Atlanta Ballet announced today the addition of five distinguished individuals to its Board of Trustees. These new board members bring a wealth of experience and expertise from diverse fields, reflecting Atlanta Ballet’s commitment to broadening its leadership base and enriching its governance.

“On behalf of Atlanta Ballet, I am thrilled to welcome these distinguished new members to our board,” said Nancy Field, chair of Atlanta Ballet’s Board of Trustees. “Their diverse backgrounds and wealth of experience will be instrumental as we strive to broaden our reach and relevance locally and nationally, and continue to advance our mission of inspiring audiences, empowering students, and impacting the community through the transformative power of dance.” 

Here are the new board members: 

• Caroline Gottschalk is Of Counsel at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, where she has dedicated over 32 years to advising clients on mergers, acquisitions and corporate governance. She has a broad industry background, including work with public and private companies, private equity funds and investment banks. Gottschalk also holds significant roles on various non-profit boards, including Duke Law School and Dartmouth College Alumni Council.

• Cristel Williams is the Vice President and Director of Client and Community Relations at PNC Bank, leading efforts in brand building, business development and community engagement. Her previous experience includes serving as Chief Development Officer at the Westside Future Fund, where she helped raise over $40 million for affordable housing and education. Williams holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Howard University and is active on the board of Amana Academy Charter Schools.

• Lovely Dhillon is the CEO of Jodevi Consulting, where she partners with philanthropies, non-profits and businesses to drive positive social change. Her extensive background includes roles at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and ORS Impact, focusing on advocacy evaluation and strategic planning. Dhillon holds a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School and has co-authored notable publications on evaluation and change strategies.

• Kristy Rachal currently serves as Region External Affairs Project Manager at Georgia Power, overseeing strategic initiatives and community projects. Her career includes significant roles in economic development, land sales and legal affairs with Georgia Power. Rachal graduated from Spelman College and the University of Georgia and has been actively involved with various professional and civic organizations, including serving as Board Chair of Park Pride.

• Scott Wagner is an Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Partner at Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP, providing counsel on retirement plans, executive compensation and related matters. He relocated to Atlanta in 2012 from Washington, DC, where he worked for the federal government. Wagner has a background in music and is currently involved with WEB Atlanta and SBEN.