ROOTLOCAL - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Air & Water Quality Management - Communications Chair
Job Titles:
- Air & Water Quality Management - Events Chair
Job Titles:
- Founder
- Member of the Board of Directors
I have always viewed the planet as our most precious and fragile resource and my path to becoming an active conservationist has developed over time. Through my degree and subsequent first career in horticulture, I have a deep love and appreciation for all things flora. In my current career as a top performer at Harry Norman, I'm passionate about finding ways to make easy lifestyle changes that can have a big impact, like installing solar panels, driving an electric car, using earth-friendly products, and by reducing the use of plastics and consumption of meat.
Community connection is also important to me- I am an advisory board member of Open Hand Atlanta, member of Midtown Alliance, former board member of the Decatur Business Association and the Luxury Marketing Council of Atlanta, former president of the Oakhurst Business Association, twice co-chaired the Decatur Beach Party, and - I also channel my years as an Eagle Scout and experience as the auctioneer for the Oakhurst Elementary School live auction for two years.
I believe that if you're not going to roll up your sleeves and be a part of the solution, you're a part of the problem. To that end, with Johanna and Liz, we founded Root Local to be connectors and conveners in an effort to create long-term and measurable solutions.
Job Titles:
- Sustainable Fashion & Products - Civic Engagement Chair
Job Titles:
- Green Buildings & Practices - Events Chair
Job Titles:
- Canopy & Land Management - Civic Engagement Chair
Job Titles:
- Founder
- Member of the Board of Directors
My perspectives as a business owner, investor, community activist, and now most importantly, a wife and mom, have taught me two things. First, business can be used for the betterment of our communities and our planet. The environmental challenges the earth faces are too big for the government to fix on its own. The private sector must be an active participant in efforts to build sustainability.
Second, there are actions we can take in our everyday lives that can, and will, positively impact the long-term health of our planet. I like to think we can all be pollinators for change, through education and a commitment to a healthier world for all citizens.
Job Titles:
- Food Systems - Communications Chair
Job Titles:
- Food Systems - Events Chair
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
With a passion for sustainability and a decade of experience in SaaS software sales, I am currently the Senior Sales Leader at OneTrust, specializing in privacy, security, and data governance solutions. Combining my proven track record of achieving exceptional sales results, with being a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/E), I navigate the intricate realm of privacy regulations and consumer consent, reflecting my commitment to ethical business practices and legal compliance.
Beyond my corporate role, I am a certified yoga teacher, bringing a holistic approach into my lifestyle. On the side, I am currently leveraging my expertise to develop a new community-based sharing app called Nabo. Through Nabo, we aim to foster collaboration and resource-sharing, embodying my dedication to positive change and a sustainable future.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Growing up in Denver, CO, conservation was deeply instilled in my identity from an early age. My first introduction into organized conservation initiatives came in high school when I became very involved in a local nonprofit called Teens4Oceans. Their mission is to empower youth to be stewards of the oceans through experiential education, research, technology, and conservation. I continued my involvement with the organization into my college years and environmentalism has remained a staple value for me ever since.
After receiving undergraduate and graduate degrees from Duke University, my professional career took me to New York City. I spent a number of years working in Management Consulting, helping financial institutions on their strategic initiatives and then I transitioned into Commercial Banking for J.P. Morgan Chase. I have since relocated full time to Atlanta, GA and I am thrilled to be part of such an amazing community that is constantly looking for ways to get better each and every day.
Job Titles:
- Green Buildings & Practices - Civic Engagement Chair
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Being in a world that has become increasingly focused on the product rather than the process, I approach collective work by taking a few steps back to thoughtfully engage with teams and communities on the how of implementation. Who is included? What is the path to generating vision and reducing harm? My personal passions have been shaped by experiences as a Student Delegate at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in France, Germany, and Egypt; an NSF grantee at the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation in New Hampshire; an intern with the EPA and US Fish and Wildlife Service in Atlanta; and other local career posts with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and various non-profits, ranging from local impact to global reach.
My goal is to build upon lessons across the environmental movement and design sustainable equity-oriented communities in a way that determines our relationship within the global ecological framework. After spending years in the Bay Area, New Haven, Denver, and other spaces, I am happy to be back home where I grew up in Atlanta, as a new urban futurist wielding a recent master's in Ecosystem Conservation from the Yale School of the Environment.
My day job is as a Climate and Environment Project Manager at a mid-sized consulting firm. In my free time, if I am not biking or hiking or immersing myself in Solarpunk, I serve as a team lead volunteer for the Appalachian Trail's Co-operative Management Plan update, which coalesces thousands of volunteers, government agencies, and other stakeholders who steward the 2,100-mile trail that extends from Georgia to Maine. To me, nature already has the answers we are seeking, and by using a biomimicry perspective, we can build the resilient infrastructure necessary for connectivity and outsized impact across organizations in Atlanta.
I officially celebrated my first Earth Day with my kids in 2010. We commemorated it with a cake and a pledge my son insisted we make: to take care of the Earth from that day forward. This pledge informed my experience on The Green Team at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where I was a sustainability leader, and is something I continue to celebrate in my role as executive director today.
Throughout my career, working for small, grassroots agencies to large, nationally recognized organizations, I have carried a passion for awareness, education, and action for all things sustainable.
Building upon Root Local's strong foundation, it is my honor and mission to continue to raise awareness and visibility for sustainability issues ranging from maintaining Atlanta's tree canopy to recycling, clean air and clean water, and our other environmental sector focuses. I will work to influence the future of Atlanta's natural resources, uplift organizations doing the day-to-day work, and connect community members to services with a goal of creating a collective impact.
As a transplant to the Atlanta area for almost 20 years, I am thrilled to be in this space and a part of this small-but-mighty organization.
Job Titles:
- Founder
- Member of the Board of Directors
I came to environmentalism straight out of college, as an intern monitoring environmental legislation at Georgia's state capitol. Getting to know the many elected officials, lobbyists and conservationists who were invested in positive change made me keenly aware that if enough people use their voices, you can make a difference.
While my career pivoted to public relations, I remained actively involved in the community. For more than 25 years at the helm of Liz Lapidus PR, my firm promoted some of the most anticipated brands. Yet my passion remains with our nonprofit clients and through board positions I've held and committee work I've done with the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, The Hambidge Center, Dad's Garage, the National Center for Civil & Human Rights, the Maynard Jackson Youth Foundation, AID Atlanta, Jerusalem House and Community Farmers Markets.
Job Titles:
- Travel & Transportation - Civic Engagement Chair
Job Titles:
- Canopy & Land Management - Events Chair
Job Titles:
- Food Systems - Civic Engagement Chair
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors