2024 ABL Congress on the State of Black Business in Metro Atlanta

Other Speakers

The Honorable Michael Thurmond (Congress Honorary Chair)

CEO of DeKalb County

Michael L. Thurmond won a 2016 landslide victory to become chief executive officer of DeKalb County, one of the most diverse counties in the Southeast...

Tasha Allen

Vice President of Talent Management and Diversity at Georgia Chamber of Commerce

Tasha Allen, the Vice President of Talent Management and Diversity for the Georgia Chamber ofCommerce, oversees the HR functions within the Chamber an...

Leona Barr-Davenport

President & CEO of Atlanta Business Leaague

Leona Barr–Davenport is president & CEO of the Atlanta Business League (ABL), Atlanta’s oldest minority business development and advocacy organization...

Eddy Benoit

CEO of The Benoit Group

Eddy Benoit, Jr. CCIM, esteemed Founder and CEO of The Benoit Group and its affiliates - TBG Development Company, Dorchester Management II, Terre Advi...

The Honorable Kirkland Carden

District 1 Commissioner at Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners

Kirkland Carden, a former Duluth City Council member, was first elected to the District 1 seat of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners in 2020. ...

Solomon Caviness

Commissioner, Department of Transportation at City of Atlanta (Retired)

Solomon Caviness brings over two decades of dedicated service in transportation, establishing himself as a leading authority in infrastructure develop...

The Honorable Lisa Cupid

Chairwoman at Cobb County

Lisa Cupid is the Chairwoman of Cobb County's Board of Commissioners. She has served on the Cobb Board of Commissioners since 2013. Some of her accomp...

Donna Ennis

Director, Diversity Engagement & Program Development of Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute

Donna M. Ennis, C.P.F provides leadership across all EI2 units to develop collaborative funding opportunities and provide support and services to ensu...

Roosevelt Giles

President & CEO of EndPoint Ventures, LLC

Roosevelt Giles has gained global recognition as an authority in Business Transformation and Digital Strategy. He brings over 30 years of experience i...

The Honorable Carlotta Harrell

Chairwoman at Henry County Board of Commissioners

Carlotta Harrell was elected countywide in 2020 as Chairwoman of the Henry County Board of Commissioners. As a true public servant, Harrell grew up in...

Doug Hooker

CEO of Connector Park Foundation

Doug Hooker is CEO of the Connector Park Foundation, an initiative to build a park over a portion of the interstate, in the center of the city. Throug...

Maria Houser

Director of Environmental Compliance at DeKalb County Georgia

Maria Houser serves as the first Director of Environmental Compliance for DeKalb County Georgia as well as the Director of the Capital Improvement Pro...

Shea Johnson

GA Field Office Director of HUD, Atlanta Regional Office

Ms. Johnson is the Georgia Field Office Director for Housing and Urban Development in the Atlanta Regional Office. She leads key housing and community...

Stacey J. Key

Chief Executive Officer and President at Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council (GMSDC)

Stacey Key is the Chief Executive Officer and president of the Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council (GMSDC), Georgia’s leading authority on s...

Kimberly A. King

Equal Employment Opportunity Director of Georgia Department of Transportation

Kimberly A. King is the Equal Employment Opportunity Director for the Georgia Department of Transportation.Since joining the department in December 20...

Sarah-Elizabeth Langford Reed

Executive Director of Develop Fulton, The Development Authority of Fulton County

Sarah-Elizabeth Langford Reed is the Executive Director of Develop Fulton, the Development Authority of Fulton County. Develop Fulton has issued more ...

Terri M. Lee

President & CEO of Atlanta Housing Authority

If home is where the heart is, Terri Lee has been working to open the southeast’s heart to people of all backgrounds and income levels for more than 2...

The Honorable Osborn Nesbitt

Chairman at Rockdale County Board of Commissioners

Chairman Osborn (Oz) Nesbitt, Sr. is a LEADER who is tangible, touchable, and approachable. He is someone Rockdale County’s citizens can count on and ...

Valerie Nesbitt, C.P.M, CPSD, CCA

Director Supplier Inclusion and Sustainability of Norfolk Southern

Valerie Nesbitt is Director Supplier Inclusion & Sustainability for Norfolk Southern. She is responsible for ensuring that contracts issued by the com...

Keith Parker

President & CEO of Goodwill of North Georgia

Keith T. Parker, a seasoned executive with a rich history of board service and CEO experience, is the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of G...

Eric Pinckney

Legacy Principal at Integral

Eric Pinckney is a legacy principal for the Integral Group, an Atlanta-based real estate development and investment management firm. Eric has been wit...

Victoria Seals, Ed. D.

President at Atlanta Technical College

Dr. Victoria Seals is Atlanta Technical College's sixth president. Under her leadership, the College has launched several student success initiatives,...

Julia Settles

Diversity Business Manager Transmission & Distribution, Atlanta at Burns & McDonnell

Julia the Southeast Region Business Diversity Manager with two decades of experience in the electrical transmission and distribution industry, working...

Rodney Strong

CEO of Griffin & Strong, PC

Rodney K. Strong is the C.E.O. of Griffin & Strong, P.C., a law and public policy consulting firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. He is currently the proje...

The Honorable Jeffrey E. Turner

Chairman at Clayton County Board of Commissioners

Jeffrey E. Turner was elected by the voting constituency of Clayton County as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners in August 2012. He was inaugurate...

Walter Vinson

Assistant General Manager of Business Diversity & Government Affairs at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Walter Vinson is the Assistant General Manager of Business Diversity and Government Affairs. In this role, Walter manages the integration and inclusio...

Pete Walker

President and CEO of Housing Authority of DeKalb County

E. P. "Pete" Walker, Jr. serves as President and CEO for Affiliated Resources Group. Mr. Walker was appointed Executive Director of the Housing Author...

Ryan Wilson

(ABL Board Chair) Co-Founder and CEO of The Gathering Spot

Ryan Wilson is the co-founder and CEO of The Gathering Spot, a private membership network that serves as a hub for collaboration, connections and expe...

Albert G. Edwards is the CEO & President of Corporate Environmental Risk Management, LLC (CERM), a regional engineering, environmental, and program management firm. As CEO, Mr. Edwards’ responsibilities include chairing CERM’s Management Committee and providing day-to-day leadership and strategic direction to the firm’s business management, project delivery, and client management functions. Mr. Edwards has more than 25 years of experience in the environmental and engineering industry assisting organizations in managing environmental, engineering, infrastructure, and capital projects throughout the United States.

Mr. Edwards holds a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree in Technology Management from Southern Polytechnic State University, a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Industrial Technology from Mississippi Valley State University, and has received specialized environmental, engineering, and business management training through various organizations to include Georgia Tech Research Institute and Dartmouth College (Tuck School of Business). Mr. Edwards also served in the U.S. Army Reserve as a Quartermaster Officer and is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated.

Professional Affiliations:
* American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), Atlanta Chapter Member
* Council for Quality Growth, Board Chair
* Atlanta Business League, Board Chair
* Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors
* DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors, Past Chairman
* Georgia Piedmont Technical College Foundation, Trustee, Executive Committee
* U.S. Small Business Administration Regulatory Fairness Board, Board Member, Region IV, Workforce Development Chair

Welcome!

Michael L. Thurmond won a 2016 landslide victory to become chief executive officer of DeKalb County, one of the most diverse counties in the Southeast. Since his Jan. 1, 2017 swearing-in, Thurmond’s primary mission is restoring trust in county government. His other priorities include adopting a balanced budget, ensuring accurate water bills, removing blight, offering summer youth employment, improving employee compensation, and fulfilling the federal/state sewer consent agreement.

Thurmond, a former member of the Georgia General Assembly and the first African-American elected to a statewide office without prior appointment, is widely regarded as a “turnaround expert” after fundamentally transforming the culture and enhancing operations of complex organizations such as the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services, the Georgia Department of Labor and the DeKalb County School District.

As superintendent of DeKalb schools, Thurmond is credited with stabilizing the system during a governance crisis, upgrading its threatened accreditation, eliminating a multimillion-dollar deficit, and improving student academic performance and graduation rates.

Thurmond was raised as a sharecropper's son in Clarke County, Georgia. He graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and religion from Paine College and later earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of South Carolina’s School of Law. He also completed the Political Executives program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

In 1986, he became the first African-American elected to the Georgia General Assembly from Clarke County since Reconstruction. During his legislative tenure, Thurmond authored major legislation that provided more than $250 million in tax relief to Georgia's senior citizens and working families.

Thurmond received a gubernatorial appointment to lead the state Division of Family and Children Services and direct Georgia's historic transition from welfare to work. He created the innovative Work First program, which helped more than 90,000 welfare-dependent Georgia families move from dependence into the workforce.

In 1997, Thurmond became a distinguished lecturer at the University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government. The following year, he was elected Georgia labor commissioner.

During his three terms as labor commissioner, Thurmond’s most significant achievement was the construction of a $20 million school for children with disabilities at the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute.

Thurmond’s latest book, Freedom: Georgia’s Antislavery Heritage, 1733-1865, was awarded the Georgia Historical Society’s Lilla Hawes Ward. In 2004, The Georgia Center for the Book listed Freedom as one of The 25 Books All Georgians Should Read. He serves on the University of Georgia Libraries Board of Visitors. He is married to Zola Fletcher Thurmond, and they have one daughter, Mikaya.

Outlook on the Infrastructure Bill, Workforce & Small Business in Metro Atlanta

Tasha Allen, the Vice President of Talent Management and Diversity for the Georgia Chamber of
Commerce, oversees the HR functions within the Chamber and three of its Affiliates. She is responsible for all aspects of the talent lifecycle, from strategic recruitment and onboarding to performance management and employee development. She also manages Georgia Chamber’s DE&I Council and diversity initiatives across the state. She is an experienced Banker, Certified Human Resource professional and an entrepreneur known for her inclusive approach and transparency in communication.

Her professional career began in Columbus, Georgia working for CB&T (now Synovus), in Retail Banking, Commercial Lending, and the Community Resource Center as the Community Development Manager/CRA Officer. She later moved to Gwinnett County with her family and worked in Gwinnett County public schools for 4 years before transitioning to the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. She is an innovative thinker with a proven track record of fostering traditional and non-traditional business, customer,employee, and community relationships.

Tasha holds an MBA from Troy University and a BBA from the University of Georgia. She and her husband operate a ministry titled “Kicks for Kidz”, which partners with Dicks Sporting Goods to provide brand-new school shoes for kids in Gwinnett County Public School system. To date, they have supplied over 1000 pairs of shoes to Gwinnett County students. In her spare time, she is a certified Wilton’s Cake Decorator who loves baking and decorating cakes.

She currently resides in Dacula Georgia with her husband Marlon and their two kids.

Leona Barr–Davenport is president & CEO of the Atlanta Business League (ABL), Atlanta’s oldest minority business development and advocacy organization. As President, she works with the board of directors to provide increased access to business opportunities for minorities with specific emphasis on the development of businesses owned or operated by African – Americans. Her background combines more than twenty – five (25) years of experience in the areas of customer service, program development, organizational management & fundraising for associations and youth – oriented programs.

A native of Johnsonville, South Carolina, Leona received a B . S . Degree in Business Administration & Economics from Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina. In 1999, Leona was awarded the inaugural Dean’s Community improvement Scholarship totaling
$28,000 in the School of Business Administration by Clark Atlanta University. She completed the requirements for a Master of Business Administration with a Marketing concentration in the Weekend Working Professionals Program in August 2001.

Several organizations have been the beneficiary of her community and civic volunteerism. They include the Southwest Atlanta Youth Business Organization (SWAYBO), Metro – Atlanta Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC), the Atlanta inter – Alumni Council of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), the Voter Education Project, Inc . , Atlanta Red Cross, Minority Recruitment (2002 Co-Chair); Workforce Investment Board for the State of Georgia; Atlanta Development Authority; Clark Atlanta University Community Advisory Board (2002 – 03 Chair); Workforce Development for Fulton County; Boy Scouts of America and the National Leadership Coalition on A I D S . She currently serves as an advisor for SWAYBO and is a previous board member. Subsequent to coming on staff with the Atlanta Business League, Ms . Barr – Davenport served on the ABL Board of Directors.

Ms . Barr – Davenport serves on the Advisory Boards and committees for Business NOW of Goodwill Industries of Atlanta, Inc . ; the Atlanta Coalition of 100 Black Women of Atlanta; the Community Foundation, and United Way of Metro Atlanta. Her current board affiliations include Crossroads Community Ministries, Economic Development Corporation of Fulton County, Minority Entrepreneurship Education, Inc . (Secretary), and the National Business League. She is a 1999 Leadership Georgia graduate, 2002 Leadership Atlanta graduate, and recent graduate of the Diversity Leadership Academy.

In 1997, Leona received the Keeper of the Dream Award from the Golden Neo – Life Diamite (GNLD) Wellness Center and Bradley – Carmack, Inc . ; the Ordinary Women with Extraordinary Talents Award from Women Looking Ahead News Magazine, Inc . in 1998; Outstanding SWAYBO Advocate in 1999; the President’s Award from Concerned Black Clergy in 2000; the Community Achievement Award in celebration of the 10th anniversary of For Sisters Only from WAOK/WVEE Radio; the 2002 Pinnacle Leadership Award from the Fortitude Educational and Cultural Development Foundation, the AIACJUNCF Outstanding Alumnus Award and the Advocacy Award from the National Association of Minority Contractors. In April 2006, Leona was featured in Atlanta Woman Magazine as its Woman of the Year nominee and was inducted into the 2006 YWCA Academy of Women Achievers.

Eddy Benoit, Jr. CCIM, esteemed Founder and CEO of The Benoit Group and its affiliates - TBG Development Company, Dorchester Management II, Terre Advisors, and Renaissance Ops - is a visionary in the commercial real estate sector. His vertically-integrated family of companies excels in creating mixed-income affordable communities, senior housing, student housing, and multifamily master-planned developments nationwide.

With 31 years of experience, Eddy has spearheaded over $3 billion in development projects in the U.S. and abroad. His role as CEO emphasizes business development, strategic planning, public-private partnerships, capital investments, and fostering a transformative corporate culture. Eddy’s expertise in innovative financing, municipal partnerships, and turnkey solutions shines in both urban and suburban markets, with a special focus on sustainable, affordable housing for low-to-moderate-income earners. Prior to his current ventures, Eddy led Ambling Development Partners as President and held pivotal roles at Skanska USA and Regent Partners.

Driving Economic Equity: Black Business and Community Development

Kirkland Carden, a former Duluth City Council member, was first elected to the District 1 seat of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners in 2020. District 1 includes the cities of Berkeley Lake, Duluth, Norcross, Peachtree Corners, and portions of Suwanee and Lawrenceville. At age 29, he was elected to the Duluth City Council, becoming the first millennial and the first African-American council member in the city.

An Ohio native, Kirkland's family relocated to Duluth in 2004. In 2007, Kirkland graduated from Duluth High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Georgia State University. Carden was elected to the Duluth City Council in 2017. He also served on the Duluth Urban Redevelopment Authority.

In his professional capacity, he has assisted state and local governments in developing, maintaining, and implementing transportation plans. Additional responsibilities have included budget oversight and facilitating compliance with local land use and zoning ordinances.

For the past decade, he has volunteered as a member of the Duluth Zoning Board of Appeals, Duluth Citizens Budget Advisory Committee, Rainbow Village Millennials Advisory Panel, Gwinnett 101, and the Duluth Fall Festival. The Georgia Municipal Association named him to the 2019 inaugural cohort of the 20 Under 40 Focus Group.

Solomon Caviness brings over two decades of dedicated service in transportation, establishing himself as a leading authority in infrastructure development and operational management. Throughout his extensive career, he has refined invaluable expertise through collaboration with federal, state, and local entities to spearhead transformative projects aimed at modernizing transportation infrastructure.

With a sharp focus on innovation, Mr. Caviness has played a pivotal role in implementing cutting-edge strategies to drive the execution of 21st-century infrastructure initiatives. His diverse skill set encompasses tolling systems, urban planning policies, capital project delivery, and the formulation of multimodal transportation solutions.

In his previous role as the head of the Middlesex County Department of Transportation, Mr. Caviness demonstrated exemplary leadership by successfully steering multimillion-dollar capital programs to fruition. Under his guidance, Middlesex County earned distinction as the inaugural Vision Zero County in New Jersey, a testament to his unwavering commitment to safety and efficiency.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Mr. Caviness actively contributes to various transportation industry committees and leads forums focused on policy formulation, operational efficiency, and innovative coordination strategies. He holds academic credentials including a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University, a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Tennessee, and an MBA from New York University's Stern School of Business.

As a proud native of Atlanta, Mr. Caviness is deeply rooted in his community and finds joy in his roles as husband and father. Embarking on a new chapter, he assumed the esteemed position of Commissioner of the City of Atlanta Department of Transportation in January 2023, poised to uphold his legacy of driving impactful change in transportation infrastructure and beyond.

Lisa Cupid is the Chairwoman of Cobb County's Board of Commissioners. She has served on the Cobb Board of Commissioners since 2013. Some of her accomplishments include expanding transit service, improving citizen education and engagement, and advocating for enhanced public safety measures, including using license plate readers, additional body cameras, and implementing a public safety nuisance abatement program. Cupid is known as a strong advocate for the fair treatment of all of Cobb’s residents and stakeholders regardless of geographic, demographic, or economic standing.

In her role as Chairwoman, Cupid plans to be “all-in” to help ensure Cobb maintains its strength as a premiere county without leaving areas or populations of the county behind. This is through a foundation of Integrity, Inclusiveness, Intelligent decision-making, Innovation, and Investing in Cobb’s residents, infrastructure, and future.

Cupid is an attorney and former mediator, policy analyst, and manufacturing process engineer. She resides in Smyrna with her two children and husband, who is also an attorney, law partner, and former electrical engineer. Both are graduates of Georgia Tech and Georgia State Law and are followers of the Christian faith.

Driving Economic Equity: Black Business and Community Development

Donna M. Ennis, C.P.F provides leadership across all EI2 units to develop collaborative funding opportunities and provide support and services to ensure the integration of inclusion into programs and operations. She co-directs the Georgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing (Georgia AIM) project funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Georgia AIM leverages a statewide network of over 100 partners for the equitable development and deployment of talent and innovation in AI for all manufacturing sectors. Ennis is Georgia AIM’s director of Community Engagement ensuring that the project is inclusive throughout Georgia. Through innovation, collaboration, education, and participation, Georgia AIM is providing the tools and knowledge to empower all communities to participate fully in a diverse AI manufacturing workforce.

As the operator representative and former project director for the Georgia Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center and the SE MBDA Business Growth Hub, Ennis provides strategic direction and operational oversight for these groups and business assistance to Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs). Under Ennis’ leadership, MBDA programs have helped companies generate over $6.4 billion in contracts, financing, and sales and creating or retaining more than 7,000 jobs.

Known for her thought leadership and passion for advocating for and developing MBEs and small businesses, Ennis has been at the forefront of helping MBEs learn and understand the role that technology plays in scaling businesses. She established the NEXTTECH initiative for MBEs to bring technology solutions to federal agencies and corporations, launched the Specialty Trades Aiming at the Right Targets (START) to Build program for construction companies, and started the national MBE Manufacturers Summit in 2016, the only Summit of its kind in the U.S. to focus on bringing opportunities and education to MBE manufacturers. Ennis has mentored hundreds of business owners and frequently presents on minority business issues, business challenges, and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Ennis received her Master of Public Administration from Georgia State University and a B.S. in communications from Boston University. She received the 2022 Georgia Tech Diversity Champion Faculty Award and the 2022 Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President’s Partnership in the Promise Awards. She is the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2021 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Outstanding Voice awardee and one of Georgia Tech’s 2021 Faces of Inclusive Excellence. Ennis is also a graduate of the Leading Women@Tech program and has been named a tenured Atlanta’s Top 100 Black Women of Influence by the Atlanta Business League. Ennis is on the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Business League and the Board of Advisors of Enhanced Capital.

Roosevelt Giles has gained global recognition as an authority in Business Transformation and Digital Strategy. He brings over 30 years of experience in managing, strategic and operational problem-solving complex Operations, Business Transformation in various channels such as: Finance, Insurance, Manufacturing, Automotive, health care and Technology. A successful entrepreneur, Giles is the Founder of EndPoint Consulting Group, LLC a holding company with investments in over 12 companies with offices in 5 cities on 3 continents.

As the President & CEO of EndPoint, Roosevelt companies offers Cyber and Digital transformation services to DoD, as well as Fortune 1000 companies in areas such as: Insurance, Manufacturing, Health Care, Financial Services, Cyber Security, Data Analytics, Cloud Adoption, Mobile and Social Media transformation,: Giles holds several board positions including Chairman of the Board of Atlanta Life Financial Group, Inc., Former Chairman of the Board of Herndon Capital Management asset Management Firm, Chairman of the Board Herndon Foundation, Tech Bridge Georgia, Former Board Member Georgia Research Alliance, and former board member of Leadership Atlanta, and Visiting Nurses Hospice Atlanta where he serves on various Board committees such as Audit, Risk and Governance, Technology and Compensation.

Giles sits on the Nasdaq Corporate Governance task force for corporate governance. Giles was featured in Forbes magazine's August 2020 issue. Giles delivers speeches to various organizations and businesses around the world as an international speaker in areas of Cyber Security , emerging technologies, and disruptive shifts in technology that can impact a company’s double bottom line. Giles holds a BS degree in business administration and has studied at the University of South Carolina, Limestone College, with advanced management courses from Harvard and MIT.

He is a bestselling Author of two books published by McGraw-Hill; one on Network Design and the other Cisco CCIE Engineering Certification. Roosevelt is currently writing a new book that features a collection of: “saying” collected from his travels to over 80 countries... He has received extensive recognition from industry and private groups, including the Ernest and Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist award and being honored to give the commencement address at Clayton State University in 2013.

Giles has run over 267 marathons including running the 50 states 3 times, the 8 continents (including Antarctica, twice) the Abbott World Marathon Majors 3 times, and a marathon in 53 countries at the request of his only brother James Giles before he transitioned in 2013.

Carlotta Harrell was elected countywide in 2020 as Chairwoman of the Henry County Board of Commissioners. As a true public servant, Harrell grew up in an environment were giving back to the community was a daily activity, and she carried those values of service into her adult life. Born the daughter of a Pastor and Freedom Fighter, Harrell grew up watching her parents march and fight for equality alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Congressman John Lewis. Her experiences at a very young age led her to a life of service which helped shape her into the leader she is today.

She received her degrees in Public Administration and Criminal Justice from Brenau University, in Gainesville, and had a successful career in law enforcement for more than 20 years. She has served on various executive Boards and in civic organizations, and in 2012, she was appointed to the Henry County Water Authority (HCWA) Board of Directors. She previously provided consulting services as a Project Director for the Georgia Conference of African American Mayors. Carlotta is the Managing Partner of The Harrell Group, a multi-functional Women Owed Small Business (WOSB) consulting firm with a combined 30 years of experience that provides organizational change management assistance, strategy development and operational improvement services to public and private entities.

Chair Harrell has been instrumental in moving Henry County forward by building key relationships with State and Federal partners. She was able to get bi-partisan support with the passage of the first ever T-SPLOST for Henry County expected to generate over $300 million, the opening of the Public Safety Real Time Crime Center, securing $45 million in Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds, and the list goes on. She is a 2022 graduate of Leader Henry and is a Certified County Commissioner of Georgia from the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia.

Chair Harrell was recognized for the third year, by Engineering Georgia as one of the “Top 100 Influential Women in Georgia”, by Atlanta Business League as one of the “Top 100 Women of Influence”, for the third year by Southern Crescent Women in Business as one of the “Top 50 Women of Influence”, by Georgia Association of Black County Officials (GABCO) as “Chairwoman of the Year”, and numerous other awards and recognitions.

Driving Economic Equity: Black Business and Community Development

Doug Hooker is CEO of the Connector Park Foundation, an initiative to build a park over a portion of the interstate, in the center of the city. Throughout his career, he has worked for public sector and private sector organizations, among them: the Atlanta Regional Commission(from which he retired in 2022), the City of Atlanta Department of Public Works, the State Road & Tollway Authority, Atkinsglobal Engineering and Georgia Power.

He currently serves on the boards of several community organizations including, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta (Chairman), the Atlanta Housing Authority, the Latin American Association, the Clayton State University Foundation, St. Vincent de Paul, the Council for Quality Growth, the Fox Theatre, the Ivan Allen College (of Georgia Tech) advisory board, and the Hands On Atlanta advisory board. In addition to community service, he is currently a Special Fellow and Professor of Practice with the Urban Studies Institute at Georgia State University. He is also on the board of directors of Barge Design Solutions, a privately held engineering and architecture firm.

His past service has included board service or advisory boards service for the Atlanta Music Project, the Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance, the Council for Quality Growth, CHRIS 180, the Georgia Tech (President’s) Advisory Board, the (Georgia Tech) Civil & Environmental Engineering Advisory Board, the Georgia Drawdown Project, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Opera, the Georgia Conservancy, the Piedmont Park Conservancy, the Trust for Public Land – Georgia Chapter, the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District, the Metro Atlanta Chamber Transportation Committee, the Civic League, The Emory University Board of Advisors, and Atlanta Technical College.

Doug is an alumnus of Leadership Atlanta, Leadership Georgia, the Regional Leadership Institute, the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership, and Leadership PBS&J.

Throughout his career, he has received many honors and recognitions, including the Dean George Griffin Community Service Award from the Georgia Tech Alumni Association, the inaugural AeroATL Honors award, the inaugural Regional Leadership Institute Outstanding Leader award, the Outstanding CEO from the Atlanta Business Chronicle, award for Distinguished Community Impact from the American Council of Engineering Consultants, award for career achievement from the Latin American Association, the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Ivan Allen College School of Public Policy, 100 Most Influential Georgians (Georgia Trend), 100 Most Influential Atlantans (Atlanta Business Chronicle), 10 Most Influential Atlantans (Atlanta Tribune), the Harry West Regional Visionary Leadership Award

Hooker holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree and a Master of Science in Technology and Science Policy degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology, as well as an MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta School of Business.

Maria Houser serves as the first Director of Environmental Compliance for DeKalb County Georgia as well as the Director of the Capital Improvement Program. Specifically, under the direction of the
County’s CEO, she now leads the implementation of the $1.5 billon sanitary sewer system improvements as required by the Consent Decree, the $1.4 billon drinking water system upgrades and million-dollar stormwater system projects.

She has undergraduate and graduate degrees in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech as well as a master’s in business administration from the University of West Georgia. She is also an attorney who practiced environmental and natural resources law at the Troutman Sanders LLP law firm prior to joining DeKalb County.

Maria was born on the twin islands of Trinidad & Tobago and was educated there as well as in the U.S. and France. Moreover, she has published environmental works in Brazil. As such, she loves to travel and has visited over 70 countries and territories.

Maria resides in the metro Atlanta area with her teenage son and dogs, Gia and Gizmo.

Ms. Johnson is the Georgia Field Office Director for Housing and Urban Development in the Atlanta Regional Office. She leads key housing and community-based initiatives in GA, runs the customer service and correspondence programs, and works extensively with external stakeholders. She previously served as a Supervisory Management Analyst who covered GA operations. Prior to working at HUD, she spent 21 years with the Environmental Protection Agency in Atlanta, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. Throughout those years, she focused on areas such as Superfund cleanup, environmental justice, and lead hazard reduction. In addition, she convened cross-program and national workgroups, stakeholders from diverse backgrounds such as state and local government officials, academia, private industry, and community members. Her career continues to focus on community outreach efforts, cross-program coordination, and stakeholder engagement. She enjoys interacting with communities to promote economic growth, provide access to affordable housing, and build resiliency.

Ms. Johnson obtained a BS in Chemistry and MS in Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry from Spelman College and the University of California at Berkeley, respectively. Ms. Johnson is green belt certified in Lean Six Sigma, certified for Alternative Dispute Resolution, and is a certified career coach.

Stacey Key is the Chief Executive Officer and president of the Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council (GMSDC), Georgia’s leading authority on supplier diversity and minority business development. Supply chain partnerships facilitated by the GMSDC transact more than $10 billion in revenues annually and have contributed tens of thousands of jobs to Georgia’s economy. Under her leadership, the GMSDC has grown to be one of the top performing councils in the NMSDC network, receiving numerous community awards for their efforts to create jobs and drive economic growth. Today, the GMSDC serves more than 1,200 Minority Business Enterprises and over 400 corporate members.

As a seasoned corporate executive, Key has more than 25 years of experience driving sales, marketing, operations and customer service at global brands like IBM, AT&T, Schlumberger and Samsung Telecommunications. She is also an accomplished entrepreneur, with more than 15 years of experience at the helm of a successful family business.

Key is actively involved in the community and serves on numerous boards of directors, including the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, Georgia Department of Transportation, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Midtown Alliance, Emory University Center for Ethics Advisory Board, Metro Atlanta Chamber Advisory Board and the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame.

Kimberly A. King is the Equal Employment Opportunity Director for the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Since joining the department in December 2012, Kimberly has worked hard to brand the EEO division as a professional, knowledgeable and responsive unit to the Agency. Tasked with oversight for all aspects of the Agency’s civil rights function, it has been an important part of Kimberly’s mission to ensure that EEO and civil rights considerations maintain a “seat at the table” in terms of the overall Agency function.

DBE, under Kimberly’s leadership, had become a vital Program with significant and consistent engagement throughout the Agency. Both professional services and construction firms are considered and assisted in the program and are identified for participation opportunities.

An attorney by trade, Kimberly has more than 20 years of experience in the practice areas of employment law, labor relations, collective bargaining and appellate practice.

Driving Economic Equity: A Look Into Infrastructure

Sarah-Elizabeth Langford Reed is the Executive Director of Develop Fulton, the Development Authority of Fulton County. Develop Fulton has issued more than $25 billion in bonds and helped thousands of businesses and institutions build, renovate, expand, or relocate in Fulton County. The Develop Fulton Board of Directors regularly evaluates economic development opportunities to determine incentives and benefits to the community. Develop Fulton facilitates approximately $2 billion every year in development projects throughout the 15 different Fulton County cities.

Langford Reed previously worked as the Director of Affordable Housing & Philanthropy for National Church Residences, the nation’s largest non-profit developer of senior housing in the country which owns senior housing communities in 25 states.

A former First Lady of the City of Atlanta, Langford Reed is passionate about community and service. Langford Reed is an Atlanta native and Pace Academy graduate. She was an NCAA Academic-All-American gymnast at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

She received a B.A. in French. She went on to receive her J.D. from Howard University School of Law. Langford Reed worked for U.S. Congressman John Lewis and later worked for the D.C. Office of the General Counsel.

She has devoted much of her time to bringing greater awareness to the importance of education. She serves on the Georgia Board of Regents, the Atlanta Children’s Museum, the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students (GEEARS), the Atlanta International School Board, and the nonprofit BIH.

If home is where the heart is, Terri Lee has been working to open the southeast’s heart to people of all backgrounds and income levels for more than 20 years. As one of the nation’s foremost champions for housing affordability, equity and access, Terri has successfully combined her passion for people with an expertise in public policy to help avail affordable housing resources to residents from Mississippi to Georgia. An impactful community development professional, Terri is an operations strategist with a proven record of employing creative solutions to improve outcomes within the public and non-profit business sectors. Terri is a sought-after organizational improvement expert, with successful projects including restructuring and realigning housing and development agencies; implementing strategies to encourage neighborhood stabilization efforts; and formulating policies to create community development investment opportunities that stimulate neighborhood transformation and growth.

Following 14 years of leadership in the City of Atlanta’s Department of City Planning, Terri was appointed the City of Atlanta’s first Chief Housing Officer (“CHO”) by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. As CHO, Terri galvanized five city housing agencies to collaboratively produce thousands of affordable units deploying nearly $1 billion in public funds. Terri transitioned to Atlanta Housing (AH) in December 2020, where she currently serves as Chief Operating Officer and is primarily responsible for oversight of the agency's operations, including Housing Choice Voucher Program, Real Estate, Policy, Governmental Affairs, Housing Development Services and its corporate support departments, including Information Technology, Finance, Procurement, and Construction, Facilities, and Maintenance. She brings considerable housing skills and collaboration acumen to Atlanta Housing, one of the nation’s largest public affordable housing agencies.

A proud HBCU graduate, Terri holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from Grambling State University and a Master of Public Policy and Administration degree from Jackson State University. Terri is a lifelong member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a public service organization.

Chairman Osborn (Oz) Nesbitt, Sr. is a LEADER who is tangible, touchable, and approachable. He is someone Rockdale County’s citizens can count on and reach out to. He has served two four-year terms as Commissioner Post 1, and is currently serving a 2nd four-year term as Chairman of Rockdale County’s Board of Commissioners in Conyers, Georgia.

Chairman Oz, as he is affectionately known, demonstrates a strong disciplined leadership style as a result of his 15 years in Law Enforcement. He studied at Voorhees College and is a member of the uplift organization 100 Black Men of America. He is a published author of an introspective, uplifting novel – “Fumes and Faith.” He is an award-winning speaker of Toastmasters International and the East Atlanta Networking Social. As a former Rockdale County Public School employee, Chairman Oz served as a discipline instructor and basketball coach focused upon instilling pride, educational commitment, and excellence as a springboard for all youth. Currently, Chairman Oz is the President/Chief Consultant with SPEAK UP! Communications, Inc. SPEAK UP! Communications is a local consulting firm that focuses primarily on training & career development and public speaking. Being in the ”people business” for 30+ years Chairman Oz Nesbitt strives to adhere to the following 3 core key principles of leading and - ATTITUDE, APPROACH and APPEARANCE.

As the Chairman of Rockdale County, Chairman Oz Nesbitt continually demonstrates his passion and commitment to the citizens and the greater Rockdale County community via open, transparent communications, dedicated community safety actions, focused economic and business development initiatives, and excellence while leading Rockdale County forward. Chairman Oz’s vision for Rockdale County include maintaining a safe and healthy community; creating job and career opportunities; building youth/family recreation to enhance each citizen’ quality of life; operating an efficient and ethical government; and exploring opportunities to boost economic and small business development.

Chairman Oz Nesbitt is an active member of Beulah Missionary Baptist Church in Decatur where he also serves in various capacities and ministries. His statement of faith is “God is my ROCK!” Chairman Oz Nesbitt, Sr. is a native of Augusta, Georgia, is married to Robernett Nesbitt and they have two girls and two boys to their union.

Driving Economic Equity: Black Business and Community Development

Valerie Nesbitt is Director Supplier Inclusion & Sustainability for Norfolk Southern. She is responsible for ensuring that contracts issued by the company maximize opportunities for small, minority, and woman-owned businesses to participate. She also serves as the sustainability liaison for the sourcing team, working strategically with suppliers to identify ways to reduce the company’s carbon footprint. Spanning more than thirty years, her extensive background in supply chain management includes leadership assignments with companies such as Hartsfield-Jackson, The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, Martin Marietta, and General Electric.

A native of Aiken, South Carolina, Valerie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of South Carolina and a Master’s in Public Administration from Golden Gate University.

Valerie and her husband, Donas, reside in Smyrna, Georgia.

Keith T. Parker, a seasoned executive with a rich history of board service and CEO experience, is the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Goodwill of North Georgia (GNG). GNG, one of the largest retail and nonprofit organizations in the southeast, operates across a 45-county territory with 69 stores, 49 attended donation centers, and 14 career centers.

Parker’s leadership has been instrumental in GNG’s success, employing over 3,000 team members who play a direct or supporting role in the organization’s operations. Annually, GNG serves more than 7 million shoppers and, through the revenue generated in its stores, trains and connects tens of thousands of North Georgians to employment annually. This has established GNG as the #1 Goodwill in the nation for connecting people to jobs among its 158 affiliates.

Before his tenure at GNG, which began in October 2017, Parker served as CEO of the largest transit systems in several cities, including San Antonio, Charlotte, and most recently, Atlanta. His five-year leadership at the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) transformed it from a beleaguered transit agency with major budget deficits and public image issues into a fiscally sound, award-winning organization.

Parker’s leadership roles have not been limited to executive positions. He has a long history of service to nonprofit, charitable, and corporate boards. He remains active and engaged with the Rotary Club of Atlanta, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Atlanta Fire & Rescue Foundation, Atlanta Community Food Bank, the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, Learn4Life, and Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau.

On a national level, Parker serves on several prominent boards including The Eno Center for Transportation while having served on National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC), to which he was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2016. On the corporate side, Parker serves on the Fifth Third Bank Advisory Board as well as the VHB Architecture and Engineering Board of Directors. Recently, Parker began his tenure on the board of Directors at Wellstar Health System, a hybrid corporate and nonprofit board.

Parker’s commitment to his alma mater, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), is notable. He received the VCU Alumni Star Award in 2015, followed by successive appointments to the VCU Board of Visitors by Governor Terry McAuliffe (2016) and Governor Ralph Northam (2020). More recently, Parker was unanimously elected Rector and Chairman of the VCU Board of Visitors, further highlighting his board leadership experience.

Throughout his career, Parker has received numerous awards and accolades as a transformational leader and transportation visionary. He has won multiple CEO awards in multiple states and was recognized as the nation’s Outstanding Public Transportation Manager by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) in 2015. In 2023, Parker was selected to be added to the Titan 100 Hall of Fame.

Parker and his wife are natives of Virginia and have 3 children. He holds an MBA from the University of Richmond.

Driving Economic Equity: A Look Into Infrastructure

Eric Pinckney is a legacy principal for the Integral Group, an Atlanta-based real estate development and investment management firm. Eric has been with the firm for almost 30 years.

Eric came to Atlanta as a student studying Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. It was in that capacity he found his calling as someone who is responsible for the development of sustainable communities. It started when Pinckney volunteered to help families at a nearby public housing project called Techwood Homes in 1980 and urged residents to reject offers from real estate developers. His personal experience in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston had showed him that community disruption often followed gentrification. He believed the best way to build sustainable African American communities was to maintain the sense of family and support that he had experienced growing up in a segregated Massachusetts community.

But after meeting Egbert Perry, Integral’s Chairman & CEO, Pinckney learned that real estate development could recreate the economic diversity that had existed before the age of racial integration. He then changed his educational focus to make his passion for building functioning communities into a profession. He earned a master’s in City Planning from Georgia’s Institute of Technology. Integral hired him as a scheduling consultant, and he was soon promoted to a Project Manager. Eric held that position with the company when the Olympics came to town in 1996. Integral played a significant part in implementing Atlanta housing legacy program for that historic event.

Pinckney returned to Boston for a short period before being called back to the Integral Group where he was given development responsibilities for major projects in Richmond, VA., Baltimore, MD., Washington, DC, Memphis, TN and Denver, CO. By 2002, he was the Vice President of Operations for Integral’s development division. He held that position for ten years. He was also beginning to see how his dream of creating sustainable neighborhoods could become a reality for families and businesses all over the country.

Eric credits mentorship by Egbert Perry, Renee Glover, former President & CEO of the Atlanta Housing Authority, and Dr. Norman Johnson, former special assistant to former President Patrick Crecine at Georgia Tech, for helping him and Integral create some of the most successful and transformative residential developments in the nation.

Today Pinckney is the principal in charge of the Microsoft community development efforts located on its 90-acre, Atlanta Beltline adjacent site near the Bankhead MARTA Station.

Driving Economic Equity: Real Estate Development and Housing

Dr. Victoria Seals is Atlanta Technical College's sixth president. Under her leadership, the College has launched several student success initiatives, established effective industry partnerships, and continues to grow in enrollment and student achievement—boasting a 98 percent job placement rate. Additionally, the College was recently named the 2023 Bellwether Award Winner for Workforce Development!

Dr. Seals has more than 20 years of experience in higher education and 18 years of experience in higher education leadership. She has garnered several awards and recognitions that highlight her leadership, including the Georgia Trend Top 500 Influential Leaders for 2024 and 2023, the 2022 Women of Influence Award, the 2020 ACCT Southern Region CEO Award and the Atlanta Business League’s Top 100 Women of Influence for the last five years. Prior to attaining the presidency at Atlanta Technical College, Dr. Seals served several years at Gwinnett Technical College. She advanced from an instructor to division director, dean, and, ultimately to vice president of academic affairs.

Dr. Seals began her teaching career in Athens, Georgia. She was employed by Athens-Clarke County Public Schools for two years and Athens Technical College for six years. During her time in Athens, Dr. Seals also served as an assistant basketball coach for the Clarke Central High School girls’ basketball program and as a tutor/proctor for The University of Georgia Athletics Department.

Dr. Seals is a member of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute Class of 2019, Leadership Atlanta’s Class of 2018, Leadership Gwinnett’s Class of 2011, as well as the 2013 class of the Technical College System of Georgia’s Executive Leadership Academy. She is an active member of the American Association of Community Colleges, Association of Community College Trustees, Technology Association of Georgia, Women in Educational Leadership, and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Public Defender Council, Learn for Life Leadership Council, the ATL Airport Chamber, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, Horizons Atlanta, the Aerotropolis Atlanta Workforce Collective, and Work Source Atlanta. In addition to Advisory Board service with Hands on Atlanta, she has also facilitated the Hands on Atlanta MLK Sunday Supper.

Atlanta Magazine named Dr. Seals as one of the “Top 500” Leaders for 2021 thru 2024, and The Atlanta Business Chronicle featured Dr. Seals as one of Atlanta’s Most Admired CEOs in 2020, and listed her among “Who’s Who in Education” in 2017 and 2020. Dr. Seals was named Educator of the Year in 2017 by the South Fulton Chamber and was recognized by Year Up Atlanta that same year with the Urban Empowerment Award. Dr. Seals was also honored by the Urban League of Greater Atlanta at its 56th Equal Opportunity Day (2017).

Dr. Seals received a B. S. in mathematics from Spelman College. She continued her studies at the University of Georgia where she received an M.A. in mathematics, an Ed.S. in mathematics education, and an Ed.D. in educational leadership. She enjoys spending time with family, traveling, and watching sports.

Driving Economic Equity: A Look Into Infrastructure

Julia the Southeast Region Business Diversity Manager with two decades of experience in the electrical transmission and distribution industry, working both for power providers and utility consultants. As a project manager, she cultivates stability for her clients and communities while delivering strategies and effective solutions. She has worked in engineering and project management, supporting fiber-optic networks, SCADA management and deployments, and other power delivery projects. She also specializes in supplier diversity within the utility sector, bringing fresh and underrepresented voices to the table to strengthen communities and project outcomes.

Julia effectively manages her team to keep projects running within scope, time and budget constraints. She has a proven track record in utility project and program management, including oversight of more than $70 million in project work. She is an advocate for energy efficiency solutions, working with power companies and applicants to craft effective programs. Currently, she is helping manage a major grid modernization program for a large utility. In 2018, she was selected for a fellowship in the Urban League’s Inclusion by Design Executive Leadership Program, which builds a pipeline of leaders oriented toward community needs, diversity and inclusion.

Julia is an active participant in numerous professional organizations, including the Project Management Institute, the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) and the Women’s International Network of Utility Professionals (WINUP). She is active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. She has served in leadership roles in and advocated for employee resource groups at each organization where she has worked because she believes they elevate corporate culture to perform at its best. She is currently instrumental at Burns & McDonnell in establishing a business diversity program that aims to serve the entire Southeast region and develop long-lasting partnerships with diverse suppliers.

Driving Economic Equity: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Rodney K. Strong is the C.E.O. of Griffin & Strong, P.C., a law and public policy consulting firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. He is currently the project principal for public policy consulting engagements with numerous state and local government entities. A member of the State Bar of Georgia, he represents a range of public entity and corporate clients, specializing in public contracts, community development, and real estate law. He is also the general counsel for the Metro Atlanta Land Bank Authority. He has been the supplier diversity consultant for numerous major construction projects. Most recently, he was the supplier diversity consultant for both the Mercedes-Benz Stadium construction and the State Farm Arena renovation in Atlanta.

He is widely considered one of the foremost national experts in the area of procurement disparity research and supplier diversity program development. His experience in these areas began in 1984 when then-Mayor Andrew Young appointed him Director of Contract Compliance for the City of Atlanta, a position he held until 1992.

He graduated from the University of Memphis's Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, where he was a Herbert Herff Presidential Law Scholar. He received his undergraduate degree in Political Science from Morehouse College.

Driving Economic Equity: Black Business and Community Development
Driving Economic Equity: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Jeffrey E. Turner was elected by the voting constituency of Clayton County as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners in August 2012. He was inaugurated in December and transitioned into office on January 01, 2013. Before winning the election, Jeff worked in law enforcement for over 23 years, beginning as a patrolman and rising through the ranks to the position of Chief of Police in March 2007. Chief Jeffrey E. Turner was the first African-American Chief of Police in Clayton County. Always proactive in the community, Jeff acquired National Accreditation for the police department, initiated the Citizens Police Academy, established a Neighborhood Watch Program, and worked closely with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) during his tenure as Chief.

Chairman Turner is known as an honest and approachable leader and is dedicated to the constituency of Clayton County. He devotes many hours to being “out and about” in the county engaged in community activities and listening to issues and concerns that are important to residents and businesses.

Having resided in Clayton County for most of his life, the son of Eddie and the late Classie Turner graduated from Morrow High School, earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice, and went on to receive his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Columbus State University. Jeff is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Session 217.

Jeff and Darlene Turner are married with four sons and attend Greater Works Missionary Baptist Church located in Forest Park, Georgia. Chairman Jeffrey E. Turner serves, with distinction, as Clayton County’s Chief Elected Official and proudly represents the entirety of Clayton County.

Walter Vinson is the Assistant General Manager of Business Diversity and Government Affairs. In this role, Walter manages the integration and inclusion of small, minority and female-owned firm participation in the Airport’s capital improvement program. In addition, he manages the Airport’s state, and federal legislative affairs, including initiating legislation at all levels and monitoring state and federal legislation that impacts the Airport.

In 2006, Mr. Vinson joined Hartsfield-Jackson as the Government Affairs Manager, where he led lobbying efforts to fund various projects to improve the overall efficiency of Airport operations, infrastructure and security. In 2020, he joined the City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office as Intergovernmental Affairs Manager, representing Atlanta on legislative matters before the Georgia General Assembly and the United States Congress. Mr. Vinson’s advocacy strategy resulted in $292 million in direct Coronavirus Relief federal funding. In 2022, he returned to ATL as the Director of Government Affairs.

Previously, Mr. Vinson represented Fulton County Government as a Legislative Administrator in Atlanta. On Capitol Hill, he served in governmental roles including Legislative Director for U.S. Rep Bennie G. Thompson as well as Senior Professional Staff Manager for the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture.

Mr. Vinson obtained a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Alcorn State University and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Bowie State University.

E. P. "Pete" Walker, Jr. serves as President and CEO for Affiliated Resources Group. Mr. Walker was appointed Executive Director of the Housing Authority of DeKalb County in October, 2010 and has since led the agency in applying innovative business practices in its approach to affordable housing and development – expanding the Authority and its Affiliates’ missions to maximize opportunities for impact and growth.

Mr. Walker began his career in affordable housing development and finance in 1989 as Finance Director for the Urban Residential Finance Authority of the City of Atlanta, where he was responsible for maintaining the Authority’s $300 million tax-exempt bond portfolio and all of its other fiscal affairs. From 1998 to 2002, Mr. Walker was the Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer for the Atlanta Development Authority. Reporting to the President of the City of Atlanta's commercial and residential development arm, he was responsible for all fiscal and financial affairs supervising the Authority's Finance, Accounting and Administration departments as well as overseeing the financial operations of the Authority (including 52 bond issues totaling more than $800 million in assets) and its nine subsidiaries in implementing approximately $250 million in development plans and projects throughout the city.

Mr. Walker founded Millennium Development Partners (MDP) in 2003, where he specialized in development consulting and facilitating the production of affordable housing by creating development/project partnerships between Authorities, Developers and/or Nonprofits by structuring and implementing financings using tax exempt debt with tax credits, conventional debt along tax credits and tax-exempt revenue bond structures. Prior to joining the Housing Authority, Mr. Walker served as President of Mercy Housing Southeast (MHSE) from 2007-2010. Mercy Housing, Inc. (Mercy) is one of the top nonprofit developers of affordable housing with assets of nearly $2 Billion and properties in 41 states. In Mr. Walker’s capacity as President of MHSE, he was responsible for setting the strategy and direction for expanding Mercy's southeastern affordable housing development footprint while maintaining a quality portfolio. During his 3 year tenure he grew MHSE from five (5) properties to 18 properties located in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama and Ohio, spearheading development of more than 10 affordable housing projects of which seven (7) were 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credit projects.

A native of Georgia, Mr. Walker received a BA degree from Clark Atlanta University where he graduated cum laude.

Driving Economic Equity: Black Business and Community Development

Ryan Wilson is the co-founder and CEO of The Gathering Spot, a private membership network that serves as a hub for collaboration, connections and experiences; the Chief Community Officer of Greenwood, a digital banking services platform for Black and minority individuals and businesses; and a principal at A3C, a music, tech and film conference and festival.

At the age of 24, with a mission to create a world where opportunity is the byproduct of community and collaboration, Ryan and his business partner raised capital to open their first Gathering Spot location in Atlanta. The club has since established itself nationally as a home for creatives, business professionals, and entrepreneurs, and regularly hosts notable and culturally impactful events. Responsible for the company’s overall management and strategic vision, Ryan has led the club’s physical expansion with location openings in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles, and launching of membership communities in New York City, Detroit, Charlotte, Houston, and Chicago; as well as the digital expansion of the company’s platform TGS Connect.

In 2022, The Gathering Spot was acquired by Greenwood, Inc, creating the largest fintech and community platform for Blacks and minorities with a combined community of over 1 million people. The companies share a mission of closing the wealth gap for minorities through community building, entrepreneurship, group economics and wealth building. This partnership represents a historic move as one of the few black-on-black M&A transactions at scale.

Ryan has been honored as the Small Business Person of the Year by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, was selected as one of the 2020 Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 under Forty honorees, was named one of Goldman Sach’s Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs in 2021, and was selected for the inaugural class of Shea Moisture’s Social Justice Coalition. The Mayor of Atlanta honored Ryan and his business partner with the prestigious Phoenix Award, the city’s highest honor. Atlanta Magazine named him one of “Atlanta’s 500 most powerful leaders” and he has also been named one of the country’s most influential African-Americans in The Root 100 and the Ebony Power 100.

Ryan has been featured in notable national publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Forbes, Inc, The New York Times, Revolt, Black Enterprise, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Huffington Post, and USA Today. He is a trusted speaker and regularly moderates conversations with thought leaders and notable individuals ranging from political figures like President Joe Biden and Leader Stacey Abrams, to business pioneers like Thasunda Duckett and Ben Chestnut, as well as leaders in the entertainment industry including Will Packer, Gunna, Kelly Rowland, and Gabrielle Union.

A native to Atlanta, Ryan actively participates in several Atlanta civic and community organizations. He proudly serves on the boards of Usher’s New Look, The Woodruff Arts Center, The Atlanta Business League, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Peace Preparatory Academy and The Atlanta Metro Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the Atlanta Chapter of the 100 Black Men, Atlanta Rotary Club and has previously served as Co-Chair for Black Men Count Initiative of Fair Count. Ryan graduated from Georgetown University and Georgetown University Law Center.

Albert Edwards (Congress Chair)

Albert Edwards (Congress Chair), Chief Executive Officer & President at CERM (Corporate Environmental Risk Management)

Event Details

Agenda

April 11, 2024

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Other Speakers

Albert Edwards (Congress Chair),
Chief Executive Officer & President at CERM (Corporate Environmental Risk Management)