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Atlanta, GA., July 2023 – A new cohort of park champions has joined Park Pride’s Board of Directors, expanding the breadth of expertise of the nonprofit’s leadership and furthering its mission to engage communities to activate the power of parks.
Judy Adler, Eden Godbee, Vaughn Marshall, Natali Mayo, Stacy Patton, and Reynolds “Ren” Salerno join 23 other members of the board tasked with providing governance and oversight to the organization.
Judy Adler is a local environmental and sustainability leader with a passion for parks. Most recently, she served as the Vice President of ESG & Global Sustainability at Gap, while concurrently leading Gap Foundation as President and Trustee. From 2016 to 2020, Adler was the President and Treasurer at the Turner Foundation. She participated in the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership (IGEL) in 2008 and remained involved with the program through 2015, ultimately serving as the Chair of the Board of Directors. She also previously held a board position at the Environmental Grantmakers Association. Today, Adler is an Advisory Board Member for the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business – Scheller College of Business at Georgia Tech, and enjoys walks with her family and neighborhood gatherings at Atlanta’s Armand Park.
Eden Godbee is the Senior Manager of Business Communications in Georgia-Pacific’s Building Products division, where she leads business communications and manages executive communication. Previously, she served as the Associate Director of Advocacy and Communications at Executive Leadership Council in Washington, D.C. Godbee has a special interest in DEI initiatives and enjoys walking her dog on the Atlanta BeltLine.
Vaughn Marshall gained a deeper appreciation for Atlanta’s parks during the pandemic, when he and his family explored new metro parks every week and enjoyed the access to nature and wellbeing it provided. He is the Senior Director of Finance Strategy & Enablement at Cox Communications, responsible for finance and accounting strategy, and delivery of technology, data, and business intelligence to advance impactful business outcomes.
Natali Mayo serves as Corporate Counsel at The Home Depot, providing legal support for the company’s home services, rental, and pro-business divisions. Mayo has been actively engaged in the metro-Atlanta community in many ways over the years. She worked with children in foster care at the Dekalb County Child Advocacy Center and was a member of the Junior League of Atlanta. She also served on the advisory board of KIPP WAYS Academy and was a member of The Paideia School Alumni Advisory Council. Mayo grew up an active user and lover of parks; some of her fondest memories took place at Piedmont Park’s Noguchi Playground.
Stacy Patton is the Director of Real Estate for the PATH Foundation, where she manages design, engineering, acquisition, and implementing trail projects throughout the Atlanta-metro area. Patton previously served on the board of the Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership, as a Design Review Committee Member with the Atlanta BeltLine, and as a National Urban Revitalization Council Member with the Urban Land Institute, among other postings. She loves how trails connect the city, and her favorite route is from Springvale Park through Freedom Park, and into Candler Park or the Olmsted Linear Parks.
Ren Salerno is the Director of the Division of Laboratory Systems at the CDC, where he works to improve public health, patient outcomes, and health equity. In May 2022, he received the “Champion of the Public Health Laboratory” Award from the Association of Public Health Laboratories. Salerno has extensive experience with strategic planning and leading organizational development. He has served on several national and international boards and task forces—including the US Defense Science Board and the International Federation of Biosafety Associations—and enjoys exploring Sweetwater State Park with his family.
Kristy Rachal, Chair of Park Pride’s Board of Directors, is excited by the energy and talent of the newest board members. “It is truly an honor to welcome these strong and accomplished leaders to our board,” said Rachal. “Their community involvement, professional expertise, diverse backgrounds, and shared passion for parks all make them the perfect fit—the perfect additions at this exciting juncture in Park Pride’s history.”
As these six new board members step into their roles at Park Pride, four others are completing their terms: Luis Avila, David Brabham, Lee Harrop, and Tanya Hairston-Whitner. To these individuals, the staff and board express the deepest appreciation and gratitude for their unique contributions to Park Pride and commitment to the organization’s mission.
Luis Avila, Vice President of Governance & Compliance at Cox Enterprises, served on the board from 2020 – 2023. During his tenure, Luis co-chaired Park Pride’s DEI Committee and led the creation of the organization’s first DEI Policy, which was formally adopted by the Board in 2022.
David Brabham, Director of ESG & Forest Stewardship Strategy at Georgia-Pacific, also served on the board from 2020 – 2023. As a participant in the DEI Committee and the Strategic Planning Task Force, Brabham brought his passion for park access for people of all abilities to Park Pride’s work, which can be felt across the organization from the DEI Policy to the current strategic plan and educational offerings.
Lee Harrop, Vice President of Real Estate Development at Westside Future Fund, joined Park Pride’s board in 2018 and served two terms. During his tenure, he chaired the organization’s Grant Committee through a time of innovative change and unprecedented growth. Under his leadership, the committee became more engaged and mission driven than ever, resulting in a stronger focus on equity and community empowerment.
Tanya Hairston-Whitner, Assistant General Counsel at The Home Depot, has seen more change at Park Pride than any other board member. Hairston-Whitner has served four, three-year board terms: the first two from 2010 –2016 and more recently from 2018 – 2023. During her tenure, she served multiple roles, including Vice Chair, as a member of the Finance Committee, and on a number of special committees.
“I will be forever grateful to Luis, David, Lee, and Tanya for their service,” said Michael Halicki, Executive Director at Park Pride. “Park Pride is a more effective organization thanks to their efforts and many contributions.”
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:
For over 30 years, Park Pride has worked to engage communities to activate the power of parks! Working with over 130 local Friends of the Park groups, Park Pride provides leadership, services, and funding to help communities realize their dreams for neighborhood parks that support healthy people, strong neighborhoods, vibrant business districts, a robust economy, and a healthy environment. Park Pride is active in greenspace advocacy and educating both civic leaders and the public about the benefits of parks. The nonprofit annually hosts the Parks and Greenspace Conference, the largest parks conference in the southeast. Learn more about Park Pride at parkpride.org.