Lori Sweet, Director of Operations

Charged with overseeing the day‑to‑day operations of our large band program, Lori ensures the continued efficiency and stability of all administrative functions. Working closely with our band directors, staff, and the Band Booster Executive Board, she serves as the administrative arm of the program. She consistently looks for ways to streamline processes and operate more economically. Lori also represents the band within the community, promoting the program and cultivating business sponsorships and support. She works directly with student leadership, parent volunteers, school administrators, and staff, ensuring the booster organization remains in full compliance with Cobb County Schools protocols and maintains its 501(c)(3) status.

Lori has held numerous nonprofit leadership roles over the past twenty years. As a community leader and specialist in nonprofit management, she has served on multiple nonprofit boards and committees across Georgia. Within Georgia PTA, she held officer positions at the local, council, district, and state levels, including serving as an elected member of the State Board of Directors. She has led and supported many large conferences and events, and has presented workshops for Georgia PTA, National PTA, and various independent school foundations. She is a Past President of the Hillgrove Band Booster Association and previously served five years on the Cobb Schools Foundation Board of Directors as the By‑Laws Chair.

Lori earned her Supervision of Nonprofit Finance & Accounting certification in Spring 2022 and her Certified Volunteer Administrator credential in Fall 2021. She also holds a Qualified Association Specialist certificate and completed the Nonprofit Management Certification program at Kennesaw State University in 2014. She is a member of the Society of Nonprofits, the Georgia Society of Association Executives, an Associate Member of NAfME, and continues her professional study in nonprofit leadership and management. Lori also holds a certificate in Parent Involvement/Family Engagement—having helped develop the curriculum for that certification—and earned the Keys to Leadership designation with Georgia PTA. Over the years, she has received numerous awards, including Outstanding District and Outstanding Director from Georgia PTA. Before entering the nonprofit field, she attended Kennesaw College as a Biology major and gained extensive experience in office management and business operations.

In May 2024, Lori was honored with the National Band Association’s Band Booster Award for her outstanding service to the Hillgrove Band program.

Lori has lived in Marietta for more than 38 years, where she and her husband, Tom, remain active in their community. They have two sons: Thomas, a graduate of Hillgrove and KSU, and Andrew, also a Hillgrove graduate and a certified master personal trainer.