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BOARD

WHO WE ARE

James K. Irungu

Board Chair
Joined in 2020

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Sarah Pierre

Board Vice Chair
Joined in 2020

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Ashley Reid

Board Treasurer
Joined in 2020

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David Yankey

Board Secretary
Joined in 2019

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Kristie Abney

Joined in 2017

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Josh Berman

Joined in 2020

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Lawton Bloom

Joined in 2023

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Peter Dale

Joined in 2021

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Mallory deGolian

Joined in 2021

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Ybonne Druyeh Dodd

Joined in 2015

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Kelly Hawkins

Joined in 2024

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Tony Riffel

Joined in 2020

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Tommy Thomas, MD

Joined in 2022

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Ben Tompkins

Joined in 2019

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Chris Willett

Joined in 2019

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James K. Irungu
Board Chair

Joined Board in 2020
James is the CEO and founder of CBS & PM (Capital Billing Services). a Healthcare management company located in Atlanta. GA, that specializes in revenue cycle management and credentialing for Healthcare providers. CBS & PM’s main goal is to provide tools and solutions to healthcare providers so they can offer affordable healthcare services to Patients.

James is a member of Vistage. He is also a member of the Southern Foodways Alliance. James was born in Kenya and lives in Atlanta, GA with his wife and son.

Sarah Pierre
Board Vice Chair

Joined Board in 2020
Sarah Pierre, owner of 3 Parks Wine Shop in Atlanta, GA since 2013, is noted for her extensive pedigree in the hospitality industry. Prior to opening 3 Parks Wine, she spent most of her career working and managing notable restaurants in Atlanta and New York City. Sarah hand selects all of the wines that are offered at 3 Parks Wine Shop and also assists in pairing wines for local events and dinners throughout Atlanta.

Sarah has received coverage in print and broadcast media including CNN, Thrillist, Eater Atlanta, Garden & Gun, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Vinepair, Kitchn, and so much more. She is also the wine columnist for Atlanta Intown Paper and Drinks52.

Ashley Reid
Board Treasurer

Joined Board in 2020
Ashley Reid is a noteworthy finance and operations leader currently living and working in Atlanta. Her areas of focus are developing financial systems and strategy, operational effectiveness, organizational culture and project management. Recently, she accepted a new role as Financial Steward with The Ready, a leading international organizational design and work transformation consulting firm. She has previously worked with Bank of America, Atlanta Ballet, Wholesome Wave Georgia, Public Broadcasting Atlanta and The Recycling Partnership.

In addition to these roles, Ashley has consulted with start-up nonprofits to help develop their fiscal and operational strategies. Infused with drive, passion and commitment, Ashley strives to create equitable communities, challenge the status quo and empower the under-dogs of the world.

David Yankey
Board Secretary

Joined Board in 2019
David Yankey serves as an Associate for InLight Real Estate Partners, LLC. InLight Real Estate Partners is an industrial development firm based in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. David works to support all aspects of the acquisition process of development opportunities along with acquisitions and dispositions of stabilized assets throughout the Atlanta market and the Southeast.

Prior to joining the firm, David served as Senior Director at Carter & Associates, a privately held real estate development, investment, and advisory firm based in Atlanta. In his time at Carter, David was responsible for pursuing ground up multifamily development opportunities across the Southeast. David’s responsibilities included sourcing, underwriting, and due diligence of multifamily projects representing an average investment between $45-$60+MM. Additionally, David was responsible for various asset management roles including overseeing the leasing of 1MM square feet of adaptive reuse development.

David received his undergraduate degree from Stanford University where he majored in Science, Technology, & Society. He was also a member of the football team and served as team captain. After school, David was selected in the NFL Draft and played for the Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers for four years. David lives in Atlanta with his wife, Alex.

Kristie Abney

Joined Board in 2017
Kristie Abney is a Managing Partner at Full Plate Real Estate. Kristie has more than 20 years of extensive leasing and development experience, having represented in excess of 22 million square feet in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Her solid relationships with the active Atlanta tenant rep brokers and landlord agents position the properties she represents squarely in the market deal flow. She has leased more than 40 million square feet of office space on behalf of her owner clients.

Kristie was recognized as a National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) Million-Dollar Club member from 1997 through 2010. She also was recognized as one of “40 Under 40” in 2007 by the Atlanta Business Chronicle for her career success. From 2006 to 2010, the national research firm CoStar recognized Kristie as a “Power Broker” for her volume of transactions completed in Atlanta during that year. Kristie also serves on numerous committees with Atlanta’s High Museum of Art and the Atlanta Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. She is also a member of NAIOP and the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors. Kristie received her master’s degree from Emory University and her bachelor’s degree from The Georgia Institute of Technology.

Josh Berman

Joined Board in 2020
Josh Berman serves as vice president of corporate development for Jackson Healthcare. He is also general manager of the Jackson Healthcare-backed nonprofit organization Connecting Kids With Care. Focused on expanding access to quality healthcare, it connects a network of medical professionals, who donate their time, to serve orphans and other vulnerable children around the world. Since inception, CKWC has enabled more than 2,000 children in 24 countries to receive the care they need.

An active advocate in Atlanta’s food movement, he serves as the Board Chair for Community Farmers Markets of Atlanta, where he helps the organization develop a local food infrastructure for long term sustainability and meaningful community impact.

Lawton Bloom

Joined Board in 2023
Lawton Bloom is a Senior Managing Director and Principal of Argus Management Corporation, a firm that specializes in financial advisory and interim management services. Since joining Argus in 1999, he has provided interim executive or financial advisory services to over 90 companies across a wide variety of industries including manufacturing, distribution, construction, e-commerce, media, food service, and telecom.

Lawton holds an A.B. from Princeton University and an MPA from Cornell University. He lives in Atlanta with his wife and two daughters.

Peter Dale

Joined Board in 2021
Peter Dale graduated from the University of Georgia in 1999 with an A.B.J. degree in public relations, and soon after decided to pursue an interest in cooking. His father, a New Yorker of Greek descent, and Ecuadorian mother contributed to his childhood full of travel and the opportunity to experience foods of many cultures. He began as an apprentice at Five & Ten, in his hometown Athens, Ga., and held an internship at La Broche in Madrid, Spain. In 2007, Dale and Hugh Acheson, chef of Five & Ten, opened The National in downtown Athens, Ga. Dale was also active in the 2010 opening of Empire State South, Hugh Acheson’s Southern farm-to-table restaurant in Atlanta.

In 2014, Dale opened Seabear Oyster Bar with The National’s former sous chef, Patrick Stubbers. Later in 2014, Dale opened Condor Chocolates with his brother, Nick Dale. Dale’s most recent project, Maepole, opened in 2018 and is named for his grandmother Mae. The aim of Maepole is to serve healthy and fresh food in a convenient and accessible format for busy people. In 2021, Dale opened a second Maepole location, in the Summerhill neighborhood of Atlanta, and a second Condor Chocolates location in Downtown Athens featuring expanded production areas and a coffee roaster.

Mallory deGolian

Joined Board in 2021
Mallory is an Atlanta native and graduate of the Westminster Schools. She began event planning in high school by volunteering with the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games prior to the 1996 Olympics. She attended the University of Texas then worked as an economist and corporate strategist in the energy industry in Texas and Mexico for eight years. After taking a few cooking classes for fun, she changed directions and decided to make a career in the culinary industry.

From 2008 to 2012, Mallory worked for The Cooks Warehouse and Culinary Works, honing her culinary skills and learning to be a food stylist and to manage culinary events. She became a freelance Food Stylist and Culinary Producer in 2013 and has since styled over 100 movies, TV shows, and commercials as well as commercial print work.

Mallory has been the Culinary Producer of several large fundraisers centered around professional sporting events such as: Taste of the NFL, Taste of the Master Chefs, Taste of the Championship, and Taste of the Tournament.

Yvonne Druyeh Dodd

Joined Board in 2015
Yvonne is passionate about helping people and organizations get clear on their mission and what they uniquely bring to the table, to create a presence and brand that attracts exactly the clients and opportunities they seek. With a background in psychology, sales, and nonprofit management, Yvonne has over 10 years of experience in marketing/communications, fundraising and development, and image and branding. Yvonne was recently recognized as a nominee for the “Under 30 For the Vision” Award. She left her 9-to-5 to start a coaching and consulting business because she believes the world would be a much better place if everyone was empowered to create a life, career and business they loved. Yvonne is a proud Atlanta resident who is passionate about eliminating barriers to economic and educational access for people in her community. She enjoys meeting inspiring people, great music, graphic design, and food that makes you close your eyes it’s so good.

Kelly Hawkins

Joined Board in 2024
Kelly is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in technology, spanning engineering, leadership, and entrepreneurship. He now serves as the Director of Sales and Brand Development for La Fête Wine Company, where his contributions have propelled it to become one of the fastest-growing luxury import wine labels.

Kelly specializes in distribution, partnership management, consumer insights, and marketing, while actively supporting philanthropic initiatives and the Georgia culinary scene. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, cycling, and restoring his 1977 Ford Bronco, combining his passions for history, the arts, and culinary exploration.

Tony Riffel

Joined Board in 2020
Tony Riffel is an entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Octane Coffee Company, Elevator Factory co-working space, and Pancake Social restaurant, all based in Atlanta. He has a passion for building community and culture by creating spaces for people to gather around the social aspect of beverages, food, and an atmosphere that fuels creativity. As its CEO, Tony helped grow Octane Coffee Company to a regional coffee roaster and retailer with 6 locations and 2 production facilities in Atlanta, GA and Birmingham, AL, and facilitated its sale in 2017. For more than a decade, Octane has been a pioneer and innovator in helping to build the coffee culture in the southeast and has fostered the development of some of the best baristas in the country. Octane has competed nationally and internationally in industry coffee competitions. Elevator Factory co-working space is a creative-focused work space based in Grant Park, Atlanta and Pancake Social restaurant is now open at Ponce City Market in Atlanta.

Outside of the food industry and community initiatives, Tony and his wife Diane enjoy all things travel and food with their two daughters Simone and Sylvie.

Tommy Thomas, MD

Joined Board in 2022
Assistant Professor of Neurology & Neurosurgery Emory University School of Medicine

Ben Tompkins

Joined Board in 2019
Ben Tompkins is the Vice President for Operations for MWT Windows, a second-generation family-owned business serving the home exterior market in metro Atlanta. Prior to joining MWT Windows, Ben was with Emory University for eighteen years where he led various operational and fundraising units for the university. His most recent position was Senior Associate Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Advancement and Alumni Engagement. His chief responsibility in addition to managing the operational units of the development division was working with Emory leadership to launch Emory 2036, the university’s $4.5 billion comprehensive fundraising campaign.

After graduating from The University of Georgia, Ben worked as assistant controller for Equifax, then transitioned to non-profit administration as Deputy Director for Project Open Hand. Before joining Emory in 2003, Ben launched his higher education career with Agnes Scott College during their Bold Aspirations Campaign. Ben has long been involved with food and nutrition-related organizations and has served on the boards of Slow Food Atlanta, The Farmer Fund, and the AIDS Nutrition Service Alliance.

Chris Willett

Joined Board in 2019
Chris Willett is an Executive Vice President/Investments with Janney Montgomery Scott in Atlanta, GA. With over thirty-five years of experience in investing and financial planning, Chris is a member of both the American Stock Exchange Club and the International Society of Retirement Planners. He is listed in Who’s Who in Finance & Industry and is a member of the Janney Advisory Council Board of Directors.

He is currently on the Washington & Lee University Alumni Council. He is a past President of the Northside Kiwanis Club, past Board Chair of the Atlanta Contemporary Arts Council, as well as a past Board Chairs of the Covenant Community and the Support to Employment Project. He is also very active with the Atlanta High Museum of Art. Chris is married with two grown children.

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