Dr. Leroy Venn
Dad. Husband. Orthodontist. Business Owner.
Dr. Venn is a native Atlantan and father of his 10-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter. He has been married for 11 years. His connection to South Fulton is through his business, Smile Studio Orthodontics, which he opened 14 years ago.
Dr. Venn loves being a dad! “I really enjoy being a dad because of the purpose it fulfills as a man. Children keep you young and optimistic about life. I enjoy discovering new activities with my kids and showing them some of the fun I have grown to love in my lifetime. Through my work I come across a lot of youth and try to be intentional about being a positive representation of manhood because our youth are watching ALL of us and adding positive (and negative) attributes to who they will become from our example.”
Desmond Carter
Dad. Husband. Auditor. Entrepreneur.
Desmond is an Auditor/Fraud Examiner in the financial sector as well as an entrepreneur in the medical, dental, and veterinary industries. He is a graduate of the illustrious Morehouse College and holds a Master of Business Administration degree, as well as several professional certifications. He is the father of two incredible sons and husband to an amazing wife, Dr. Kisha Carter of BLUSH Dental Studio in East Point. Desmond is often called "Mr. Do It All" because of his expansive skill set, initiative, and desire to help others. He does everything in his power to motivate, encourage, and inspire his sons as well as other young Black kings to always do their absolute best and never give up!
SFL: So what makes you a “Hot Dad?”
"One of my favorite mottos that I live by daily, is 'You only get one life—live it to the fullest!' I instill this in my family by pushing them to follow their dreams in business, education, and especially life experiences. My strong emphasis on life experiences has led to us traveling the world, scuba diving certifications, skydiving, and much more! One of my favorite quotes by former President Barack Obama is 'Any fool can have a child. That doesn’t make you a father. It’s the courage to raise a child that makes you a father.'" @RealDesAtl
Photo by Katlyne Hill Photography
Mohammed Balla
Dad. Husband. CFO for the City of Atlanta. Guiding Force.
Mohammed Balla currently serves as Chief Financial Officer for the City of Atlanta. He and his wife bought their Cascade Falls home in 2008 and plan to retire there. “We love this community and were purposeful in choosing a community where Black success was the norm and not the exception to start a family.”
He is the husband of Dr. Teresa Jordan-Balla, owner of East Atlanta Pediatric Dentistry. He is the proud father of Eden, age 7, and Ava, age 6, both students at Omni International School.
Being a hot dad is “knowing that you are chosen to be a guiding force in a developing life. You are entrusted in building a foundational element that will position your kids to live a full, happy, abundant life, as well as arm them with the tools and knowledge to make the right decisions for themselves.”
Kurt McDonald
Dad. Husband. Doctor of Physical Therapy. Marathon Runner. Community Leader.
Dr Kurt McDonald has been married for 15 years to Dr Tracy McDonald as both are Doctors of Physical Therapy. Kurt is a native of Jamaica and Tracy hails from Hattiesburg, MS. They are proud parents of two sons, Kingston and Kurt Jr that attend Woodward Academy.
They opened Genesis Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation off Camp Creek Parkway 15 years ago and have been providing outpatient physical therapy services to South Fulton. The family attends Ray of Hope Christian Church in Decatur. Kurt is an active member of Eta Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc where he serves as Keeper of Finance and Chairperson of the Social Action Committee.
When not serving as Uber Dad for his competitive sons in soccer, cross country, band or chess tournaments; Kurt enjoys an active lifestyle. He competes in Spartan Obstacle Races, 1/2 Marathons, Triathlons of multiple distances and enjoys all sorts of outdoor activities such as camping and fishing.
When this dad is not found cheering on the sideline you will find him cycling at the Silver Comet Trail or being “Papi Caliente” salsa dancing on someone’s dance floor.
