Atlanta Beltline Welcomes Four New Members to Board of Directors Atlanta Beltline Welcomes Four New Members to Board of Directors

Atlanta Beltline, Inc. has added new leadership to its Board of Directors from the Atlanta Board of Education, Atlanta City Council, and the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. The four newly appointed board members include Fulton County Vice Chair Khadijah Abdur-Rahman; retired First Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta André Anderson; Atlanta Board of Education Vice Chair Jennifer McDonald; and Atlanta City Council Community Development/Human Services Committee Chair Matt Westmoreland.

The leaders bring experience in public policy, economic strategy and organizational leadership as the Atlanta Beltline continues to build the network of parks, trails, transit and affordable housing along the 22-mile loop connecting more than 45 neighborhoods to economic opportunity and greenspace.

"The Atlanta Beltline is a transformational infrastructure project that relies on broad input and thoughtful oversight," said Clyde Higgs, President and CEO of Atlanta Beltline, Inc. "These new board members are tireless advocates for their communities,  bringing a range of experiences and perspectives that strengthen the board’s work, ensuring the Beltline continues to serve communities across the city and advance opportunities for all Atlantans."

The Atlanta Beltline Board of Directors provides strategic oversight and guidance as the organization works toward completing the full 22-mile loop and delivering trails, parks, affordable housing and economic development initiatives that benefit communities across Atlanta.

The new board members include: 

Khadijah Abdur-Rahman, Vice Chair of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners and District 6 Commissioner, brings a diverse background as a business owner, community organizer and human rights advocate. Known for her leadership on public safety, criminal justice reform, and economic development, she has advanced bipartisan initiatives, including the creation of a pre-arrest diversion center and legislation supporting county employees and voter rights. Her collaborative work with state leaders to address human trafficking, along with recognition such as the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award, underscores her impact at the local and national levels.

André Anderson, recently retired first vice president and chief operating officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, contributes more than 40 years of experience across the Federal Reserve System. He led operations for the Atlanta district, overseeing a budget of more than $530 million, and held senior leadership roles spanning payments operations, banking supervision and strategic planning. He also served as the Federal Reserve System’s retail payments product director and contributed to the development of key national payment infrastructure, including the FedNow instant payments service. He also serves on the board of the Atlanta Beltline Partnership.

Jennifer McDonald, Vice Chair and Board Member for Atlanta Board of Education District 4, is in her second term on the Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education representing District 4. She most recently served as Vice Chair and currently serves at Chair of the Accountability Commission. She is an attorney, a Global Director of Law Firm Partnerships at Google, an Executive Leadership Coach, a Professional Life Coach and a TEDx speaker.  She has more than two decades of experience across Atlanta’s business and nonprofit communities. She is also a longtime APS advocate and community leader who has held numerous leadership roles within multiple school organizations while an APS parent. Her sustained involvement and commitment to student success inform her collaborative approach to governance and focus on preparing students to be life-ready upon graduation.

Matt Westmoreland, Post 2 At-Large member of the Atlanta City Council, returns to Atlanta Beltline, Inc. Board after serving from January 2020-December 2021. He was elected to the City Council in 2017 and focuses on advancing economic mobility, affordable housing, and infrastructure investment. He has supported key initiatives, including establishing dedicated funding for the Atlanta Beltline, creating the city's affordable housing trust fund, and advancing two separate $100 million housing bonds to expand affordable housing citywide. Previously, he served on the Atlanta Board of Education, where he chaired the Budget Commission, bringing a strong foundation in public service and fiscal leadership.

The Beltline also recognizes former Atlanta Beltline Partnership Board Chair Kathy Farrell, former Fulton County Commissioner Mo Ivory, Atlanta Board of Education member Erika Mitchell, and Councilmember Jason Winston, who are departing the Board of Directors after years of service supporting the organization’s mission.

“We thank Kathy, Mo, Erika, and Jason for their leadership and dedication to the Atlanta Beltline,” Higgs said. “As we mark two decades of progress, their contributions have helped deliver nearly 15 miles of mainline trail and advance us toward our affordable housing goal. Their leadership helped guide the project during an important period of acceleration.”

To learn about upcoming Board of Directors meetings, please visit beltline.org/atlanta-beltline-board-of-directors. Media assets can be found here.