Community Foundation adds revered members to Board of Directors

Racial and economic equity strategic plan supported through counsel of respected leaders

ATLANTA – February 19, 2020 – The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta announces four new members added to its Board of Directors: Rabbi Peter Berg, Richard W. Courts IV, Julia Houston and Wonya Lucas. Each will serve a three-year term with an option to renew for a second term. Additionally, Susan Grant begins her three-year term as Board Chair.

“These four leaders round out a diverse and experienced Board. Each leader brings a perspective that will help propel the Community Foundation forward on its mission to make the Atlanta region more equitable for all residents,” said Susan Grant, board chair. “In 2020 the Community Foundation will hire a new CEO for the first time in 43 years upon Alicia Philipp’s retirement. This transition as well as an emboldened focus on racial and economic equity mark a pivotal time for the organization when strong leadership from our Board is especially vital.”

These four new Board members join the 15 continuing their service to the Community Foundation as they lead building equity across the region. Committee chairs of the Foundation’s Board of Directors are noted:

• Susan Grant, Board Chair, Community Volunteer, CNN (retired)
• Frank Bell, Inspire CIO
• Millard Choate, Choate Construction
• Bert Clark, Estate Strategies Group, CEO Search Committee Chair
• Patrice Greer, Community Volunteer, Community Committee Chair
• Doug Hooker, Atlanta Regional Commission
• Jeffrey Muir, Fulcrum Equity Partners
• Barbara Bing Pliner, Community Volunteer
• Bryan Rand, Tritium Partners, Investment Committee Chair
• John Reid, Community Volunteer, GoATL Impact Investing Committee Chair
• Dave Stockert, Sweetwater Opportunity Fund, Philanthropy Committee Chair
• Ramon Tomé, Community Volunteer
• Gregory Vaughan, M.D., Spencer Stuart, Governance Committee Chair
• Jerry Wilkinson, Wilkinson Real Estate Advisors, Finance and Audit Committee Chair
• Studie Young, Harry Norman REALTORS

Peter Berg has been the senior rabbi of The Temple since 2008. He previously served congregations in New Jersey, New York, Texas and Virginia. An advocate for social change, Berg has spent a great deal of time working with advocacy groups on issues such as separation of church and state, the death penalty, civil rights, religious freedom, welfare reform, gun safety, hate crimes and the environment. He currently serves on the boards of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, the Anti-Defamation League, Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students (GEEARS), Faith In Public Life, OUTCRY: Faith Voices Against Gun Violence, Three Star, Home First, Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center and the Commission On Social Action for Reform Judaism. A native of Ocean Township, New Jersey, Rabbi Berg holds a degree in Education and Human Development, from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He earned his M.A. in Hebrew Literature and his rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in New York and Jerusalem, where he was a Steinhardt Fellow.

Richard W. Courts IV is President of Atlantic Realty Company, a privately held commercial real estate firm providing real estate investment, development, brokerage and advisory services to clients since 1936. Prior to joining Atlantic Realty, Courts was a central member of the Carter & Associates commercial real estate brokerage services division serving clients throughout the U.S. for more than 20 years. Courts currently serves as a trustee of The University of Georgia Foundation, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation, The Schenck School, The East Lake Foundation, The Blanche Lipscomb Foundation, The Courts Foundation and the Price Gilbert, Jr. Foundation. He is a member of The Deans Advisory Council for University of Georgia Terry College of Business and is Past Board Chair and an Emeritus Board Member of the Terry College Alumni Board.

He is a 1995 graduate of The Terry College of Business where he received the 2006 Outstanding Young Alumni Award.

Julia Houston is chief transformation officer at Equifax, a position to which she was named in 2017 after the company’s significant cybersecurity incident. Houston has been responsible for defining the company’s transformation initiatives, rebuilding trust with stakeholders, leading the company’s settlement strategy and strengthening its privacy, risk management, strategy and communications functions. Houston joined Equifax in October of 2013 as Senior Vice President, U.S. Legal and led the team that provides legal support for the company’s three U.S. businesses. Prior to Equifax, she served in leadership roles with Convergys Corporation and Mirant Corporation. Houston began her legal career as a corporate attorney at King & Spalding in Atlanta. Houston holds a Bachelor of Arts with distinction from the University of Virginia and a Juris Doctor summa cum laude from the University of Georgia School of Law. She also serves on the boards of CHRIS 180 and the Atlanta Police Foundation and previously served on the Board of the Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta.

Wonya Lucas is President and CEO of Public Broadcasting Atlanta where she oversees Atlanta’s NPR (WABE) and PBS (ATL PBA) stations. Under Lucas’ leadership, WABE has broadened their audience primarily driven by a format change adding more national and local news coverage. She currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the NPR national board. Previously, Lucas was President and CEO for TV One where she was the second African American woman to lead a cable television company. She held previous leadership roles with Discovery Communications, The Weather Channel Networks, Turner Broadcasting System and their networks CNN and TNT, as well as brand management roles for The Coca-Cola Company and Clorox. She serves on the boards of JC Penney, EW Scripps, Westside Future Fund, Georgia Tech Foundation, Task Force for Global Health and the Children’s Museum of Atlanta. Lucas holds a B.S. from the Georgia Institute of Technology and an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

“Each of these new Board members brings not only their expertise, but a commitment to making the Atlanta region stronger for all who call it home,” said Alicia Philipp, president, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. “As the Community Foundation takes on this enormous challenge to build an equitable region for 2020 and beyond, their volunteer leadership adds a momentum that is critical to our success.”

The complete list of the Community Foundation’s Board of Directors with their full biographies can be found here.

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PHOTO:
Row 1, L to R: Richard Courts IV, Studie Young, Ramon Tomé
Row 2, L to R:  Barbara Bing Pliner, Susan Grant (Board Chair), Wonya Lucas, Julia Houston
Row 3, L to R: Jeffrey Muir, Patrice Greer (Community Committee Chair), Millard Choate, Ben White (Legal Counsel)
Row 4, L to R: John Reid (GoATL Impact Investment Committee Chair), Gregory Vaughan (Governance Committee Chair), Jerry Wilkinson (Finance and Audit Committee Chair), Dave Stockert (Philanthropy Committee Chair), Bert Clark (CEO Search Committee Chair)
Not pictured: Frank Bell, Peter Berg, Doug Hooker, Bryan Rand (Investment Committee Chair)

About the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

Since 1951, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has been leading and inspiring philanthropy to increase the vitality of our region and the well-being of all residents. With nearly 70 years serving the 23-county Atlanta region and a robust team of experts, the Community Foundation expands its philanthropic reach and impact by providing quality services to donors and bold, innovative community leadership. The Community Foundation is a top-20 community foundation among 750 nationally, with approximately $1.2 billion in current assets, and is Georgia’s second largest foundation. For more information, visit: cfgreateratlanta.org or connect with the Foundation via Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media Contact:
Louise Mulherin, 404.405.1070
lmulherin@cfgreateratlanta.org