Distinguished Alumni

 

 

Keturah “KT” Spence Onukwuli is a 2005 honor graduate from BCHS. During her time there, she participated in various clubs and organizations, including the BCHS marching and concert bands and the Air Force Junior ROTC program. Her positive experiences in AFJROTC drove her to successfully compete for and win a national ROTC scholarship. She went on to attend the University of Georgia, where she graduated in 2009 and became a commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force.

 

Keturah has served over 16 years in the U.S. Air Force, where she was promoted early to the ranks of Major and Lieutenant Colonel. She is a career Space Operations Officer with experience in missile warning, space domain awareness, electronic warfare, and satellite command & control missions. She recently led her organization’s implementation of a historic personnel management act to combine Space Force Guardians and Air Force Reserve space professionals into one integrated U.S. Space Force with full-time and part-time service options. Keturah recently transitioned to the U.S. Space Force in September 2025 and has been selected to serve as the commander of the 527th Space Aggressor Squadron in 2026.

 

Outside of work, Keturah serves as a volunteer worship leader at Open Bible Baptist Church, where she leads a team of over 20 musicians, singers, and A/V technicians and plans weekly church services and special events in coordination with a pastoral staff. She is a highly requested singer, having performed the national anthem at over 200 military and community events at the local, state, and national levels.

 

Keturah has returned to BCHS on multiple occasions to speak with Air Force Junior ROTC cadets about military service opportunities. Additionally, she has made significant contributions to the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), leading the effort to name USAFA’s airfield after Brigadier General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., a Tuskegee Airman and the U.S. Air Force’s first African-American brigadier general. She served as a top instructor, significantly impacting students’ understanding of national security, space/cyber warfare, and emotional intelligence. Furthermore, Keturah advised the school’s Black Student Union and mentored hundreds of cadets through academic challenges, improving minority & female student retention and officer commissioning rates. She also provided extensive financial literacy training, helping students manage personal debt and develop business ownership skills. Her instructional and mentorship efforts culminated in her selection for the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Malham M. Wakin Character and Leadership Development Award in 2019.

 

Lieutenant Colonel Onukwuli is a proud BCHS alumna with a consistent track record of serving her nation and community while inspiring the next generation of military leaders through impactful initiatives, innovative teaching, extensive mentorship, and courageous advocacy.

 

 

In 2016, Dustin took over the heating and air division of Rowell Electric and established Rowell Heating & Air, LLC. He is the sole owner of the company and is the third generation as a Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer, continuing the same quality service and products established by his grandfather, Billy Rowell, in 1955. In 2019, Rowell Heating & Air, LLC won the prestigious Carrier Presidents Award, the highest annual honor a Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer can receive. It recognizes dealers who demonstrate exceptional leadership, operational excellence, technical expertise, and consistently exceeds high customer satisfaction standards. In the past
several years, Dustin has added plumbing and duct cleaning (a certified ductless pro through Carrier) to the services offered by the company. Dustin also owns Rising Tide Heating & Air Solutions, LLC in Myrtle Beach, SC and recently established a pools and spas company (Rowell Pools &Spas, LLC). All of his businesses are Google Certified with a 5-star rating and are accredited through the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating.

 

All of Dustin’s businesses are run with integrity. The Rowell Heating & Air, LLC motto is “Trust, Honor, & Pride”. Employees are expected to treat all customers with respect, honesty, courtesy and Christian values. Dustin is very loyal to his employees and treats them as family. Dustin is a Christian and he and his family are members of Rosemont Baptist Church here in Waynesboro. They attend regularly and are active in many of the church activities. Dustin is currently the chairman of the committee entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing, designing and building a new multipurpose facility that will be primarily focused on our youth, social activities and gatherings, and outreach.

 

Rowell Heating & Air & Rowell Pools & Spas are both active supporters of the community. Both companies support the local schools annually, with active athletic and booster club sponsorships, donations, and advertising. They also sponsor a wide variety of community events, including Boss Hog, Community Concert, The Wimberly House, Center for New Beginnings, the Hat & Spur Rodeo, Farm Fest, Mad
Anthony’s Big Boom, and other local activities. Rowell Heating & Air is also a sponsor of many of the Burke County Recreation Department’s needs, where Dustin serves as a coach in the youth softball league.

 

 

 

From the moment John Carroll stepped onto the campus of Burke County High School, he was already carving his own unique path. Whether challenging stereotypes as one of BCHS’s first male cheerleaders or responding to a divine call to ministry as a freshman, the Class of 2001 valedictorian has always chosen purpose over comfort and compassion over convention.

 

After graduating from Mercer University with a degree in Christianity, John and his wife, Casey, embarked on an extraordinary two-year journey overseas with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Their mission: to bring clean, safe water to communities in need. Together, they built community-sized water filtration systems across Southeast Asia—work that would not only improve lives but also lay the foundation for a lifetime of service.

 

That spirit of service deepened in 2004 when tragedy struck Southeast Asia with a devastating tsunami that claimed over 200,000 lives. John spent more than two months on the ground in the aftermath, distributing food, setting up temporary shelters and sanitation systems, organizing volunteer teams, and even participating in body recovery efforts. It was grueling, humbling work—an experience that reshaped his understanding of faith, resilience, and humanity.

 

Following his mission work abroad, Carroll earned a Master of Divinity from Wake Forest University in 2012. His journey then led him to the pulpit of First Baptist Church in Danville, Virginia, where he faithfully served a congregation navigating the challenges of a changing city. There, John helped build bridges of racial unity through his involvement in Danville United, a local coalition working toward racial reconciliation and community healing.

 

In December 2019, Carroll was called to serve as pastor of First Baptist Church in Aiken, South Carolina, where his ministry continues to reflect his heart for justice, equity, and service. Under his leadership, the church has deepened its commitment to racial reconciliation—partnering with Aiken’s historically Black Second Baptist Church for shared worship services, a joint GED program, and events such as the Repairing the Harms of Racism conference and pilgrimage.

 

Most recently, John and his congregation have taken on another major initiative: addressing housing insecurity in their community through the development of the Just Housing Assistance Ministry, a program dedicated to helping families in crisis find stability and hope.

 

Through every chapter of his life, John Carroll has lived out the lessons first instilled in him at Burke County High School—lessons of compassion, curiosity, and courage. He credits former teachers such as Karen Reeves, who inspired him to think beyond the classroom, and Renee Hickman, who modeled how compassion and high expectations can transform lives.

 

“Look around you with your own eyes,” Carroll says, “and you will find that God is still at work, that God has not abandoned you. God is working to renew all things.”

 

 

 

 

Never one to shy away from a challenge, Ronda Wright McKnight has built her career on curiosity, innovation, and leadership. Whether optimizing global supply systems for one of the world’s largest companies or helping others experience the joy of travel, Ronda’s journey is proof that excellence and imagination can thrive together.

 

The 1999 Burke County High School graduate discovered her love for problem-solving early on. A standout student and athlete—participating in basketball, softball, track, and the Senior Homecoming Court—Ronda also made her mark as a member of the Technology Student Association, where she developed an interest in engineering and process design. That spark would eventually shape her career.

 

After earning her Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Georgia Tech, Ronda began her professional journey at Anheuser-Busch, managing operations at the company’s Cartersville plant. Her exceptional performance quickly led to a promotion to the corporate office in St. Louis, where she partnered with senior leadership to drive improvement projects across 12 domestic and two international breweries. During that time, she also completed her MBA at Washington University in St. Louis, further equipping her for executive leadership.  

 

Ronda later joined General Mills, where she oversaw production lines for some of America’s most beloved brands, including Old El Paso, Hamburger Helper, and Bowl Appétit. As Operations Manager, she led a team of more than 100 employees, improving efficiency and affordability while ensuring the quality of products enjoyed by families nationwide. “It’s rewarding to know that the work I do impacts the foods people share around their tables every day,” she said in an earlier interview.  Ronda led the Continuous Improvement team for Coca Cola North America, developing cost savings strategies across the US.  While at Coca Cola, Ronda joined the Board of Directors for Women in Manufacturing, later becoming the Treasurer for the Board.

 

Today, Ronda serves as a Senior Director at Mars, Inc., where she leads with international influence, overseeing supply excellence strategies that drive performance and innovation across a global network. Recognized within the industry for her leadership in continuous improvement and operational excellence, she is also a proud advocate for women in manufacturing and engineering, mentoring emerging leaders and championing equity in STEM fields.

 

But Ronda’s creativity doesn’t stop in the boardroom. As the founder of The Wright Getaway, she channels her love of exploration into curating meaningful travel experiences for others. Through her company, she helps individuals and groups discover the world, encouraging them to embrace adventure and connection. “Travel opens your eyes to new possibilities,” she says. “It teaches you as much about yourself as it does about the world.”

Ronda credits her parents, Dorothy Stokes and Rev. Rex Wright & Yolanda Wright, and her teachers at Burke County High School for nurturing her curiosity and drive. “They always pushed me to keep moving forward—to think bigger and to believe that I could make a difference,” she reflects.

 

Whether she’s leading global operations, mentoring teams, or helping travelers explore the world, Ronda Wright McKnight continues to exemplify what it means to live with purpose and vision. Her journey reminds us that success isn’t just about reaching the top—it’s about bringing others along for the climb.