Dr. Samantha B. Oliver is a passionate and accomplished educator with over 20 years of service in Fulton County Schools and more than two decades in education overall. Throughout her career, she has held a variety of impactful roles, including ELA Teacher, Department Chair, Instructional Coach, and FCS Humanities Program Specialist.
She earned her bachelor's degree in journalism from Edward Waters University, followed by both a master's and doctorate in Educational and Instructional Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.
Outside the classroom, Dr. Oliver is a devoted wife and mother who enjoys traveling and spending time with her family. Her educational philosophy centers on equipping students to succeed academically while thriving in an ever-evolving world.
Mr. Gregory Minnis has served 25 years in education at the high school level. He is a native of Miami, FL. and a graduate of Miami Central Senior high school. Mr. Minnis attended the University of Louisville, where he played football and obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education and his Master of Arts in Teaching. Mr. Minnis also attended Georgia College and State University where he obtained his Ed. S. in Educational Leadership and Nova Southeastern University where he obtained his Ed. S. in Curriculum, Instruction Management, and Administration.
Mr. Minnis has served as a teacher and administrator in several high schools from Louisville, Ky., Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Deerfield Beach, Florida, and Atlanta, GA. During his previous tenure at Westlake high school, Mr. Minnis has taught Physical Education, Health, and served as an Administrative Assistant. Mr. Minnis also served as an Administrative Assistant at Creekside High School and Langston Hughes High School.
Outside of the classroom, Mr. Minnis was the Head Football Coach during his tenure at Deerfield Beach High School in Florida and an Assistant Football Coach under the direction of Dallas Allen; eventually, he became the Head Football Coach at Westlake High School. Mr. Minnis enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, riding motorcycles, and impacting youth in a positive way. He also has a passion for teaching and believes that Westlake High School truly has what it takes to be an A School.
Candice E. Williams-Hickman is a product of the Fulton County School System in particularly Westlake High School’s Math & Science Magnet Program. She has served as a Mathematics educator for 15 years, 14 of which have been in the service of Westlake High School and its surrounding community. She received her undergraduate degree and extensive work in the master’s program in Mathematics from Clark Atlanta University. Additionally, she holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Jacksonville State University. Throughout her educational career, she has been chosen as the Westlake High School Magnet Teacher of the Year (2002) as well as the Westlake High School Teacher of the Year (2009). The depth of her dedication to the Westlake High School Community has ranged from serving through athletics, academic competition teams, supporting the fine arts department performances, developing advisory curriculum, aiding the JROTC program through chaperoning, w
orking weekend and afterschool tutorial programs, serving as a mentor teacher, representing the Faculty and Staff on the Local School Advisory Committee, and serving as the faculty representative to the Fulton County School Superintendents Teacher Advisory Board. Throughout her tenure as an educator, Mrs. Hickman has assisted or coordinated several testing programs which include Fulton County Benchmarks, End of the Course Testing, and Advanced Placement Testing. For the past three years, she has supported the assistant principals with scheduling. Under the Small Learning Communities Grant she has served as the Data Coordinator and for five years has served as the Chair of the Mathematics Department here at Westlake High School.
Kennette Blackman has a diverse educational background which has spanned 17 years in the field of education. She began her educational journey as a classroom teacher and later became a teacher leader, serving students from various cultural backgrounds as a part of a team that was recognized as the number one magnet school in the nation as well as the number one school in the state of Alabama. This team also garnered a reputation for consistently producing National Merit and National Achievement Scholars as well as preparing and sending students to the most prestigious Ivy League colleges and universities in the nation.
After transitioning from her home state of Alabama, she served as an instructional leader in the capacity of program support specialist in metro Atlanta where she led the work for a cluster of schools that became an International Baccalaureate continuum of schools. She also served as an International Baccalaureate Coordinator and led a team that received commendations from the International Baccalaureate Organization for the quality of their work and the team’s ability to complete the authorization process in record time. Additionally, this team was recognized for increasing its CCRPI score by approximately 20% and achieving a score of 100% for closing the gap in student achievement.
Kennette received her bachelor’s degree in History from Alabama State University and her master’s degree in Public Administration from Auburn University’s Montgomery campus. Currently, Mrs. Blackman is pursuing her doctoral degree in educational leadership.
In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, visiting the beach, and spending time with her awesome husband of 16 years and her three amazing sons. She is excited about supporting Westlake High School and offering her expertise to assist with the vision of being recognized as a top performing high school in Academics, Athletics, and the Arts.
Byron Parker is a seasoned educator and athletic director at Westlake High School in Atlanta, Georgia, with over a decade of experience in education. Before assuming his current role, he served as the 9th Grade Administrator and spent two years as an Administrative Assistant, building a strong foundation in school leadership and student support.
A former NCAA Slam Dunk Champion and professional football player in the NFL and CFL, Parker earned multiple CFL All-Star honors and set interception return records with the Toronto Argonauts. His transition from professional athlete to educational leader reflects his deep commitment to youth development and community impact.
At Westlake, Parker oversees all athletic operations, including compliance, game-day management, coach development, and student-athlete safety. Known for his integrity, structure, and student-first approach, he emphasizes accountability, discipline, and character both on and off the field.
Parker’s leadership philosophy is rooted in service, equity, and excellence—ensuring that every athlete understands that participation in sports is a privilege that comes with high expectations and life lessons that extend far beyond the game.
