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Atlanta, GA., March 2, 2022 – Park Pride’s Board of Directors elected Kristy Rachal, Community and Economic Development Director at Georgia Power Company, as the organization’s next Board Chair. Additionally, the Board elected and welcomed new member Jennifer Ide, Chief Administrative Officer at Rimidi and former City of Atlanta Council Member for District 6. Both women represent the expanding breadth of expertise of the nonprofit’s leadership, which will serve to further its mission to engage communities to activate the power of parks.
As the Community & Economic Development Director at Georgia Power, Rachal is responsible for business development, business recruitment, and supporting local communities through leadership development, strategic planning, industry expansion, and retention. She is a graduate of the Urban Land Institute’s Center for Leadership, CREW Atlanta’s Leadership Class, the Regional Leadership Institute, and Leadership Georgia. She has been a member of Park Pride’s Board since 2018, demonstrating commitment to the power of parks through her involvement on the Executive Committee, the Nominating and Board Engagement Committee, and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Rachal’s leadership comes at a critical time in Park Pride’s 33-year history. As the first African American woman since 1995 to serve as the organization’s Board Chair, Rachal’s unique skills and perspective will help Park Pride to navigate the challenges of making great parks accessible to all communities.
“I am excited and honored to take the reins, particularly at this moment in time,” stated Rachal. “Park Pride is engaged in important work to help all of Atlanta’s communities fulfill their dreams for quality parks and the well-documented benefits they provide. Park Pride has a tremendously engaged board and a passionate, knowledgeable staff. I am looking forward to working even more closely with both.”
Jennifer Ide is a founding member of Rimidi, a cutting-edge, digital health company. As Chief Administrative Officer, she oversees the company’s legal and regulatory matters and serves as the Company’s compliance officer and HIPAA privacy and security officer. She served as City of Atlanta Council Member representing District 6 from 2018 – 2021, during which time she chaired the Finance Committee and supported several community-led park and greenspace initiatives in the neighborhoods she served. Ide is also a graduate of Leadership Georgia.
For a full list of Park Pride’s Board of Directors, visit https://parkpride.org/who-we-are/board-of-directors/.
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About Park Pride:
A trusted Atlanta-based nonprofit for over 30 years, Park Pride engages communities to activate the power of parks! Working with over 100 local Friends of the Park groups across 250 greenspaces, Park Pride provides leadership, services, and funding to help communities realize their dreams for parks that support healthy people, united neighborhoods, a resilient city, and a healthy environment. Park Pride is active in greenspace advocacy and educating both civic leaders and the public about the benefits of parks, and annually hosts the Parks and Greenspace Conference. Learn more about Park Pride at parkpride.org.