Julio Portillo, M.P.A. | Executive Director
Julio serves as the Executive Director at MidTown, Inc. since July 2018. Prior to joining MidTown, Inc., he spent 12 years at the River Valley Regional Commission as a Senior Transportation Planner, covering an area of 16 counties in Southwest Georgia. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and a Master of Public Administration from Columbus State University where he serves as an adjunct faculty member in the College of Science and Letters, teaching public administration, public policy, and community development.
Julio served as a member of the leadership team for MidTown, Inc.’s Knight Cities Challenge-winning Minimum Grid project; and has served as a board member and advisor for local and statewide organizations and economic development and community planning initiatives. He serves as a board member for Bicycle Columbus and the Chattahoochee Sailing Club and sails competitively and recreationally. Julio and his wife Maggie live in MidTown with their two children – Edee and Jude- and four dogs and a cat.
Contact: jportillo@midtowncolumbusga.org
Bitsy Dedwylder | MidTown Business Association Coordinator
Bitsy Dedwylder has worked part-time at MidTown, Inc. for almost nine years, serving as the MidTown Business Coordinator.
Her work includes compiling the content and distributing the bi-monthly newsletter, The MidTowner, promoting MidTown businesses and events through our social media platforms, updating printed joint marketing materials, and assisting the Mingle Liaison, the Office Manager, and the Executive Director as needed.
Bitsy has lived in MidTown the majority of her life, attending Clubview, Richards, and Hardaway. She attended Converse College for two years and graduated from Columbus State University with a BS in Speech Pathology in 1984. She is married and has two grown children.
Contact: bitsy@midtowncolumbusga.org
Kelley M. Watts | Accounts and Finance Manager
Kelley manages all the financial accounting/operations, grants and manages all external accounts and relationships for MidTown Inc. Kelley joined the MidTown Inc team in 2018, bringing a decade of financial leadership in non-profits as well as 15 years of prior experience in Management Consulting.
Kelley and her husband, Jerry, live in Midtown with their two children, Miller and Carter.
Contact: kelley@midtowncolumbusga.org
Sara Carver | Office Manager
Sara is the Office Manager at MidTown, Inc. where she manages the day-to-day operations. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Georgia Southern University where she met her husband, Casey. She decided not to use her degree but instead her people skills that she developed at a young age. Prior to joining the MidTown, Inc. family close to a year ago she has been in Marketing and Sales for various companies and continues to do so for SVM.
As a native to the Midtown area, she and Casey decided to plant their roots in MidTown as well. When Sara is not answering the phones, sending or replying to emails, taking notes or keeping tabs on everyone in the office, she can be found at Lakebottom with her charcoal lab, Lady, cheering on her 2 boys, Case and Jack, who can only be described as “all boy” playing baseball or answering the question “why."
Contact: sara@midtowncolumbusga.org