The Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative (AWBI) today announced an addition of five new board members to join their board in 2022. 

The Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative (AWBI) is a data-centered nonprofit dedicated to closing the racial wealth gap. AWBI uniquely leverages national and international best practices, bold ideas, thought leadership, movement building and strategic capital to create shared prosperity for Black people in Atlanta. We dismantle the systemic barriers and reimagine new pathways to generating economic equity through community wealth building strategies.

The board members will begin their commitment to AWBI in January 2022. The five new board members are: 

• Joli Cooper, Executive Director, Greenlight Fund. Joli brings deep strategic leadership, sophisticated financial acumen, and considerable thought leadership around results-oriented efforts. 

• Amy L. Russell, Founder & CEO, Four-N-One Delivery, Inc. Serial Entrepreneur with extensive experience in Business Development, Business Strategy, and Consulting.

• Amy Lancaster – King, SVP, Executive Director, WorkSource Atlanta, at Invest Atlanta. Amy has been deeply engaged in race explicit economic inclusion efforts. She is prepared to ask difficult questions and promotes transparent accountability. She also has deep expertise in policy design, advocacy, and adoption, successfully leading several forward-thinking workforce policy efforts in Georgia.

• Ray Pennie, Chief of Business Advisory Services at Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs, Inc. (ACE).  

• Anne Kaiser, Senior Advisor and Independent Consultant. Ann Kaiser is a seasoned corporate leader committed to community and economic development, she is energized to join the conversation and she is eager to learn. 

Executive Director, Latresa McLawhorn Ryan, stated “We are elated to have such a wonderful group of new board members join us as we continue to lead the charge through data-centered strategies to confront and erase the broad structures and root causes that deny Black people the ability to create and enjoy community wealth equitably.” 

In addition to the five board members, Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative also welcomes a new board chair, Dr. Janelle Williams, Senior Advisor, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and AWBI co-founder. Dr. Williams noted, “As we continue to navigate unprecedented times, we are excited to stand in the gap, to roll up our sleeves with mission critical partners and community to close our city’s racial wealth gap. The time is now. Our moment is here! The opportunity is boundless!”