Our volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and have all sorts of different interests, but they also have one thing in common: they are selfless. Tom Gordon is one of those volunteers.
A self-proclaimed software geek, Tom has worked as a microbiologist, an economist, a statistician, a software engineer, and an officer in the Navy. Tom brought his varied life experiences to Atlanta, and decided to get involved with the Atlanta BeltLine because of its potential to spur economic growth in the city.
“After traveling and living in a number of places, I came to the conclusion that somewhat denser housing, local recreation, and convenient commercial/employment access lend themselves to a lifestyle that is healthier, with less stress. Along with that, the strain on the environment, and demand on dispersed services is reduced, cutting the economic strain in supporting necessary community services.”
Tom is one of our original Speaker’s Bureau members, and has a wealth of knowledge about the project. He puts that knowledge to work in our Atlanta BeltLine 101 presentations, educating people about the project and explaining its impact on the city from an environmental and economic perspective.
“There are a number of cities, both in the U.S. and overseas, that expanded way beyond the limits of their infrastructure, ultimately choking their economies. These cities are dying. The Atlanta BeltLine creates a core of stability that should help counter that trend. Healthy, accessible communities attract future business and economic growth.”
Tom also helps out at our festival booths, at special events, and a variety of other projects. He, like so many of our volunteers, is involved not for his own benefit, but for that of future generations. His belief in a thriving Atlanta drives his efforts. The work of volunteers like Tom has a real impact on the economic and environmental health of the region. Thank you, Tom, for all you do!
See how you can get involved with the Speakers’ Bureau and other volunteer opportunities with the Atlanta BeltLine at volunteer.beltline.org.
