Panhellenic community receives multiple awards in Shelley Sutherland’s honor

Shelley Sutherland is a household name in sorority and fraternity life.

Throughout her career, Sutherland advocated for Greek leadership and professional development nationwide. She helped to establish the Association for Fraternity and Sorority Advisors in 1976 and later became president in 1983. Sutherland co-founded the House Director’s Conference in 1991. 

Sutherland’s contributions to sorority and fraternity life is honored through various awards in her namesake.

The Association of Fraternal Leadership & Values’ (AFLV) Sutherland Award recognizes the most outstanding College Panhellenics across the country. University of Georgia’s Panhellenic Council was honored to receive this prestigious award in February 2025.

The Panhellenic Council wasn’t the only one bringing home honors this year.

CLM Management’s Sutherland Institute provides house directors with personal and professional development opportunities, and this summer, one of our very own was awarded Most Valuable House Director.

Ann Winger is the house director at Phi Mu, affectionately known as “House Mom.” Winger began her time in Greek life as a Zeta Tau Alpha at Sam Houston State University. Majoring in nutrition in college, she believes, set her up for success in directing a sorority house.

However, directing sorority houses was something Winger never expected for herself.

“It was just a down time in my life where I’d gone through a divorce and didn’t know what should I do, where should I go, or what’s going to happen,” Winger said. “So, I prayed about it and said, ‘Okay, God, what can I do?’”

By a stroke of luck, an opportunity opened at the University of Texas at Austin to direct the Alpha Xi Delta house, and in 2002, Winger began her house director career. After five years, Winger moved to Athens and began a new position at the Phi Mu house. She started attending Sutherland’s housing conferences around the same time.

Winger was voted by her peers during the 2025 conference as the Most Valuable House Director in the nation. House directors come from all over the United States to this conference.

“All of the sudden, our [Georgia] “G” came up on the big screen, and I got goosebumps.”

After 24 years as a house director, Winger has dedicated almost a quarter of her life to sorority life.

“Well, I am right where I’m supposed to be. I love what I do.”