police Department. Over the course of his service, he held a wide range of assignments including the Special Victims Unit, Homicide, Internal Affairs, and Special Operations. He concluded his tenure as the Major Crimes Commander before retiring from Cobb PD.
Matt now serves as the Deputy Director of Law Enforcement Investigations with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), continuing his commitment to public safety on a national level.
Matt has been married to his sweet wife, Barbie Brown, for 24 years, and together they have a beautiful daughter, Alexis and a new Grandchild.

Director, Barbie Brown
Barbie Brown is an avid supporter of law enforcement, with a genuine love for helping others. She serves not only with Blue Thanksgiving but also on the Board of Directors for the Davis Direction Foundation as their treasurer, a nonprofit dedicated to combating addiction and supporting recovery efforts. For over 6 years, Barbie served on the Board of Directors for The Safepath Children’s Advocacy center that worked alongside Cobb’s Special Victims Unit to help fight child abuse. A strong believer in philanthropy, she dedicates her time and resources to making a difference in the lives of others. Barbie has volunteered for and sponsored numerous local events and has played a key role in raising funds for law enforcement families. She is the CEO of the Brown Agency, a financial recruiting firm and enjoys spending time with her family, beautiful daughter and grandchild, and friends who feel like family and going to the gym.
Director, Wayne Collett
Wayne Collett is a lifelong resident of Cobb County with a distinguished career in public service and community involvement. He has dedicated 24 years as a Senior Chaplain for the Cobb County Police Department, providing support and guidance to officers and community members. Wayne currently serves as the Chairman for the Austell Police Foundation. In addition to his public service, Wayne is the owner of Property Plus of Atlanta. As a licensed realtor and general contractor, he specializes in working with investors to revitalize properties, thereby contributing to community improvement and economic development.
In 2014, Wayne founded 2nd Street Ministries, a 501(c)(3) organization focused on helping individuals acquire job skills and meet their needs following life-changing events. This initiative reflects his belief in the importance of investing in people and their communities, ensuring that "people matter" is not just a phrase but a practice. Wayne and his wife, Shelly, are proud parents of two children and grandparents to three grandchildren. They reside in Powder Springs, continuing their legacy of community engagement and improvement.
Director, Chief (Ret.) Tim Cox
Tim has served as a law enforcement officer for approximately 37 years at the Cobb County Police Department. He worked in all rank positions from patrol officer to Police Chief, and retired from the Cobb County Police Department in December, 2021. Tim is married to his lovely wife, Jenny and together they have two children. Tim and Jenny joined the Blue Thanksgiving board of directors in 2022.
Director, Jenny Cox
Jenny has lived in Cobb County for the majority of her life. She is married to Tim Cox, and together they have two grown sons and an amazing daughter-in-law. Jenny spent many of her adult years in Early Childhood Education. Her current position is Human Resources Manager for a local company.
Our Advisory Board
Blue Thanksgiving is proud to also have a group of amazing law enforcement officers and administrators who serve on our Advisory Board. These men and women offer information and advise on the needs they see within the Cobb County law enforcement community. If you would like to know more about joining our Advisory Board or any of our program committees, please reach out to us at info@bluethanksgiving.com or fill out the form on the join us page.
Connie and Shayne Burson
Connie serves as the Program Coordinator for the Cobb Police Athletic League (PAL) with the Cobb County Police Department and is a former 911 dispatcher for Cobb County. She is married to Sgt. Shayne Burson, who serves with the Cobb County Sheriff's Office, and together they have two children. Shayne has been with Cobb S.O. for 13 years. In addition to their jobs in law enforcement, Connie and Shayne both are active members of the local FOP Lodge (fraternal order of police) and find time to volunteer with non-profits that support officers and their families.
Dana Atwood
Dana serves as the Admin to the State Fraternal Order of Police board , as well as running her own consulting business. She has been married to a retired Cobb County Police officer, Tom Atwood for over 35 years. She has 3 children and 5 grandchildren. She has been involved in various ways with police support projects throughout Tom’s 29+ years of law enforcement .
Kristin and Ben King
Kristin is our Volunteer Coordinator and has been vital in the coordinating of the Publix Bakery pickup and deliveries program we have. She is an Emergency Room RN and together with Ben has two children. Ben has been in law enforcement for seven years and is currently a Detective with the Cobb County Police Department.
Jason Church
Sgt. Jason Jason serves the community as a Deputy with the Cobb County Sheriff's Office. He is recently married, and is the father of two beautiful daughters. Jason volunteers his time with other non-profits, and as an advisor to our organization, helping point out needs within the law enforcement community. Jason and his daughters were the first sponsored family of our Blue Family Christmas project (formerly named "A Church Family Christmas") after the loss of his first wife and teenage step-son. He has graciously "paid it forward" ever since.
Michael Ferruccio
Detective Ferruccio has been a dedicated member of the Cobb County Police Department since August 2014. Over the course of his career, he has served in various capacities, including at Precinct 3, the Special Victims Unit, and in Crimes Against Children and Internet Crimes Against Children. In January 2024, Detective Ferruccio earned a promotion and now serves on the Evening Watch at Precinct 2. Born out west, Detective Ferruccio moved to Cobb County in 2006 and attended Walton High School. He is married to his wife, Valerie, and together they call Cobb County home.
Leslie Newlander
Leslie has always been a strong advocate and supporter for law enforcement and came to us in 2022, asking how she could be a part. She has been on multiple campaign committees and we are thrilled she is now a member of this board. Her beloved golden retriever, Emily has become our "mascot" and enjoys visiting with on-duty officers around the county. Leslie enjoys her volunteer work, shows and musicals, concert going, agility classes with Emily, and spending time with friends and family.
Bob Pierce
Bob Pierce has dedicated his life to law enforcement for over 45 years and has been honored for his commitment to public safety by receiving multiple awards and recognition, including the Cobb County Fraternal Order of Police's Officer of The Year, Cobb Chamber Public Safety's Distinguished Achievement Award and recognition into the Congressional Record by former Former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich's. Bob has served on the Georgia Department of Driver Services Executive Board since Governor Nathan Deal appointed him in 2016. He has hosted many successful golf tournaments raising money for numerous charities. He enjoys golf, spending time with friends, family and especially his 6 grandchildren.
Andrew Siegel
Officer Siegel was one of the five officers Blue Thanksgiving sponsored in our 2022 Blue Family Christmas Campaign and expressed an interest in joining our organization in any capacity where he could “pay it forward”. Officer Andrew Siegel came to the Powder Springs Police Department by way of the Cobb County Sheriff's Office in May of 2022 and presently serves as a Field Training Officer. He started his law enforcement career in 2017 earning his basic jailer’s certification and working at the Cobb County jail, as a Cobb Sheriff’s Deputy. In short time, he obtained his Basic Law Enforcement certification and went from the jail with Cobb County Sheriff’s Office to MCS (Marietta Cobb Smyrna) which is a joint drug/undercover task force. When Officer Siegel chose to enter police work, he chose the Powder Springs Police Department, joining in May 2022.
Gary and Amanda Marsicek
Officer Marsicek was a sponsored officer at the 2022 Blue Family Christmas, and has seen first-hand the incredible impact the Blue Thanksgiving team can have for officers and their families. He joined the Cobb County Police Department in 2020 and graduated as class leader in 2021. Gary has been recognized by the Cobb County Law Enforcement Association (CCLEA) for his outstanding efforts in removing narcotics and illegal weapons from the streets. He is also a recipient of Cobb County’s Police Blue Star award and Chief's Award. A dedicated public servant, Gary is a proud veteran who served eight years in the Army National Guard, with one combat deployment in Afghanistan.
Amanda is currently a stay-at-home mom, caring for their one year old daughter, Olivia. She is a board-certified music therapist with experience serving individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Amanda has also worked as a special education paraprofessional and substitute teacher in Fulton County Schools. In addition, she helps manage her family’s foundation and is excited to bring her extensive non-profit experience and passion for service to the Blue Thanksgiving family.​
Armando Cipriano
Armando is a proud father of three, and with his wife, Kaleigh share a deep commitment to community and law enforcement families. Known affectionately as “Cippy,” he’s a die-hard (and self-deprecating) Falcons fan who enjoys time in the Blue Ridge Mountains with family, as well as relaxing with a fine whiskey and cigar. Cipriano began his law enforcement career in 2007 with the Austell Police Department, where he served as a Field Training Officer and member of the Special Response Team. In 2017, he joined the Powder Springs Police Department, and in 2019, was selected for the Marietta-Cobb-Smyrna (MCS) Narcotics Unit. Currently serving as Day Watch Lieutenant with Powder Springs, Cippy oversees operations, recruitment, and community engagement. In 2025 he was honored with the Cobb Chamber’s Leadership & Excellence Award. With a career built on service, integrity, and mentorship, Cipriano remains committed to supporting both his officers and the community.
Miss Emily Newlander
Mascot and LEO Lover
