Angela Sheppard is the Assistant City Manager for the City of Gainesville. Before coming to work for Gainesville, Angela was once named as one of the Top 10 Most Influential People of North Georgia, while she was working for Banks County. Angela and her husband, Beau, have two daughters, Addie and GraceAnne. They live on Lake Lanier in Gainesville.  Angela has been an instrumental figure in the growth, development and revitalization of Gainesville’s downtown and midtown areas, and in positioning her city as a magnetic star. Not long ago, at The Norton Agency, we looked back to where people were moving from when relocating here. Over the last few years we found that we had helped relocate people to our area from 32 different states and 10 different countries. People from all over the world are attracted here. Angela is one reason behind that. She and other members of the Gainesville staff and administration believe the best for us is yet to come.
 
I thank Angela for having coffee with me at Midland Station on the downtown Gainesville Square and answering a few questions about her life here in Hall County.
 
Q: What inspired you or led you to your current career?
A: “I attended North Georgia College where I earned degrees in Accounting and Finance. I then entered the University of Georgia where I earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. While working as a city planner on a regional level, I realized I would prefer to work in local government.  In my opinion, local government has the greatest impact and it is certainly where “the rubber meets the road.”  When the Assistant City Manager job in Gainesville came open, I knew immediately I wanted to use my time and talent for my hometown. To me, the work is even more meaningful when you know the people and have history with the community. So, I applied – and luckily got the job!”  
 
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Hall County, and what do you love there?
A: “I have two favorites in Hall County. The first is Bluefin. I love the sushi there and the people there. The owners and staff are very friendly. My second favorite is El Griton which has the best guacamole ever.”
 
Q: How long have you lived or worked in Hall County?
A: “I was born in Anderson, S.C.. We moved to Hall County when I was a child. I graduated from East Hall High School. Go Vikings! I moved away briefly to attend school and then lived in Macon and Banks County for work.  But…I got back to Hall County as soon as I could!”
  
Q:  If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?  And why?
A: “I went on a cruise this summer (2018) in the Baltic Sea. During the cruise we were able to spend a day in Stockholm, Sweden. It was an amazing city – and one day is not enough! I want to return there to spend a little longer. I would also add Norway to the return trip.”
 
Q: What is your favorite movie OR what is the first movie you remember seeing in a theater?
A: “Well, I am not really a movie watcher, but I do love to binge watch television shows. One of my favorites is Game of Thrones. Winter is coming! One of the first shows I binge watched was Breaking Bad.”
 
Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: “Get involved. People should care and be passionate about something.”
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: “I do want to travel more. Also, I went skydiving on my 30th Birthday. I would definitely want to do that again.”
  
Q: What is your favorite music/ 3 bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?
A: “My guilty pleasure is pop music like Ed Sheeran and Bruno Mars. I really enjoy Sturgill Simpson. And I have strong roots in older country music like Randy Travis, Dwight Yoakam, and George Straight.”
 
Q: What current / former local business makes you the most nostalgic about Hall County?
A: “A current business that I have loved since I was a child is Double D Burgers in Rabbitown. Double D was a staple during high school.”
 
Q: Choosing anyone alive and a non-relative: with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? Where in Hall County would you have lunch?
A: “I would choose to have lunch with a big group of my girlfriends from high school. Yes, I could have lunch with someone famous – but I would rather spend time with friends, catch-up, tell old stories and laugh. We would go to El Griton where the owner sometimes grabs his guitar and plays music for his customers. I could see it becoming a party quickly!”
 
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about Hall County?
A: “It is hard to choose just one thing about Hall County. We have so much here and there is a lot going on. I love the history and vibrancy of downtown. I can’t wait to see downtown and midtown continue to evolve and prosper.  Another one of my favorite things is Lake Lanier. We now live on the lake and have an opportunity to really enjoy it. Cares seem to melt away when you are on a boat in the middle of the lake.” 
 
Q: Where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
A: “I will be spending some time at one of the hip new bars/restaurants that recently opened in downtown or midtown Gainesville.”
 
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: “My family certainly knows this about me, but most other people do not. When I was a teenager my family invited an exchange student from Switzerland to live with us. After her visit, her family invited me to spend time with them. I spent two months living in Switzerland with her family. While there we spent time at their home in Switzerland and in their summer home in Spain. It was an incredible experience to be immersed in a different culture at that age and for that length of time. That was the beginning of my love for travel.”
 
Q: What three words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
A: “Comfort. Chaos. Peace.”
 
The Faces of Hall County is a community project hosted by The Abernathy Cochran Real Estate Group at The Norton Agency.  If you have a nomination for someone terrific to be added to this project please email Brad Abernathy at rbradabernathy@gmail.com.  Thank you so much!