ATLANTA — UGA’s former athletic director says his life has been a mixture of sadness and gratitude since he was forced out of his position nearly two years ago after he was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Damon Evans pleaded guilty to DUI and was sentenced to 12 months of probation and 40 hours of community service. A 28-year-old woman who was not his wife, was in the car with him at the time of his arrest.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Evans says he “made a major mistake in my personal life and my professional life” and “It took me a long, long, long time to come to grips with what I had done.”

Evans has not had much to say regarding the events of his June 30, 2010, arrest in Atlanta, but opened up about his past on Friday when he participated in a panel discussion hosted by Morehouse College’s journalism and sports program. He told the students the incident cost him his dream job.

“I mean, come on, man, I was the AD at the University of Georgia,” Evans said. “I was in a great position.”

Evans, 42, left Athens and has since moved to Boston with his wife and two children. He is now vice president of business development and strategy for Markley Group, a large data-storage business headed by UGA graduate and friend Jeffrey Markley.

Evans said he enjoys his job and has a happy new life with his family, but did not rule out a return to sports.

“There is a lot of unfinished business I have,” he said. “But I don’t want to be unrealistic. ... I love athletics, but I also love what I’m doing right now.”

Evans said he watches the Bulldogs on television, but thinks it’s too soon to attend a game.

“I think there’s still a healing process for me personally and maybe for the institution as well,” he said. “Hopefully one day I’ll have the chance to go back.”