{"createdAt":"2026-01-16T17:08:17.081Z","updatedAt":"2026-04-09T13:16:09.926Z","title":"Business - Her+Story","primarySection":"/business","primarySectionNotApplicable":false,"layout":[{"blockType":"app-content","PackageTitle":"","hidePackageTitle":false,"displayconfig":"MainArticleCardType1","ListMenuHierarchy":"","MostReadFeed":"https://experiences.mrf.io/recommenderexperience/render.json?id=AP_SzwZiHjXTpKC0Vu4fbYZkQ&canonical_url=https://www.ajc.com","MostReadNumber":5,"populateBy":"collection-content-api","mustIncludeThumbnail":false,"collectionId":"GX5JLHZLTZGL3GTJFHLR3JKOQM","onlyIncludeThisType":"","canonicalWebsites":{"ajc":true,"uatl":false,"dawgnation":false,"access-atlanta":false},"daysBack":30,"size":1,"from":0,"mustIncludeAllTags":"no","content":[{"canonical_url":"/herstory/2026/06/this-exec-worked-her-way-up-to-truists-top-job-in-georgia-heres-how/","canonical_website":"ajc","content_elements":[{"_id":"IJSKAYB7WRHTJBIDJIKEVA3DWM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Katie Saez didn’t know what she wanted to do when she graduated college with a business degree. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"WAVJE2NPJBEMHNFBVZBMMFCXYI","additional_properties":{},"content":"But the University of Florida alumna<b> </b>got a spot in the SunTrust commercial banking <a href=\"https://careers.truist.com/us/en/urstudent\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://careers.truist.com/us/en/urstudent\">training program</a> and found herself quickly learning the ins-and-outs of the business world.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RQAIJVV3BNCPVOUTUEWNEGEH6I","additional_properties":{},"content":"Over the next couple of decades, Saez advanced through the ranks of the bank and played a key role in integrating systems when <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/suntrust-and-merger-here-the-name-the-new-bank/yvVX6gld66V35GBHYE0H6N/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/suntrust-and-merger-here-the-name-the-new-bank/yvVX6gld66V35GBHYE0H6N/\">SunTrust merged with BB&amp;T in 2019</a> to form Truist Bank.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FZVT74U4ORE55CRC2SFOLT6P4A","additional_properties":{},"content":"And since 2022, Saez has held Charlotte-based Truist’s top job in the Peach State<b> </b>as Georgia regional president, with a corner office inside the <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/opinion-lets-seize-this-moment-its-time-to-reimagine-downtown-atlanta/PYDXDUKLMZGQRITQ3MTPVGGFJI/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/opinion-lets-seize-this-moment-its-time-to-reimagine-downtown-atlanta/PYDXDUKLMZGQRITQ3MTPVGGFJI/\">Truist Plaza skyscraper in downtown Atlanta</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P5WLTTMOHL6KA4MGRXUV5YTUCQ","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/P5WLTTMOHL6KA4MGRXUV5YTUCQ.JPG?auth=c20a4934d69e91c4b336718ebcb0e949d8aa96d78c4e6901ec18c19ab743aca6","galleries":[{"headlines":{"basic":"What are Atlanta's 10 tallest buildings?"},"_id":"CNCFTXB2HNBVXJCLGW5MLOKZOA"}],"iptc_job_identifier":"616478f88d476401d0e12602","iptc_title":"Photographer","keywords":["AJC Freelancer"],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"s3://ajc-arc-photo-integration/Freelancer/AAJC 101521 SUNTRUST TRUIST_AP9.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/P5WLTTMOHL6KA4MGRXUV5YTUCQ.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/P5WLTTMOHL6KA4MGRXUV5YTUCQ.JPG?auth=c20a4934d69e91c4b336718ebcb0e949d8aa96d78c4e6901ec18c19ab743aca6","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/P5WLTTMOHL6KA4MGRXUV5YTUCQ.JPG?auth=c20a4934d69e91c4b336718ebcb0e949d8aa96d78c4e6901ec18c19ab743aca6","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2021-10-11T19:21:17Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/P5WLTTMOHL6KA4MGRXUV5YTUCQ.JPG?auth=c20a4934d69e91c4b336718ebcb0e949d8aa96d78c4e6901ec18c19ab743aca6&width=300","version":3,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{"locality":"Atlanta","region":"Gerogia"},"auth":{"1":"c20a4934d69e91c4b336718ebcb0e949d8aa96d78c4e6901ec18c19ab743aca6"},"caption":"Truist Plaza, located at 303 Peachtree Street, in downtown Atlanta, Monday, October 11, 2021.  (Alyssa Pointer/AJC) ","created_date":"2021-10-12T13:03:35Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"Alyssa Pointer","type":"author"}],"by":[{"name":"Alyssa Pointer/ Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"category":"wires","mode":"custom","name":"AJC Freelancer"},"geo":{},"height":3648,"image_type":"photograph","last_updated_date":"2021-11-04T20:28:23Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc","sponsored":false},"slug":"AAJC 101521 SUNTRUST TRUIST","source":{"name":"AJC Freelancer","source_id":"s3://ajc-arc-photo-integration/Freelancer/AAJC 101521 SUNTRUST TRUIST_AP9.JPG","source_type":"wires","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/P5WLTTMOHL6KA4MGRXUV5YTUCQ","system":"AJC Freelancer"},"subtitle":"SUNTRUST TRUIST","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":["616478f88d476401d0e12602"],"seo_keywords":["AJC Freelancer"]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/P5WLTTMOHL6KA4MGRXUV5YTUCQ.JPG?auth=c20a4934d69e91c4b336718ebcb0e949d8aa96d78c4e6901ec18c19ab743aca6","version":"0.10.9","width":5472,"subtype":"Wires"},{"_id":"2MBXX46DEBFTPJQOSHIKWOBOTM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Though the bank’s corporate headquarters are now in North Carolina, Truist <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/truist-shrinks-its-presence-in-atlanta/ZRXFT375NBEJPNB6AUX7DZHJ24/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/truist-shrinks-its-presence-in-atlanta/ZRXFT375NBEJPNB6AUX7DZHJ24/\">still has thousands of employees</a> in Georgia with about 205 branches. Atlanta continues to play a critical role for the bank with two Atlanta corporate offices — one at Truist Plaza with commercial banking, wealth management and some corporate departments including finance, marketing and technology; and one for <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/business/truist-to-move-securities-division-to-braves-battery-in-cobb/YENSPJAR7NGPPM4WKODRIEDSH4/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/business/truist-to-move-securities-division-to-braves-battery-in-cobb/YENSPJAR7NGPPM4WKODRIEDSH4/\">Truist Securities at Five Ballpark Center near Truist Park</a>, with investment banking and corporate banking teams.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LVREC5JF5ZCSNMFBFYNHX3O2ZQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"In her role, Saez leads Truist’s commercial banking teams in Georgia and Alabama, and also represents the bank on boards such as the Metro Atlanta Chamber and Junior Achievement of Georgia.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YOMS36AJR5DSPKJKC3AOFZSADU","additional_properties":{},"content":"But another key area she is focused on is <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/2026/05/ai-job-losses-are-increasing-are-training-programs-the-answer/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/2026/05/ai-job-losses-are-increasing-are-training-programs-the-answer/\">the impact of artificial intelligence</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZUYDMUCZRZB6RDLYLCZPJ23I4Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"“It’s this <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/video/news/2025/09/ai-is-going-to-do-more-than-disrupt-jobs-heres-how-you-can-prepare/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/video/news/2025/09/ai-is-going-to-do-more-than-disrupt-jobs-heres-how-you-can-prepare/\">intersection of people and AI</a>,” Saez said. “It is fundamentally changing how we deliver advice, ideas and solutions to the market.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"67WHG7EUGRDZHNDJWKGEZDZM3M","additional_properties":{},"content":"She said AI can be used to enhance that work, and she’s “also trying to invest in myself” as an AI-driven leader.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JK7ZPJV6W5GV3M3ZKGVAIYVUJI","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"AI is affecting metro Atlanta’s workforce, from white collar to hands-on jobs","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/news/2026/01/ai-is-affecting-metro-atlantas-workforce-from-white-collar-to-hands-on-jobs/"},{"_id":"G6RQDR75KJHG7AVUJUXI6RKKJQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I use (AI) all day long, personally and professionally,” she said, giving it prompts such as inputting a client plan and asking for advice on how to effectively give a client guidance based on the plan. “It helps me frame up how I’m going to deliver that advice for this meeting,” she said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3HIOYCBDO5EINA74IK6L5QPWKU","additional_properties":{},"content":"When she asks for examples of what to discuss at an upcoming meeting with a particular client, Microsoft Copilot goes through her email inbox and knows the last time she met with the client and “brings me real ideas,” she said. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"DCM4RMSWD5EEDA4MSF3LAJXDVA","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/DCM4RMSWD5EEDA4MSF3LAJXDVA.JPG?auth=46d835d39c720d742416616ada270eccf364fdca8b932be6b2dd21377ec2706a","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"6a100214062c0306ce1d3c09","iptc_source":"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"aajc 061026 truist at 0010.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/DCM4RMSWD5EEDA4MSF3LAJXDVA.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/DCM4RMSWD5EEDA4MSF3LAJXDVA.JPG?auth=46d835d39c720d742416616ada270eccf364fdca8b932be6b2dd21377ec2706a","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/DCM4RMSWD5EEDA4MSF3LAJXDVA.JPG?auth=46d835d39c720d742416616ada270eccf364fdca8b932be6b2dd21377ec2706a","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-06-10T18:48:18Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/DCM4RMSWD5EEDA4MSF3LAJXDVA.JPG?auth=46d835d39c720d742416616ada270eccf364fdca8b932be6b2dd21377ec2706a&width=300","version":1,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"46d835d39c720d742416616ada270eccf364fdca8b932be6b2dd21377ec2706a"},"caption":"Katie Saez, regional president at Truist, at the Truist Plaza Garden Offices Atrium in Atlanta on June 10, 2026. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)","copyright":"Copyright 2026 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","created_date":"2026-06-10T18:35:55Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"Arvin Temkar/AJC","type":"author"}],"by":[{"name":"Arvin Temkar","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"46cae676-4989-4b34-bc9b-906e8e9b6d59"},"height":2000,"last_updated_date":"2026-06-10T18:35:55Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc"},"slug":"aajc 061026 truist","source":{"name":"AJC Freelancer","source_id":"Freelancer/aajc 061026 truist at 0010.JPG","source_type":"freelance","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/DCM4RMSWD5EEDA4MSF3LAJXDVA","system":"AJC Freelancer"},"subtitle":"Truist exec Katie Saez Her+Story\r\r","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":["6a100214062c0306ce1d3c09"]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/DCM4RMSWD5EEDA4MSF3LAJXDVA.JPG?auth=46d835d39c720d742416616ada270eccf364fdca8b932be6b2dd21377ec2706a","version":"0.10.9","width":3000},{"_id":"TQPLFVLU3FHYRETHTDNXJYW5YU","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Before I meet with a candidate I’m interviewing, I will say, you know: Tell me everything that’s publicly available on this person,” Saez said. Right now, “I am using AI as an assistant. … What I’m challenging myself to do is use AI in an agentic way to help proactively push things to me without me prompting.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"CTXSM3MYEVHOTPCGXRMHREPEXE","additional_properties":{},"content":"She said she also has the advantage of years of experience that have given her “the judgment that I can apply on top of what AI has given me.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NCA2WL7APREIBJ65KYP2OMSF2I","additional_properties":{},"content":"And, she said, “Every industry is still very people-based, and it’s about relationships and connecting people.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2PS5GHOOLJG25KJ5IK3KYKLZ4Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"So, “How do you just protect that human personal element in the workplace?” Saez said. That’s “really important to me.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"JFZECMRNOBDGLKZAJBVLIILC44","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"More from AJC Her+Story","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/"},{"_id":"KK5H5PEZTBEEPCTEOVO3EDU6QQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution sat down with Saez, who shared her morning routine, her favorite place for a business lunch and a mistake she learned from when joining a new team.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IDDG7WJAVBHK5OEC2H3YBVYINU","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>Edited for length and clarity.</i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"77U5VWUEF5HKFOWMJX5AND37HQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>What is your morning routine?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZMW4LDXZ3REWRIXQX4RKS3JG2A","additional_properties":{},"content":"I’m an early riser. I usually get up at 4:15. I have a running group that I have run with for over 10 years now. I either meet them at 5 or 5:15 and we go running in the morning, or about two days a week I’ll do an Orangetheory class. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"YKVNQ2IQIRFEVERXXWGKITRYKE","additional_properties":{},"content":"So I get up, try to get some exercise in, try to get some girl time in. I get home, do a load of laundry, make a cup of coffee, get ready. I usually listen to a news podcast (The Daily) in the morning when I’m getting ready. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"VXIAN2BBVRCQJFIE7OPYBUBWQ4","additional_properties":{},"content":"And then, I’m in the office or out on the road meeting with clients.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VG4S4PRCXFEPZDWNKLWNM4XABY","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/VG4S4PRCXFEPZDWNKLWNM4XABY.JPG?auth=3c9f8e570d300d369d188fc04e5f30480e9b6cb6441d70aeb254bd7044d0e268","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"6a100214062c0306ce1d3c09","iptc_source":"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"aajc 061026 truist at 0009.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/VG4S4PRCXFEPZDWNKLWNM4XABY.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/VG4S4PRCXFEPZDWNKLWNM4XABY.JPG?auth=3c9f8e570d300d369d188fc04e5f30480e9b6cb6441d70aeb254bd7044d0e268","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/VG4S4PRCXFEPZDWNKLWNM4XABY.JPG?auth=3c9f8e570d300d369d188fc04e5f30480e9b6cb6441d70aeb254bd7044d0e268","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-06-10T18:49:05Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/VG4S4PRCXFEPZDWNKLWNM4XABY.JPG?auth=3c9f8e570d300d369d188fc04e5f30480e9b6cb6441d70aeb254bd7044d0e268&width=300","version":1,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"3c9f8e570d300d369d188fc04e5f30480e9b6cb6441d70aeb254bd7044d0e268"},"caption":"Katie Saez, regional president at Truist, at the Truist Plaza Garden Offices Atrium in Atlanta on June 10, 2026. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)","copyright":"Copyright 2026 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","created_date":"2026-06-10T18:33:07Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"Arvin Temkar/AJC","type":"author"}],"by":[{"name":"Arvin Temkar","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"46cae676-4989-4b34-bc9b-906e8e9b6d59"},"height":2000,"last_updated_date":"2026-06-10T18:33:08Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc"},"slug":"aajc 061026 truist","source":{"name":"AJC Freelancer","source_id":"Freelancer/aajc 061026 truist at 0009.JPG","source_type":"freelance","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/VG4S4PRCXFEPZDWNKLWNM4XABY","system":"AJC Freelancer"},"subtitle":"Truist exec Katie Saez Her+Story\r\r","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":["6a100214062c0306ce1d3c09"]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/VG4S4PRCXFEPZDWNKLWNM4XABY.JPG?auth=3c9f8e570d300d369d188fc04e5f30480e9b6cb6441d70aeb254bd7044d0e268","version":"0.10.9","width":3000},{"_id":"222CTCT6KFCF3DGZNBT3CMITNA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>What was your career goal when you were in college?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZRPRXQYDINCRXPONKHR674MVXM","additional_properties":{},"content":"I went into school pre-med. And organic chemistry got me good, and I had a crisis moment. My dad came to school and marched me into the registrar’s office, and was like: You shall be a business major. That’s how I ended up in business.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZAJA2UQEDREO5EUMFMU5LKWRWI","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Do you meet young people who want to follow in a career path similar to yours, and what advice do you give them?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"LKBS2DQOQFF4BLI5FK2IXNDUTU","additional_properties":{},"content":"I share the things that I think are really important for how they should show up and how they shouldn’t. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"WDJIJHBWSBDIXGREVEHHBMVVLI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Always be the most prepared person in the room, even if you’re the most junior person in that room. You need to walk in knowing something that you’re going to contribute.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6WLCWI4FJFHR3CTI64ENE3VVDA","additional_properties":{},"content":"When I went through the training program, we went through business etiquette training. We had diagrams of what you wore and did not wear. It’s different today.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5Y7DXXOAZNFBVLJRPWHRFBEXZ4","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>What’s one mistake you’ve made that transformed how you approached your career?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"RXREJU4XWZAMVJ74OZDCIIGZAI","additional_properties":{},"content":"A big mistake that I made was joining a new team as the leader of the team, thinking that what made me successful or effective in my prior role would translate to that team. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"AGEMIW7VM5H4VKBK324KMCDUDI","additional_properties":{},"content":"So I came in with a set of routines, a style, an approach that was so based upon my prior experience, without taking the time to really understand the unique nuances and needs and culture and specialness of that team. And I lost a lot of trust, and I had to rebuild that.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3CEE4HZ52JAL5KYCQR6HW5FM4Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Where’s your favorite restaurant for a business lunch?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"JUDPJZJO4FBCBCW3BUSGCROWFY","additional_properties":{},"content":"I’ll tell you, the most unique way that you can have a business lunch is to go to one of the day games at the Atlanta Braves’ Truist Park. But there’s only four weekday day games this season.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SN7EEEA6QBEKPL7H7KLPZ6LXLU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Some people call them the gentleman’s special, or the workday special. It’s the best way to take in lunch with clients or colleagues. They’re always so fun.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3GCXWP2KW5G4RCGM3HTIMUW76M","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"XIQXNAOX6JAGTJK2IUOEEJQRO4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Never eat lunch at your desk by yourself. It’s all about relationships that you build, and you don’t build relationships with a salad box. So every day, make an effort to get out from your cubicle or your office, get away from your desk, and go — even if you bring in your lunch, go enjoy it with a friend, a colleague, someone you’ve never met with before.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W7HIJEUJYNATDGF36PHAOM4C5A","type":"divider"},{"_id":"N2GBILORARHPDGDLUANB7YYK5U","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>AJC Her+Story is a series in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlighting women founders, creators, executives and professionals. It is about building a community. Know someone the AJC should feature in AJC Her+Story? Email us at </i><a href=\"mailto:herstory@ajc.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>herstory@ajc.com</i></a><i> with your suggestions. Check out more of our AJC Her+Story coverage at </i><a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>ajc.com/herstory</i></a><i>.</i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"kelly-yamanouchi","type":"author","version":"0.5.8","name":"Kelly Yamanouchi","image":{"url":"https://author-service-images-prod-us-east-1.publishing.aws.arc.pub/ajc/5f92eb8c-65ec-4d6b-905f-1943f365f66f.png","version":"0.5.8"},"description":"As Deputy Editor for business, Kelly Yamanouchi edits and writes business stories. ","url":"https://www.ajc.com/staff/kelly-yamanouchi/","social_links":[{"site":"email","url":"kelly.yamanouchi@ajc.com"},{"site":"facebook","url":"https://www.facebook.com/atlantaairportnewsnow/"},{"site":"twitter","url":"https://twitter.com/atlairportnews"}],"socialLinks":[{"site":"email","url":"kelly.yamanouchi@ajc.com","deprecated":true,"deprecation_msg":"Please use social_links."},{"site":"facebook","url":"https://www.facebook.com/atlantaairportnewsnow/","deprecated":true,"deprecation_msg":"Please use social_links."},{"site":"twitter","url":"https://twitter.com/atlairportnews","deprecated":true,"deprecation_msg":"Please use social_links."}],"additional_properties":{"original":{"_id":"kelly-yamanouchi","byline":"Kelly Yamanouchi","org":"ajc","email":"kelly.yamanouchi@ajc.com","affiliations":"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","role":"Business reporter","status":true,"bio":"As Deputy Editor for business, Kelly Yamanouchi edits and writes business stories. ","firstName":"Kelly","lastName":"Yamanouchi","longBio":"As Deputy Editor for business, Kelly Yamanouchi edits and write business stories. She started at the AJC in 2008, joining the paper from the Denver Post. 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","type":"text"},{"_id":"MRGDFL6LUBCKZKCEYD75VS4Z7I","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I learned very early that doing things alone was a recipe for disaster. I worked multiple jobs <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2025/11/students-can-get-real-world-experience-without-skipping-college/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2025/11/students-can-get-real-world-experience-without-skipping-college/\">while going to college</a> and I wouldn’t have been able to do that without a community supporting my daughter and I,” Madison said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y3OONCOFE5BTPL6WYJKSXSE7IA","additional_properties":{},"content":"The guidance she received led Madison to <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/clayton-state-graduates-celebrate-their-resilience/XOZF6SUGUBEUJHKJYVNBLVSVBE/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/clayton-state-graduates-celebrate-their-resilience/XOZF6SUGUBEUJHKJYVNBLVSVBE/\">Clayton State University</a> and back to the classroom where she started her career as a middle school science teacher.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AC62VBJOZBFQHF2NIE53TKED74","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I got into the classroom, and I realized so many students are not able to learn because of the social and emotional things that they deal with and the inequities that are in education,” Madison said. “I felt my heart tugging. 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This year’s Girls Link Up camp ran June 1-26.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YIWNZEPXLBEFPPDKV5YO63Q4RY","additional_properties":{},"content":"3D Girls’ summer camps offer other classes as well, such as an African dance class and a self-advocacy class.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FRBTPRXPQZGNLO4IGMTDW5B7WQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"“(That class) helps them to advocate for themselves because a lot of girls, if they’re pursuing an area in STEM, they’re likely to be the only girl or the only girl of color,” she said. “What’s very important to us is that no matter what space they’re in, they’re comfortable doing those things.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z7EJRXIM4REXLAYZ5BBTSBXTOI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Madison, 37,<b> </b>teaches her mentees that they don’t have to be engineers to work in STEM, they could work with a team or work in project management. Beyond mentorship and career preparation, Madison developed a two-generational approach serving both the girls and their families.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BTSUER554BBOZJDT22VFVKTB6I","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false,"storyId":""},"content":"More from AJC Her+Story","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/"},{"_id":"26LSAMXXIJDDVBBNT2T4FM4RGM","additional_properties":{},"content":"“We’re supporting basic needs like groceries and bills. What I’m doing with them is good, but if their family is not supported, there’s a greater chance they won’t be able to come back to a mentoring session because they have needs within the household that need to be fulfilled,” Madison said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OQWYM24G45F7TFFVROMVS24MJA","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/OQWYM24G45F7TFFVROMVS24MJA.jpg?auth=b3f54c919d107cd449e9815192f95d69934780297e366cb0f98a162a2ac06179","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"6a15add4062c0306ce1e2ce9","iptc_source":"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","keywords":["3d girls camps","ethos classical middle school","raioni madison-jones"],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"Raioni Madison-Jones 033_1.jpg","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/OQWYM24G45F7TFFVROMVS24MJA.jpg","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/OQWYM24G45F7TFFVROMVS24MJA.jpg?auth=b3f54c919d107cd449e9815192f95d69934780297e366cb0f98a162a2ac06179","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/OQWYM24G45F7TFFVROMVS24MJA.jpg?auth=b3f54c919d107cd449e9815192f95d69934780297e366cb0f98a162a2ac06179","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-06-01T13:39:12Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/OQWYM24G45F7TFFVROMVS24MJA.jpg?auth=b3f54c919d107cd449e9815192f95d69934780297e366cb0f98a162a2ac06179&width=300","version":2,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{"street_address":"thos Classical Middle School","locality":"Atanta","region":"GA"},"auth":{"1":"b3f54c919d107cd449e9815192f95d69934780297e366cb0f98a162a2ac06179"},"caption":"Raioni Madison interacts with a third grade group as they work during the first day of the 3D Girls summer camp at Ethos Classical Middle School on Monday, June 1, 2026. 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For her after school programs, 3D Girls partners with Clayton County Public Schools, the Kindezi Schools, Atlanta Public Schools and city of Atlanta Parks and Recreation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JCPEBNDY2ZFUDOBU2XH4O4D4KY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Madison has developed a campaign recently called 1000 Strong for 3D Girls, calling for 1,000 individuals to donate $100 to their summer camps and bridge a gap in funding. They are about 30% of the way to their goal.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CCSPBVX5VZEFNG5RUXNGLTRBYY","additional_properties":{},"content":"The nonprofit started this campaign after a $150,000 loss in funding for their summer camps. According to Madison, some of the lack of funding they are struggling with is because of reduced efforts across the United States surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"YWJHOZVHGJA2LDKA2O2TAPV6IU","additional_properties":{},"content":"“When funding is reduced or redirected at the federal level, it often results in decreased investments in local intermediaries, school-based initiatives, and workforce support programs, making it harder for nonprofit organizations like ours to sustain staffing, build momentum, and maintain consistent service delivery for communities that rely on us.” Madison said. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"XLIEXVB2BNFIZCKKT6ZFOC2GUI","additional_properties":{},"content":"This has also caused some discouragement among the girls in the program.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YBP272GCZZHDLAQS5G4OUDET54","additional_properties":{},"content":"“We also know that these girls have access to social media,” she said. “They see how their hopes and dreams are being shattered. But the reality is that they still exist, they still have goals and still have dreams.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5UZEF4TY2NDJBI6MIB2DMBPPL4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Madison has also worked to uplift the entrepreneurs of the future, hosting a 3D Girls pitch competition for the girls in her organization. There, she teaches marketing, branding, cost analysis and budgeting. Competitors can win monetary prizes to go toward developing their businesses. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"SUNNXZEOVBHCLCQHAZDZQ7LDH4","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/SUNNXZEOVBHCLCQHAZDZQ7LDH4.jpg?auth=decfa62ae12af392bc493f4ff7a2ad75882186e9fef8e188666e5721c3ef1dd3","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"6a15add4062c0306ce1e2ce9","iptc_source":"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","keywords":["3d girls camps","ethos classical middle school","raioni madison-jones"],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"Raioni Madison-Jones 026_1.jpg","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/SUNNXZEOVBHCLCQHAZDZQ7LDH4.jpg","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/SUNNXZEOVBHCLCQHAZDZQ7LDH4.jpg?auth=decfa62ae12af392bc493f4ff7a2ad75882186e9fef8e188666e5721c3ef1dd3","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/SUNNXZEOVBHCLCQHAZDZQ7LDH4.jpg?auth=decfa62ae12af392bc493f4ff7a2ad75882186e9fef8e188666e5721c3ef1dd3","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-06-01T13:08:44Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/SUNNXZEOVBHCLCQHAZDZQ7LDH4.jpg?auth=decfa62ae12af392bc493f4ff7a2ad75882186e9fef8e188666e5721c3ef1dd3&width=300","version":1},"address":{"street_address":"thos Classical Middle School","locality":"Atanta","region":"GA"},"auth":{"1":"decfa62ae12af392bc493f4ff7a2ad75882186e9fef8e188666e5721c3ef1dd3"},"caption":"Students participate in warm-up activities before classes start during an introduction activity on the first day of the 3D Girls summer camp at Ethos Classical Middle School on Monday, June 1, 2026.\r (Miguel Martinez/AJC)","copyright":"Copyright 2026 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","created_date":"2026-06-01T16:46:18Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"Miguel Martinez/AJC","type":"author"}],"by":[{"name":"Miguel Martinez","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"46cae676-4989-4b34-bc9b-906e8e9b6d59"},"height":2975,"last_updated_date":"2026-06-01T16:46:19Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc"},"slug":"aajc 060326 herstory madisonjones","source":{"name":"AJC Freelancer","source_id":"Freelancer/Raioni Madison-Jones 026_1.jpg","source_type":"freelance","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/SUNNXZEOVBHCLCQHAZDZQ7LDH4","system":"AJC Freelancer"},"subtitle":"Raioni Madison went from teacher to nonprofit leader","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":["6a15add4062c0306ce1e2ce9"]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/SUNNXZEOVBHCLCQHAZDZQ7LDH4.jpg?auth=decfa62ae12af392bc493f4ff7a2ad75882186e9fef8e188666e5721c3ef1dd3","version":"0.10.9","width":4462},{"_id":"2COKIMB4YRAHVOA3C5NR2V5KJQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Last year, we had a juice company,” Madison said. “We’ve had a bracelet business, a fashion designer, an artist. They learn how to be creative and use their ideas to bring them to life.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RFGUZ7THXVBQZKNUVH2XNAX3L4","additional_properties":{},"content":"For individuals looking to follow a similar path and start their own nonprofit, she advised that they look at what services need to be filled.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LHF5YPYJP5G5XL4GN4D3HA3XPU","additional_properties":{},"content":"“A lot of support comes from innovation. You can see who’s already doing something and do it differently. Or you can create a new solution to an old problem,” she said. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"PASBCVVUCFFYNFWJKV73XZXZYE","additional_properties":{},"content":"“It could be a geography issue, like if programming is unavailable in rural areas. Do your research, see what’s out there, and see where the impact can be felt the most.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AF7MDCCAKVFSXERAGLFFWYOCN4","type":"divider"},{"_id":"JKPVOVYH7VAVLK63YFMPMMKLDU","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>AJC Her+Story is a series in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlighting women founders, creators, executives and professionals. It is about building a community. Know someone the AJC should feature in AJC Her+Story? Email us at </i><a href=\"mailto:herstory@ajc.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>herstory@ajc.com</i></a><i> with your suggestions. Check out more of our AJC Her+Story coverage at </i><a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>ajc.com/herstory</i></a><i>.</i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"carson.bonner","type":"author","version":"0.5.8","name":"Carson Bonner","org":"Atlanta","image":{"url":"https://author-service-images-prod-us-east-1.publishing.aws.arc.pub/ajc/FYDFB6XVAVFY3NSKZ6WZRC3BCE.jpeg","version":"0.5.8"},"description":"Carson Bonner is a business reporter at the Atlanta Journal Constitution.  She is a recent communications and Spanish graduate from Berry College, where she served as the news editor, and then Editor-in-Chief for the campus newspaper for two years. 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Over the years, she expanded into hair extensions, beauty products and fashion, turning a series of side hustles into a portfolio of businesses that now includes her clothing brand <a href=\"https://www.waydamin.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoq-eFlRtNcyf-NmTVMi4CXEidwi_zSW4_2VzpSjtSemKoHcBf0m\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.waydamin.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoq-eFlRtNcyf-NmTVMi4CXEidwi_zSW4_2VzpSjtSemKoHcBf0m\">Waydamin</a>, Jayda Cheaves Beauty, a children’s clothing collection called Fidele and ownership in a personal care company, Girl Wipes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MDIMF5RJPFHRNJCCTLQUYKE6NY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Cheaves, 28, credits much of her success to knowing when to evolve. Whether it’s expanding her product offerings, embracing size inclusivity or reaching customers through social media, she says growth often requires getting comfortable with change.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QGZW3VGIAVE4DHCDTEJT22GR6Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"Cheaves, who <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/accessatl/2022/06/new-show-alert-the-impact-atl-reveals-cast-including-jayda-cheaves-ari-fletcher-and-more/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/accessatl/2022/06/new-show-alert-the-impact-atl-reveals-cast-including-jayda-cheaves-ari-fletcher-and-more/\">gained national recognition through the reality series </a>“<a href=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"\">The Impact: Atlanta</a>” and is also known to many fans through her past relationship with rapper Lil Baby, has <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/accessatl/2022/06/jayda-cheaves-debuts-acting-skills-at-bid-for-love-movie-premiere-party/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/accessatl/2022/06/jayda-cheaves-debuts-acting-skills-at-bid-for-love-movie-premiere-party/\">built a personal brand</a> that extends far beyond social media.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MIUV4JJAOZC6PLOMBRIJHO6D7Q","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"More from AJC Her+Story","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/"},{"_id":"WRP4TTMZOFHSHJ6UYV3E5ZHCOY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Much of her brand identity is based on her online presence, where she has more than 8 million followers on Instagram, 117,000 followers on TikTok and 405,000 subscribers on YouTube. Across these platforms, she posts vlogs, brand content, get-ready-with-me style videos and inspirational content. 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(Estela Muñoz/AJC)","copyright":"Copyright 2026 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","created_date":"2026-06-03T03:41:12Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"Estela Muñoz/AJC","type":"author"}],"by":[{"name":"Estela Muñoz","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"46cae676-4989-4b34-bc9b-906e8e9b6d59"},"height":5232,"last_updated_date":"2026-06-03T03:41:12Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc"},"slug":"aajc 060326 Jayde Cheaves","source":{"name":"AJC Freelancer","source_id":"Freelancer/aajc 060326 Jayda Cheaves EM 0181.jpg","source_type":"freelance","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/TRRQB3KB6FCILCLOGM4M54KBRI","system":"AJC Freelancer"},"subtitle":"aajc 060326 Jayde Cheaves","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":["6a188d32062c0306ce1f0e1d"]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/TRRQB3KB6FCILCLOGM4M54KBRI.jpg?auth=12a29788d0305b586102964573ee482a4944e3dc6f556456f2e6bcefdd7c768b","version":"0.10.9","width":7844},{"_id":"J3G6LADI3RDLPAIVPHXNQM7O2E","additional_properties":{},"content":"Cheaves will launch<b> </b>a <a href=\"https://events.shopifyny.com/waydaminpopup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://events.shopifyny.com/waydaminpopup\">pop-up</a><b> </b>June 20-21<b> </b>for Juneteenth weekend in New York City, where she will partner with Shopify selling products across all her brands to highlight her summer launch. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"DZQQV347QRF6JH3U5S253NF6YA","additional_properties":{},"content":"She sat down with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution to talk about size inclusivity, her favorite makeup product and the biggest challenge facing entrepreneurs like her.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F2ZCWTKTIVHHXJHS7FLTG5DT4E","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>Edited for length and clarity. </i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"AOW4HE73AZBDFCEGUOW3VKSSEQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Tell me about your clothing brand Waydamin</b>.<b> What motivated you to start it?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"TNLW6UJVIFCNXAG4F5YTKJYXXM","additional_properties":{},"content":"I went from selling my reused clothes on Poshmark to then starting a T-shirt line with all that money I saved. It did so well, I started my clothing line, and from there, I moved to Atlanta and started selling hair (for extensions and braids). I got pregnant with my son and I just used all that time being pregnant, having him, took a year off to come up with a plan on how am I going to reinvent all of these businesses to start this clothing line. I launched (Waydamin) for my 23<sup>rd</sup> birthday. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"CWKQPWON7RC5RETZSUYCCSSTQY","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Why was size inclusivity with your clothing brands important to you?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"3QVZ7DG3HNBYHFSKOHBGL5ZKHA","additional_properties":{},"content":"It was always important to just be all-inclusive because we all need clothes that fit, from being super petite to being plus size. I think that having a brand that caters to all is important and you don’t find it often with quality pieces.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VOMZU6CYTBEYLJCDJ6M7E3XSRI","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/VOMZU6CYTBEYLJCDJ6M7E3XSRI.jpg?auth=da88acc630a4fda48cc1c1dbaa2efaaa956b035d165e8e54a4e17d5b90501691","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"6a188d32062c0306ce1f0e1d","iptc_source":"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","keywords":["her story","jayda cheaves","photo shoot","waydamin"],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"aajc 060326 Jayda Cheaves EM 0162.jpg","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/VOMZU6CYTBEYLJCDJ6M7E3XSRI.jpg","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/VOMZU6CYTBEYLJCDJ6M7E3XSRI.jpg?auth=da88acc630a4fda48cc1c1dbaa2efaaa956b035d165e8e54a4e17d5b90501691","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/VOMZU6CYTBEYLJCDJ6M7E3XSRI.jpg?auth=da88acc630a4fda48cc1c1dbaa2efaaa956b035d165e8e54a4e17d5b90501691","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-05-30T01:47:04Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/VOMZU6CYTBEYLJCDJ6M7E3XSRI.jpg?auth=da88acc630a4fda48cc1c1dbaa2efaaa956b035d165e8e54a4e17d5b90501691&width=300","version":1,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{"locality":"Atlanta","region":"GA"},"auth":{"1":"da88acc630a4fda48cc1c1dbaa2efaaa956b035d165e8e54a4e17d5b90501691"},"caption":"Photographer Chad Lawson photographs entrepreneur and influencer Jayda Cheaves during a photo shoot for the Waydamin's new clothing line, Friday, May 29, 2026 in Atlanta. Waydamin is Cheaves’ online fashion and lifestyle brand founded in 2021. (Estela Muñoz/AJC)","copyright":"Copyright 2026 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","created_date":"2026-06-03T03:40:56Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"Estela Muñoz/AJC","type":"author"}],"by":[{"name":"Estela Muñoz","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"46cae676-4989-4b34-bc9b-906e8e9b6d59"},"height":4989,"last_updated_date":"2026-06-03T03:40:57Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc"},"slug":"aajc 060326 Jayde Cheaves","source":{"name":"AJC Freelancer","source_id":"Freelancer/aajc 060326 Jayda Cheaves EM 0162.jpg","source_type":"freelance","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/VOMZU6CYTBEYLJCDJ6M7E3XSRI","system":"AJC Freelancer"},"subtitle":"aajc 060326 Jayde Cheaves","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":["6a188d32062c0306ce1f0e1d"]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/VOMZU6CYTBEYLJCDJ6M7E3XSRI.jpg?auth=da88acc630a4fda48cc1c1dbaa2efaaa956b035d165e8e54a4e17d5b90501691","version":"0.10.9","width":7480},{"_id":"MCZYSUADUZEWFGQWBRZWMENWH4","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>How has your existing experience in the clothing industry helped you develop your kids clothing brand, Fidele?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"G3Q3LXDENRGQTFRYSTGL4FA2EI","additional_properties":{},"content":"It was super easy when it came to<b> </b>manufacturing because I had all the resources already. I love shopping for me and my son, so it was easy when it comes to making sure they fit the right way. It was mainly for just boys, and then, once I was doing the first drop, everybody was like, they were buying it for their daughters. So that’s when I started implementing girls clothing as well. I feel like I buy nice things so it’s easy for me to put that into anything I create. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6TFUSWODAFE7PPNT32LOI5RXUQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Your beauty brand originally sold hair, so what took you into makeup?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"DZSUGRAAERDP5GPOUGHQGIQSDM","additional_properties":{},"content":"I’ve always been a DIY girl so when it comes to makeup, nails, perfume, I was always into it. I didn’t have the right resources to execute it (when I was a teenager.) So, I met the right team to help me execute the vision and have quality products. They’re all made in the (U.S.), vegan, cruelty-free and FDA-approved. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"TXBSXJSHWBCMFBUVLZFPNFNSUM","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>What’s your favorite makeup product that Jayda Cheaves Beauty has?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"O4D4YDJPSVFTZONAYBGUFPJE4I","additional_properties":{},"content":"It changes all the time, but right now, probably the Lip Lube. Because I am on this medication called Accutane, and it dries you out so much, so the lip lube helps me stay moisturized. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"RN5SDOSDXFBZNMJLX7HHLJECQI","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>What can we expect with your upcoming pop-up?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"GOKLBM26K5FSBCFUUT3DMPEHUQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"I partnered with Shopify. They reached out to me, and it came right after I reached 200,000 orders for Waydamin. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"TOJVL6RSKBADLCT6ORIE2KPD4Y","additional_properties":{},"content":"I always do a really big summer drop, so the timing was perfect. We have a pop-up coming up Juneteenth weekend, and it was really important to do it that weekend because I am all for Black excellence, Black-owned businesses and Black entrepreneurship. It’s going to be “Jayda’s World,” so all of my businesses will be under that. 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It was an easy decision to jump on board.” The first project he consulted on was Purposeful Gourmet Foods, a product line to benefit MOWA. 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According to the Atlanta Community Food Bank, <a href=\"https://www.acfb.org/facts-and-stats/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.acfb.org/facts-and-stats/\">1 in 10 seniors</a> throughout the state of Georgia is food insecure, which the USDA <a href=\"https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/definitions-of-food-security\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\">defines</a> as having limited or uncertain access to adequate food.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WSQB5QBI5FD4RLECVD6A47KKJ4","additional_properties":{},"content":"“We could do 3,500 meals a day out of that kitchen (if we had) the funds, and, believe me, we have the senior population in this city who needs that food for sure,” she said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TL6Q2DDAQZGDNBWKYKL45LHCNY","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/TL6Q2DDAQZGDNBWKYKL45LHCNY.jpg?auth=2594ab69a5a2a04796689174d88509d7ec0d4ac33ae4c329db70bf9397a4ed27","galleries":[],"ingestionMethod":"manual","mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"MOWA2.jpg","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/TL6Q2DDAQZGDNBWKYKL45LHCNY.jpg","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/TL6Q2DDAQZGDNBWKYKL45LHCNY.jpg?auth=2594ab69a5a2a04796689174d88509d7ec0d4ac33ae4c329db70bf9397a4ed27","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/TL6Q2DDAQZGDNBWKYKL45LHCNY.jpg?auth=2594ab69a5a2a04796689174d88509d7ec0d4ac33ae4c329db70bf9397a4ed27","restricted":false,"thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/TL6Q2DDAQZGDNBWKYKL45LHCNY.jpg?auth=2594ab69a5a2a04796689174d88509d7ec0d4ac33ae4c329db70bf9397a4ed27&width=300","version":0,"template_id":594,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"2594ab69a5a2a04796689174d88509d7ec0d4ac33ae4c329db70bf9397a4ed27"},"caption":"Meals On Wheels Atlanta volunteer George Messner prepares to deliver food to recipients. 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More than 500 attended, and the event raised more than $174,000. This fundraiser, in particular, is meant to appeal to Atlanta’s young professionals, influencers and tastemakers. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"UZJGC6JHEBE5REXJWT33D4BJBQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"“We’ve worked hard to attract that audience because we need them for the future,” Crusoe-Ingram added.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LGSIVAHQMJGFTF737P3BYQ7L2Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"MOWA’s biggest annual fundraiser is A Meal to Remember, which features four courses and wine pairings from chefs all over the U.S.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TVMNS65VURERTM3D2AJ6BRDB6Y","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"7 places for older adults to volunteer in Metro Atlanta","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/life/aging-in-atlanta/7-places-for-seniors-to-volunteer-in-metro-atlanta/SHXEZN6BERGPVOX73YFWP54PZ4/"},{"_id":"STBO6TOEYVFDREMMOISHBTA3XI","additional_properties":{},"content":"“We raised $1.3 million — the most we’ve ever raised,” Crusoe-Ingram said of the 2025 event.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JOOIUHQ5B5CMPJO7OQJYQVP2RA","additional_properties":{},"content":"And she herself has helped attract new MOWA donors like Coca-Cola, where she worked for nearly 16 years.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FLLYEDALRNEJREFKO7F6GLRY4M","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I’m the main moneymaker here because of relationships that I had,” she added.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JB2QKCJVQRH4NP53ZMAIK4RYUQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Path to Atlanta","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"MTFHF6RQMVGBZL6NHHKJMIOEXQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Crusoe-Ingram knew she wanted to “do something around selecting people for jobs” by the time she was pursuing a graduate degree at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. 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After a notable 16-year tenure as a Corporate VP at The Coca-Cola Company, Crusoe-Ingram transitioned from the iconic brand to addressing senior hunger. Under her leadership, MOWA increased its meal production from 150,000 to over 600,000 annually. 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That led to an 18-month assignment at medical supply company American Hospital Supply in <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional/asylum-dark-past-relived-cycle-ends/uq2OK0dgHCeynhFUGba36O/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional/asylum-dark-past-relived-cycle-ends/uq2OK0dgHCeynhFUGba36O/\">Milledgeville, Georgia</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2ZPKUGGI3BGD5OEADPWOTURF2A","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I thought, ‘I don’t want to move to Georgia, but hopefully 18 months will go quickly,’” she said. “It was so interesting, in fact, and that 18 months did go quickly.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"R5BJQRKS4VAGVI36C7XFJGSAWM","additional_properties":{},"content":"She later recruited scientists and lawyers for Abbott Laboratories.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VWXL5F6LB5DUBGKQW4L2LQD5VA","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I loved it because Abbott was really stepping up its research arm, bringing in really noted scientists from Yale and Harvard and Caltech,” she said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KPC4HO4D45G7ZA76NFKAD4PIFU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Then Coke called.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5J526PDM2FHPVPA43DN4LK5LEU","additional_properties":{},"content":"“My mom let me get six-ounce Cokes as a treat when I was growing up,” she said. “Of course I took the interview.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5RPTQHVTQJEGREGJ2BYINALNII","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"More from AJC Her+Story","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/"},{"_id":"I7ZRAMOEJFGENPVXRHFBUYKHOA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Crusoe-Ingram accepted a role as a recruiter and moved to Atlanta. Before she started, she was promoted to director of human resources for Coca-Cola’s U.S. fountain business.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FLMWWWEGQJFYDKJJXJ5TRCBXIU","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I think they were trying to find the right thing and that HR director’s role opened up, so they put me in it,” she said. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"AYKVRMZGMZDEPL43ACQFPIYX6I","additional_properties":{},"content":"Crusoe-Ingram ended her career at Coca-Cola as corporate vice president of diversity in 2003.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LRD6WBBXWRDOBD7C3IRRLHZNHI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Developing talent","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"HPCX2WHP4JAUTK3TXA2DZI4LVU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Her advice to young people is to pursue a passion and “(impress) somebody enough that they will sponsor you.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"B6DDC3FAVNABPPT3Y4KLRWO6AE","additional_properties":{},"content":"That may not necessarily be your boss — it could be any leader with a project you can learn from.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QIWA2FMOI5FMJFXROGICU3EC2E","additional_properties":{},"content":"“People need to go for their passion because I think they put their entire self into that,” she said. “But you have to step up. It’s not about kissing up. It’s about doing good work.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"QGZDQXFQQFBJFGSLGFBOSU5TAE","additional_properties":{},"content":"For leaders, her advice is to model behavior. Among many good bosses throughout her career, Crusoe-Ingram pointed to Jack Stahl, former president and chief operating officer of Coca-Cola, who modeled the importance of treating everyone with respect, regardless of their role — along with an aversion to paper clips. She does not use paper clips to this day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q3EIQCVE4NBIHBL2ATQWDLYAHE","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/Q3EIQCVE4NBIHBL2ATQWDLYAHE.JPG?auth=8f24e01e17cb418fca7ecd59b94381b0bb4aa1b6bd108e5f0bf361dc89101512","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"6995ef943315424f250f5313","iptc_source":"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","keywords":["ceo of meals on wheels atlanta","charlene crusoe-ingram","meals on wheels"],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"Charlene Crusoe-Ingram 004.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/Q3EIQCVE4NBIHBL2ATQWDLYAHE.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/Q3EIQCVE4NBIHBL2ATQWDLYAHE.JPG?auth=8f24e01e17cb418fca7ecd59b94381b0bb4aa1b6bd108e5f0bf361dc89101512","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/Q3EIQCVE4NBIHBL2ATQWDLYAHE.JPG?auth=8f24e01e17cb418fca7ecd59b94381b0bb4aa1b6bd108e5f0bf361dc89101512","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-01-27T16:11:57Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/Q3EIQCVE4NBIHBL2ATQWDLYAHE.JPG?auth=8f24e01e17cb418fca7ecd59b94381b0bb4aa1b6bd108e5f0bf361dc89101512&width=300","version":1,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{"street_address":"1705 Commerce Dr NW, Atlanta, GA 30318.","locality":"Atanta","region":"GA"},"auth":{"1":"8f24e01e17cb418fca7ecd59b94381b0bb4aa1b6bd108e5f0bf361dc89101512"},"caption":"Charlene Crusoe-Ingram, CEO of Meals on Wheels Atlanta, is pictured at the company headquarters in Atlanta on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. 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In the meantime, she wants to hire a chief operating officer who “will think of this nonprofit not as a nonprofit, but as a business.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ROSIFK52Z5BDXNEW3BO7UDYOLA","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"Feeding the hungry can nourish the soul","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/life/aging-in-atlanta/feeding-the-hungry-can-nourish-the-soul/TPHCE6CXDRGYRKGMJF2L5TU3EE/"},{"_id":"PI77LFVNJBCFPJ2HCKNGG7FWJY","additional_properties":{},"content":"The goal is to continue to bring in money to feed seniors.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YTKW6CYHKZES5GVVWKCVSZK7ZY","additional_properties":{},"content":"“This place is important to this city,” she added. “It needs to continue.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ALE6QSZHSFF33JNBWQC7TSZYAA","type":"divider"},{"_id":"HAMWV5YK2VCUHKS22LY5IRCNWU","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>AJC Her+Story is a series in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlighting women founders, creators, executives and professionals. 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","type":"text"},{"_id":"4347L5KVVBGVLNLKQ6GIVIFCBY","additional_properties":{},"content":"As companies <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/2025/05/homegrown-tech-firm-sees-new-beltline-hq-as-the-ultimate-gathering-place/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/2025/05/homegrown-tech-firm-sees-new-beltline-hq-as-the-ultimate-gathering-place/\">try to lure workers into offices with perks</a>, Reed struck a partnership in 2024 to offer salon services at Google’s offices in Midtown. 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People come and see it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"O2S44D7WLVBLFH2EXUEUMREOWM","additional_properties":{},"content":"The office salon includes a pedicure chair, manicure table, two stations for hairstyling and a shampoo area where Reed and her team take care of Google employees between meetings. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"RFM57X42I5C5FJG5VOU7QLCEPA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Reed shared her insights from two decades in the beauty industry, advice she said she wished she had as a new entrepreneur and how she networks in Atlanta. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"P5GVHATI6FE4XNR6I4IZE524JU","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>Edited for length and clarity. </i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"WPCGV5H6W5AWZFJXA4A5K56RE4","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>What’s been the biggest lesson for you as you’ve grown the business?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"SWVY56VM4REAHI7YM56MFGIUQE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Don’t take things personally and always be open to learn and grow. Don’t cap yourself. I’m always a sponge. I’m always putting myself in accelerators. I’m always learning from other entrepreneurs — even people that have maybe a spa or something in my space, or something that I can take on and make it my own thing. I’m never not learning.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FV6YTCFSP5BVDOOHIJDJ3AAFKU","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"More from AJC Her+Story","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/"},{"_id":"72IFJV52KZCNHP7IQXVE7ESFRM","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Is there a mentorship program you’ve been part of that you would recommend to other entrepreneurs?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"H5DHPTJI6NC7FCVF67RBS6JDDE","additional_properties":{},"content":"I did <a href=\"https://www.goldmansachs.com/community-impact/one-million-black-women/black-in-business\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\">Black in Business with Goldman Sachs</a>, and then they invited me to come back to do their national program. You always get a business adviser and people that just directly pour into you for an hour a week. I’ve won pitch competitions, and I’ve won services like where I’ve had a business adviser for eight weeks. Things of that nature, where people can just give you different ideas of how you can grow and scale your business and strategize. The Black in Business program that I did, I learned about putting together an action plan … so you get to see your growth, versus it always being in your head.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FD54Q6MDAVBUTFAPGLHZQBUKFM","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Are there places you’ve found in Atlanta that are key for networking in your business?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"6RAIDNZVA5HVTJAE2TAETNW7XQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"I’m a part of the Atlanta Black Chambers. I have my federal certifications and my certification for the state of Georgia. I’m always putting myself in rooms that I’ve never been in; it creates more visibility. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"7ZHLOBMQPRHSXI4AD2UPKMFV7Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"This year the <a href=\"https://atlantablackchambers.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\">Atlanta Black Chambers</a> has a <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/abcbeautyindustry/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\">Black Beauty Industry Initiative</a>. Being in that space is definitely going to help me, being in the beauty industry. They have a Women’s League, which is amazing. And when you become a part of one (Black Chamber) you have <a href=\"https://usblackchambers.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\">access to all of them</a>. So in any city, any state, it opens up so many doors. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"VM7QH4ES2FEPNKLG4HSQICQPPM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Being at Google has really opened up a lot of doors for me, too. Presidents of ERGs (employee resource groups) reach out to me. I’ve taught at Google. They’ve paid me to have my supplies there and my cards there. 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You don’t really learn that. I didn’t know how to strategize. When I did the first Goldman Sachs program … I hadn’t got the gist of really understanding my target audience and how to talk to my target audience. I didn’t even know how to decline clients, because you can’t accept everybody. So having boundaries, tapping into my wellness as a CEO makes me a better leader and better example for my team. Learning how to be mellow when you’re really frustrated.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GGB6GQI27BBEPLLNULTVGUXGW4","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Do you have any big goals in the near future or several years down the road that you’re working toward?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"XN6GAY7N6ZAKXNGL27G42BW7NQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"I’m actually working on another partnership, with an employee benefits consulting firm. I’ve been asked to put together a proposal in the nonprofit space, when it comes to senior citizens and things of that nature.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VVDTMUDFMZBPTDAOPZXSCERFBQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"We all have big goals, right? For me, I want to see Mobile Beauty Bar bring in at least a million dollars in revenue, and then I’ll feel like I’ve gotten somewhere. But then I can’t forget the small steps to get to where I want to go. You know, getting into Google — that’s really pretty major. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"G5DUFQ7OHRHVBPGZXF2UGWNV3E","additional_properties":{},"content":"We constantly are growing, and I get to see the growth when I pull the numbers every year. I get to see those small coins going into that success bucket. It doesn’t have to be a major amount, but, a $10,000 increase or $20,000 increase in a year is pretty big for a small business. You always have to count those, or you’ll never feel like you’re successful. 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Check out more of our AJC Her+Story coverage at </i><a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>ajc.com/herstory</i></a><i>.</i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"author_type":""}},"name":"Grace Donnelly","org":"For The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","type":"author"}]},"description":{"basic":"Kristine Reed has grown her business from a team of one doing makeup to a staff of 12 who offer hair care, nail care, barbering services, facials and massage. 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(Miguel Martinez/AJC)","copyright":"Copyright 2026 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","created_date":"2026-03-03T17:05:28Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"Miguel Martinez/AJC","type":"author"}],"by":[{"name":"Miguel Martinez","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"46cae676-4989-4b34-bc9b-906e8e9b6d59"},"height":2496,"last_updated_date":"2026-03-03T17:05:28Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc"},"source":{"name":"AJC Freelancer","source_id":"Freelancer/Andrea Furtick 013.JPG","source_type":"freelance","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/LSVZFKWRMJGU7BKRPMMMND5WLE","system":"AJC Freelancer"},"subtitle":"Andrea Furtick,","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":["69a208173315424f25126773"]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/LSVZFKWRMJGU7BKRPMMMND5WLE.JPG?auth=4687bed1ee5da1fdc438ad627447617bcdb0679ee6483006def2bea497dcab76","version":"0.10.9","width":3744},{"_id":"PLADA73EUFBFFKQTFFGVVTS45Y","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Now we’re into animation, and we’re into gameplay. We have an AR/VR experience on TikTok, and we have a chatbot system where you can talk to the girls,” she said. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"FNB5A6N24FAFNB65XNEQVP44ZY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Furtick attended the <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/2025/10/how-scad-savannah-film-festival-nabs-big-name-talent-year-after-year/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/2025/10/how-scad-savannah-film-festival-nabs-big-name-talent-year-after-year/\">Savannah College of Art and Design</a> and stayed in Atlanta, finding mentorship through Atlanta Tech Village and a community and audience for her characters around events like Atlanta Comic Con and <a href=\"https://dreamhack.com/atlanta/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\">DreamHack</a>. She was named a rising star in toys as part of the 2026 <a href=\"https://www.mojo-nation.com/read-mojo-nation-100-online/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.mojo-nation.com/read-mojo-nation-100-online/\">Mojo Nation 100</a> list and shared lessons learned as a creative in the retail space, where to network in Atlanta and big dreams for the future. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5COCXP7MARFDHEKGBKEOZ2E7GA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>Edited for length and clarity. </i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"WUKSRT4GXJDQXJF57OOOPERTMQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: How has this one product expanded into a larger business for you? </b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ILZ3MJL3RVDHHDZQWTOAQXAN3Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: From (the Afro Goddess Tarot Arcanas), I have taken the characters and built Afro Goddess Warriors, where every little girl gets to be the star of her own world. Think of Power Rangers-meet-Xena Warrior Princess. There’s 150 characters in Afro Goddess Warriors that really celebrate what women are able to do together, and they go on magical journeys. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"HLLVDVX4FJBYZGGLFIOLMTQEHM","additional_properties":{},"content":"I started going to the <a href=\"https://www.licensingexpo.com/en/home.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.licensingexpo.com/en/home.html\">Las Vegas Licensing Expo</a>, and that is where I learned how to license my character IP (intellectual property). I’ve always been an artist, and I’ve made several things, so I was always smart enough to take that one painting and not just produce a T-shirt. We’ve had coins, sneakers, different types of very cool tapestries — things that you could use. So technically, that was home goods, that was apparel. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"LSCVOKXRS5GTNBINZCLZ3K3SWI","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/LSCVOKXRS5GTNBINZCLZ3K3SWI.JPG?auth=044f1a415a209af02cba622543aa73cedb903ab969b6f12bf3b9668ea172e43c","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"69a208173315424f25126773","iptc_source":"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","keywords":["andrea furtick","founder of agc toys inc. transmedia toy"],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"Andrea Furtick 006.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/LSCVOKXRS5GTNBINZCLZ3K3SWI.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/LSCVOKXRS5GTNBINZCLZ3K3SWI.JPG?auth=044f1a415a209af02cba622543aa73cedb903ab969b6f12bf3b9668ea172e43c","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/LSCVOKXRS5GTNBINZCLZ3K3SWI.JPG?auth=044f1a415a209af02cba622543aa73cedb903ab969b6f12bf3b9668ea172e43c","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-01-27T14:27:18Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/LSCVOKXRS5GTNBINZCLZ3K3SWI.JPG?auth=044f1a415a209af02cba622543aa73cedb903ab969b6f12bf3b9668ea172e43c&width=300","version":1,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{"street_address":"Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs","locality":"Atanta","region":"GA"},"auth":{"1":"044f1a415a209af02cba622543aa73cedb903ab969b6f12bf3b9668ea172e43c"},"caption":"Andrea Furtick, founder of AGC Toys Inc., displays one of her creations, a figurine called Nova: Goddess of the Universe, at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Furtick’s business, a transmedia toy and game company, is among the founders selected for Fiverr’s annual Future Collective program, a national business accelerator. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)","copyright":"Copyright 2026 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","created_date":"2026-03-03T17:05:17Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"Miguel Martinez/AJC","type":"author"}],"by":[{"name":"Miguel Martinez","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"46cae676-4989-4b34-bc9b-906e8e9b6d59"},"height":2496,"last_updated_date":"2026-03-03T17:05:18Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc"},"source":{"name":"AJC Freelancer","source_id":"Freelancer/Andrea Furtick 006.JPG","source_type":"freelance","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/LSCVOKXRS5GTNBINZCLZ3K3SWI","system":"AJC Freelancer"},"subtitle":"Andrea Furtick,","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":["69a208173315424f25126773"]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/LSCVOKXRS5GTNBINZCLZ3K3SWI.JPG?auth=044f1a415a209af02cba622543aa73cedb903ab969b6f12bf3b9668ea172e43c","version":"0.10.9","width":3744},{"_id":"7RWVMS33DNCABBOKHUV5PR6JQU","additional_properties":{},"content":"I realized I had the ability to actually license these (Afro Goddess Warriors) characters. I have a master plush licensing partner with <a href=\"https://plush.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://plush.com/\">Beverly Hills Teddy Bear</a>. As a one-person business, when you use a licensing model, it’s very easy to actually create different avenues into retail if you can pull in partners that have that distribution, that have that ability to scale and produce products at a mass market range. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"J5AIHHJVKBDURFCSG6L3YBVYPA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Finding a licensing partner has been a mind-blowing experience that has led me into now creating mock-ups for different categories. We have a pet collection that we’ve mocked up. We have a home collection that we’ve mocked up. We have apparel. So we have all of those things now, and we’re hunting for partners and having some really interesting conversations about how, in 2027, Afro Goddess Warriors can be a huge household name.","type":"text"},{"_id":"63J3JA3PYJBHRKQODUPFZCHKZM","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"More from AJC Her+Story","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/"},{"_id":"N3XDZPKRQJDXTLEKD6K6B4XQTQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What has it been like moving into toys and retail? </b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"EMFRQIVLG5BLFIMNUSWRZOV4WA","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: We have a toy deal with <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/2025/12/not-a-bird-or-a-plane-could-be-a-walmart-delivery-drone/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/2025/12/not-a-bird-or-a-plane-could-be-a-walmart-delivery-drone/\">Walmart</a>. I’ve been working on that for a while, and that’s also how I got pushed to create all these other things. A lot of people don’t understand that when they go into mass market retail, the retailer doesn’t just want to sell your product. You have to bring customers into their store. You have to have ways to bring them in, modalities that the customer is interested in. You don’t just want to rely on the foot traffic of that retailer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P3E2PJLLNRFZTLD42W55PFMGO4","additional_properties":{},"content":"So, as I’ve been working with Walmart, we have our Afro Goddess Warrior plush collection. It’s on Walmart.com first.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YWYLI2ZRXZEKLEJQ4YKAYJUFDU","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: How have you been able to build so many new types of projects as an individual artist?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"F7VQKB46OBD7DLTBA3MMBBNZVE","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: With (online freelance marketplace) <a href=\"https://www.fiverr.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.fiverr.com/\">Fiverr</a>, I’ve been able to create a mobile game that people are downloading, so they have ways to interact and be a part of the brand, instead of just creating cute characters that they can buy in the store. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6P3Z56WQ2ZATXGDLZOTYSFNKRM","additional_properties":{},"content":"I’ve been a little bit of an anomaly on my own in the industry that I’m in, because people don’t understand how I’m doing it alone. But the reality is, I have found a network of really reliable and wonderful Fiverr contractors that I’ve been able to couple with my good instruction, because that’s very important. A lot of people want to get on Fiverr and say, “Oh, just make it happen for me.” No, you have to give them very pristine instructions. That is how you make a really good project. I’ve been able to do that in the way that makes it work and makes something so beautiful. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"62DO5LUOL5D5HM4KACWFIBVQ2A","additional_properties":{},"content":"I’m not actually alone. I have a network of people that I rely on.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S5YGEBSVGZG5VNVNXYJBUPANFA","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/S5YGEBSVGZG5VNVNXYJBUPANFA.JPG?auth=873e1b0b8bf4859963b7ec9b36b8822fbcf2e2d93d352da3d7cd4ec56e49336e","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"69a208173315424f25126773","iptc_source":"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","keywords":["andrea furtick","founder of agc toys inc. transmedia toy"],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"Andrea Furtick 003.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/S5YGEBSVGZG5VNVNXYJBUPANFA.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/S5YGEBSVGZG5VNVNXYJBUPANFA.JPG?auth=873e1b0b8bf4859963b7ec9b36b8822fbcf2e2d93d352da3d7cd4ec56e49336e","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/S5YGEBSVGZG5VNVNXYJBUPANFA.JPG?auth=873e1b0b8bf4859963b7ec9b36b8822fbcf2e2d93d352da3d7cd4ec56e49336e","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-01-27T14:23:11Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/S5YGEBSVGZG5VNVNXYJBUPANFA.JPG?auth=873e1b0b8bf4859963b7ec9b36b8822fbcf2e2d93d352da3d7cd4ec56e49336e&width=300","version":1,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{"street_address":"Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs","locality":"Atanta","region":"GA"},"auth":{"1":"873e1b0b8bf4859963b7ec9b36b8822fbcf2e2d93d352da3d7cd4ec56e49336e"},"caption":"Andrea Furtick, founder of AGC Toys Inc., interacts with her colleague Maria Hunter, CEO of KRG Oil Company and founder of BeautiFuel, as they watch her Afro Goddess Warriors animated musical video on YouTube at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Furtick’s business, a transmedia toy and game company, is among the founders selected for Fiverr’s annual Future Collective program, a national business accelerator. 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They have a <a href=\"https://www.atlantatechvillage.com/programs/women-tech\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\">Women + Tech</a> event every month that I make sure that I try to attend. I keep meeting the most wonderful and just brilliant women, and I’m able to connect with them and exchange ideas even if they’re not in my industry.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VYBFR6UWFBHPRABMWFG4R5TVBI","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: Any favorite spots for meetings? </b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"A556E2FSCNFSTIG744552BURIY","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: I love <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/things-to-do/atlanta-restaurant-blog/girl-diver-now-open-in-reynoldstown-for-seafood-platters-craft-cocktails/36LJIJ5WGRBOFGXQI5ZPSCFAU4/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\">Girl Diver</a>. That’s one of my favorite places because they keep changing the menu, and it’s so cool.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DJH6QD34GZE4BCQLJNB34HCVBQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What’s your vision for the next five years?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"X7AREF4NI5HUXOMV3R54F2VYDQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: In one of the accelerators that I was in, one of the guys said, “Dream as big as you can and tell me who you would say you were if you had to describe yourself.” So I always said I was the “Disney you don’t know yet.” He actually laughed at me and made me cry. But I never let that go, because I am the Disney you don’t know yet, and I have been proving that over and over again. … I think (Afro Goddess Warriors) will be the thing that mothers, daughters, aunties and grandmas are all able to bond over together. And I love that for the world because we need that so badly. So that’s what I plan to do with my next five years, is make Afro Goddess Warriors the evergreen property it deserves to be.","type":"text"},{"_id":"54C62YTHJNGWRGMVWBA5IYGL5U","type":"divider"},{"_id":"LSL5HG2OAFG7LLKRWM2KJ4VQZY","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>AJC Her+Story is a series in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlighting women founders, creators, executives and professionals. It is about building a community. Know someone the AJC should feature in AJC Her+Story? Email us at </i><a href=\"mailto:herstory@ajc.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>herstory@ajc.com</i></a><i> with your suggestions. Check out more of our AJC Her+Story coverage at </i><a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>ajc.com/herstory</i></a><i>.</i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"author_type":""}},"name":"Grace Donnelly","org":"For The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","type":"author"}]},"description":{"basic":"Andrea Furtick attended Savannah College of Art and Design and stayed in Atlanta, finding mentorship through Atlanta Tech Village."},"display_date":"2026-05-26T09:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"From tarot cards to toys: SCAD grad rolls out products by licensing her art","meta_title":"How a SCAD grad rolled out a line of products on Walmart.com","mobile":"","native":"","print":"SCAD grad rolls out line of products on Walmart.com","table":"","tablet":"","web":""},"label":{"custom_label":{"display":true,"text":"AJC Her+Story: Entrepreneur Insights"},"team":{"display":true,"text":"business","url":""},"tease_label":{"display":true,"text":"AJC Her+Story"}},"subheadlines":{"basic":"Entrepreneur Andrea Furtick has licensed her Afro Goddess characters for a range of products."},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"OAF4LDR72ZERNEI2UNN5IC5JMM","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/OAF4LDR72ZERNEI2UNN5IC5JMM.JPG?auth=6c7bddbb37a297079130cf5704565eb7864195154e670951126be2703e9aca33","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"69a208173315424f25126773","iptc_source":"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","keywords":["andrea furtick","founder of agc toys inc. transmedia toy"],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"Andrea Furtick 010.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/OAF4LDR72ZERNEI2UNN5IC5JMM.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/OAF4LDR72ZERNEI2UNN5IC5JMM.JPG?auth=6c7bddbb37a297079130cf5704565eb7864195154e670951126be2703e9aca33","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/OAF4LDR72ZERNEI2UNN5IC5JMM.JPG?auth=6c7bddbb37a297079130cf5704565eb7864195154e670951126be2703e9aca33","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-01-27T14:37:29Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/OAF4LDR72ZERNEI2UNN5IC5JMM.JPG?auth=6c7bddbb37a297079130cf5704565eb7864195154e670951126be2703e9aca33&width=300","version":1,"focal_point":{"max":[1428,737],"min":[1428,737]}},"address":{"street_address":"Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs","locality":"Atanta","region":"GA"},"auth":{"1":"6c7bddbb37a297079130cf5704565eb7864195154e670951126be2703e9aca33"},"caption":"Andrea Furtick, founder of AGC Toys Inc., poses with her Afro Goddess Warrior Plush Collection at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. 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Gordon Low famously sold her wedding pearls and expanded Girl Scouts to include troops for African American, Indigenous, and Mexican American girls. After World War I, Low expanded the scouting program internationally. Today, the Girl Scouts of the USA continues to empower women, breaking racial and gender barriers and extending the promise of the Declaration of Independence for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to all people.","type":"text"},{"_id":"76DZCVC6TRFYXK6X64AJX4DXXA","additional_properties":{},"content":"We don’t intend to rebel, but rather to revel in history","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"AVAO7UZ2CBFY7HA6MRYCQBXIFQ","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/AVAO7UZ2CBFY7HA6MRYCQBXIFQ.jpg?auth=53ec40cda5d1736f40720a89de2dd1f8b745850897ee1cf2a3ea3b3b3b0a267e","galleries":[],"ingestionMethod":"manual","keywords":[],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"Marilyn Vickers.jpg","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/AVAO7UZ2CBFY7HA6MRYCQBXIFQ.jpg","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/AVAO7UZ2CBFY7HA6MRYCQBXIFQ.jpg?auth=53ec40cda5d1736f40720a89de2dd1f8b745850897ee1cf2a3ea3b3b3b0a267e","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/AVAO7UZ2CBFY7HA6MRYCQBXIFQ.jpg?auth=53ec40cda5d1736f40720a89de2dd1f8b745850897ee1cf2a3ea3b3b3b0a267e","restricted":false,"thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/AVAO7UZ2CBFY7HA6MRYCQBXIFQ.jpg?auth=53ec40cda5d1736f40720a89de2dd1f8b745850897ee1cf2a3ea3b3b3b0a267e&width=300","version":0,"template_id":594},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"53ec40cda5d1736f40720a89de2dd1f8b745850897ee1cf2a3ea3b3b3b0a267e"},"caption":"Marilyn Vickers of Athens is a retired clinical psychologist. (Courtesy)","created_date":"2026-05-13T17:55:55Z","credits":{"affiliation":[],"by":[{"byline":"Handout","name":"Handout","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019"},"height":320,"image_type":"photograph","last_updated_date":"2026-05-13T17:55:55Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc","sponsored":false},"source":{"name":"AJC","source_type":"staff","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/AVAO7UZ2CBFY7HA6MRYCQBXIFQ","system":"photo center"},"subtitle":"Marilyn Vickers headshot","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":[]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/AVAO7UZ2CBFY7HA6MRYCQBXIFQ.jpg?auth=53ec40cda5d1736f40720a89de2dd1f8b745850897ee1cf2a3ea3b3b3b0a267e","version":"0.10.9","width":180,"syndication":{},"alignment":"right"},{"_id":"SCKR2CKATBHXNA2I4L2RQ22MWI","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/SCKR2CKATBHXNA2I4L2RQ22MWI.png?auth=6db9afdcd1151b50a56305d0b1cb705108713dc18208e6d5b6ea83ee94d102be","galleries":[],"ingestionMethod":"manual","keywords":[],"mime_type":"image/png","originalName":"Madeline VanDyck.png","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/SCKR2CKATBHXNA2I4L2RQ22MWI.png","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/SCKR2CKATBHXNA2I4L2RQ22MWI.png?auth=6db9afdcd1151b50a56305d0b1cb705108713dc18208e6d5b6ea83ee94d102be","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/SCKR2CKATBHXNA2I4L2RQ22MWI.png?auth=6db9afdcd1151b50a56305d0b1cb705108713dc18208e6d5b6ea83ee94d102be","restricted":false,"thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/SCKR2CKATBHXNA2I4L2RQ22MWI.png?auth=6db9afdcd1151b50a56305d0b1cb705108713dc18208e6d5b6ea83ee94d102be&width=300","version":0,"template_id":594},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"6db9afdcd1151b50a56305d0b1cb705108713dc18208e6d5b6ea83ee94d102be"},"caption":"Madeline Van Dyck of Athens is a board member of the Jeannette Rankin Foundation. (Courtesy)","created_date":"2026-05-13T17:55:55Z","credits":{"affiliation":[],"by":[{"byline":"Handout","name":"Handout","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019"},"height":320,"image_type":"photograph","last_updated_date":"2026-05-13T17:55:55Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc","sponsored":false},"source":{"name":"AJC","source_type":"staff","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/SCKR2CKATBHXNA2I4L2RQ22MWI","system":"photo center"},"subtitle":"Madeline Van Dyck headshot","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":[]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/SCKR2CKATBHXNA2I4L2RQ22MWI.png?auth=6db9afdcd1151b50a56305d0b1cb705108713dc18208e6d5b6ea83ee94d102be","version":"0.10.9","width":180,"syndication":{},"alignment":"right"},{"_id":"KIR7OBIRVBBHJJZSEDUIDZX3W4","additional_properties":{},"alignment":"left","content":"There are hundreds more we seek to remember and celebrate, like Gwendolyn Payton, an acclaimed artist whose art degree was denied her in 1972 because of racial discrimination. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"BKAYKUHRGJHBPIRK5U64O4BI2Y","additional_properties":{},"alignment":"left","content":"She graduated with a degree in biology but was not allowed to participate in the senior art exhibit because her artwork was deemed “too controversial.” ","type":"text"},{"_id":"GSLQNWJMMVD55AQ4OABIMY4UGQ","additional_properties":{},"alignment":"left","content":"Preliminary research on celebrations in Georgia has shown that in a few places, ladies are being remembered, but there is much more that can be done. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QUI6Z7J62JA4ZO7BAPQ6ANETRE","additional_properties":{},"alignment":"left","content":"In March, the <a href=\"https://www.athenswelcomecenter.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\">Historic Athens Welcome Center</a> offered an exhibit focusing on “The Women Who Changed Athens.” ","type":"text"},{"_id":"SXNACYB3HVFEPLCTTOQHXN267I","additional_properties":{},"alignment":"left","content":"Four new women were recently inducted into the listing of <a href=\"https://www.georgiawomen.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.georgiawomen.org/\">Georgia Women of Achievement</a>: Emma Morel Adler, an advocate for historical preservation and a champion of Savannah and Georgia “for all of her 90 years”; Beverly Buchanan, an African American artist; Mary Ethel Creswell, the first woman to earn a baccalaureate from University of Georgia; and Adelaide Wallace Ponder, editor of Morgan County’s The Madisonian for 40 years.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YI7YZNUETJFKFLPEKY475VE6NY","additional_properties":{},"alignment":"left","content":"We four have no plans to foment a Rebelion [sic], but many things can be done to celebrate our founding. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"WWP3AIH535D33BXG6KGSU73UPU","additional_properties":{},"alignment":"left","content":"Focusing on Georgia women who have contributed to the shaping of our state and nation should be an important part of our celebrations.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KTSUOUEZWVEHLJ6SLTQ3KWSOB4","type":"divider"},{"_id":"CAV555XWXVEZXILPEDKLWVR3SQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>Margaret E. Holt of Watkinsville, Suzanne M. Minarcine of Macon, Madeline Van Dyck of Athens and Marilyn Vickers of Athens authored this guest opinion essay. Their backgrounds include education, entrepreneurship, mental health and community advocacy. Holt is one of five founders of the </i><a href=\"https://rankinfoundation.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://rankinfoundation.org/\"><i>Jeannette Rankin Foundation</i></a><i>, and Van Dyck is a board member at the foundation.</i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"E4G5KP2UE5GSHNCL7KDSUSJBJM","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"How to submit a letter to the editor or guest opinion column to the AJC","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/how-to-contact-the-ajc-editorial-board/RYN6XBE2U2JROM3XNBE2MPPIWY/"},{"_id":"6W4TWD2D6FAKZE5LJ7MGDVFZPU","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>The AJC is inviting readers to answer this question: “What are your hopes, concerns and reflection on the United States turning 250 this July 4?” Email letters of 250 words or fewer with your name and city/town to </i><a href=\"mailto:david.plazas@ajc.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>david.plazas@ajc.com</i></a><i>. Use the subject line “America at 250.” </i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"author_type":""}},"name":"Margaret E. Holt, Suzanne M. Minarcine, Madeline Van Dyck and Marilyn Vickers","org":"For The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","type":"author"}]},"description":{"basic":"The United States blossomed thanks to notable women. 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Her father, Ronald, had started the company in 1976, and some of the staff had known her since she was a child. “And then, now I’m moving in the direction of becoming the CEO and now telling others what to do, with no engineering background.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"36KU45G5OJBJ3CB75MUSUUDZTE","additional_properties":{},"content":"One of her first moves upon taking over the company was to move its headquarters from Durham, North Carolina, to Atlanta, winning contract work at the world’s busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, in the process.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A4JVHUEEPZGLTNFM7LHY5JMWDA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/blog/talk-town/billion-dollar-bosses-georgia/GnOR9QrsmlsTffISeDWbMI/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/blog/talk-town/billion-dollar-bosses-georgia/GnOR9QrsmlsTffISeDWbMI/\">Rohadfox</a> also decided to get an MBA from Georgia State University, so she could at least say “when the men start asking me … I do have an MBA. I do know business,” she said. And she continued to draw on her father’s expertise for another decade while he was chairman of the company.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2RL4N5WGTVED7JRF57KCN2CWWA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Then, he “told me I could do this,” she said. “From there, I just knew that I had to walk into rooms alone.” ","type":"text"},{"_id":"4O6ROP72OZDGTHPHFN3W5ILY6Y","additional_properties":{},"content":"She has now helmed the company for more than two decades.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WRA2ZXM7XBBFRFEF44UJN3OHXI","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"Behind the scenes of the Atlanta Dream, women also lead","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/05/behind-the-scenes-of-the-atlanta-dream-women-also-lead/"},{"_id":"REZQJ6AJNZBONE67KQPTKWVJRM","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/REZQJ6AJNZBONE67KQPTKWVJRM.JPG?auth=1c2747a4728606bc0d8456266c7ff5f7c7b0c968b19f634fbfb0bb64d9bb3542","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"69d963513315424f251fb564","iptc_source":"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"aajc 041526 Joy Rohadfox filed 0008.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/REZQJ6AJNZBONE67KQPTKWVJRM.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/REZQJ6AJNZBONE67KQPTKWVJRM.JPG?auth=1c2747a4728606bc0d8456266c7ff5f7c7b0c968b19f634fbfb0bb64d9bb3542","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/REZQJ6AJNZBONE67KQPTKWVJRM.JPG?auth=1c2747a4728606bc0d8456266c7ff5f7c7b0c968b19f634fbfb0bb64d9bb3542","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-04-15T15:28:04Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/REZQJ6AJNZBONE67KQPTKWVJRM.JPG?auth=1c2747a4728606bc0d8456266c7ff5f7c7b0c968b19f634fbfb0bb64d9bb3542&width=300","version":1,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"1c2747a4728606bc0d8456266c7ff5f7c7b0c968b19f634fbfb0bb64d9bb3542"},"caption":"A photo of Joy Rohadfox’s father, Ronald Rohadfox, appears at her office in Atlanta on April 15, 2026. Ronald, the company's founder, diedi n 2014. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)","copyright":"Copyright 2026 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","created_date":"2026-04-15T17:16:50Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"Arvin Temkar/AJC","type":"author"}],"by":[{"name":"Arvin Temkar","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"46cae676-4989-4b34-bc9b-906e8e9b6d59"},"height":2000,"last_updated_date":"2026-04-15T17:16:51Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc"},"slug":"aajc 041526 Joy Rohadfox","source":{"name":"AJC Freelancer","source_id":"Freelancer/aajc 041526 Joy Rohadfox filed 0008.JPG","source_type":"freelance","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/REZQJ6AJNZBONE67KQPTKWVJRM","system":"AJC Freelancer"},"subtitle":"Joy Rohadfox Her+Story profile\r\r","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":["69d963513315424f251fb564"]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/REZQJ6AJNZBONE67KQPTKWVJRM.JPG?auth=1c2747a4728606bc0d8456266c7ff5f7c7b0c968b19f634fbfb0bb64d9bb3542","version":"0.10.9","width":3000},{"_id":"JHGSW3WOZBB6DA5ZYYBKTKMU5M","additional_properties":{},"content":"Rohadfox Corp., a <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/2026/04/atlanta-quietly-joins-fight-against-the-trump-administrations-anti-dei-push/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/2026/04/atlanta-quietly-joins-fight-against-the-trump-administrations-anti-dei-push/\">minority-owned construction management firm</a>, has more than 100 employees as it marks its 50th anniversary. Along with its headquarters in Buckhead, it has offices in Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; New York; Richmond, Virginia; Durham and Charlotte in North Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina; Miami; and St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VZHHZJVWHRCDPG6GBO66FNC2WQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Some of its major contracts involve helping to <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/2026/01/the-next-century-of-the-atlanta-airport/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/2026/01/the-next-century-of-the-atlanta-airport/\">manage construction for Hartsfield-Jackson</a> and to expand Los Angeles International Airport in preparation for the <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/delta-airline-sponsor-team-usa-los-angeles-summer-olympics/dpbL1VmHIlnFJKvm8q4gUO/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/delta-airline-sponsor-team-usa-los-angeles-summer-olympics/dpbL1VmHIlnFJKvm8q4gUO/\">2028 Summer Olympics</a>, as well as program management for <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/2026/02/atlanta-city-council-wants-say-in-more-marta-projects-moving-forward/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/2026/02/atlanta-city-council-wants-say-in-more-marta-projects-moving-forward/\">MARTA</a> and architecture and engineering for the <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/atlanta-city-council-approves-5-million-contracts-for-watershed-work/WGVSXVYN2ZGUZHYYQZQTQNHDEY/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/atlanta-city-council-approves-5-million-contracts-for-watershed-work/WGVSXVYN2ZGUZHYYQZQTQNHDEY/\">Atlanta watershed</a> and transportation departments.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UW4XXR5HA5HLBLQWRB3K4VAY3Q","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"3 Atlanta women turning family recipes into business opportunities","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/03/3-atlanta-women-turning-family-recipes-into-business-opportunities/"},{"_id":"BZ7KQIZXBRBGHHSRNSG5DGJ62M","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/BZ7KQIZXBRBGHHSRNSG5DGJ62M.JPG?auth=60ee96a16482f7d10d23c8da250bfac991e24ecda93158c620f30acdddbe7e72","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"69d963513315424f251fb564","iptc_source":"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"aajc 041526 Joy Rohadfox filed 0007.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/BZ7KQIZXBRBGHHSRNSG5DGJ62M.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/BZ7KQIZXBRBGHHSRNSG5DGJ62M.JPG?auth=60ee96a16482f7d10d23c8da250bfac991e24ecda93158c620f30acdddbe7e72","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/BZ7KQIZXBRBGHHSRNSG5DGJ62M.JPG?auth=60ee96a16482f7d10d23c8da250bfac991e24ecda93158c620f30acdddbe7e72","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-04-15T15:25:37Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/BZ7KQIZXBRBGHHSRNSG5DGJ62M.JPG?auth=60ee96a16482f7d10d23c8da250bfac991e24ecda93158c620f30acdddbe7e72&width=300","version":1,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"60ee96a16482f7d10d23c8da250bfac991e24ecda93158c620f30acdddbe7e72"},"caption":"Rohadfox Corp. CEO Joy Rohadfox said of taking over the company started by her father in 1976: \"This is just continuing to keep his legacy alive — which is now my legacy — and empowering women …\" (Arvin Temkar/AJC)","copyright":"Copyright 2026 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","created_date":"2026-04-15T19:39:52Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"Arvin Temkar/AJC","type":"author"}],"by":[{"name":"Arvin Temkar","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"46cae676-4989-4b34-bc9b-906e8e9b6d59"},"height":2000,"last_updated_date":"2026-04-15T19:39:53Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc"},"slug":"aajc 041526 Joy Rohadfox","source":{"name":"AJC Freelancer","source_id":"Freelancer/aajc 041526 Joy Rohadfox filed 0007.JPG","source_type":"freelance","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/BZ7KQIZXBRBGHHSRNSG5DGJ62M","system":"AJC Freelancer"},"subtitle":"Joy Rohadfox Her+Story profile\r\r","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":["69d963513315424f251fb564"]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/BZ7KQIZXBRBGHHSRNSG5DGJ62M.JPG?auth=60ee96a16482f7d10d23c8da250bfac991e24ecda93158c620f30acdddbe7e72","version":"0.10.9","width":3000},{"_id":"NCEKWUSQCRBJJFMZAPTM4BHWEM","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"AJC Her+Story: Southern Co. exec: A career doesn’t always follow a straight line","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/04/southern-co-exec-a-career-doesnt-always-follow-a-straight-line/"},{"_id":"45PM65HAP5BCNIDQWFSBAFH3G4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Rohadfox sat down with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and shared her thoughts on second-generation leaders, using instincts in business and how to navigate the politics of competing for contracts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SJPKRFFV4NC3PB7G5X7VFY6DZE","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>Edited for length and clarity.</i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"C6B3IOJDSFEWPPBQ2HITQVTYGM","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q. What’s the significance of your company’s 50th anniversary to you?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"MIRK5UZRDRBBHPFTZ3BZD7JU74","additional_properties":{},"content":"A. I realized that now I’ve been running this company as long as my father has, 25 years. And it’s about legacy. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"AJJZYVY4X5A3VLJZGRZDYA2TKI","additional_properties":{},"content":"This is just continuing to keep his legacy alive — which is now my legacy — and empowering women, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do for the last 25 years.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DVOR7NB6EVCW5O73NL62XU43RI","additional_properties":{},"content":"I do a lot of research on second-generation businesses. (<a href=\"https://familybusinessassociation.org/article/letting-go-of-the-reins\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://familybusinessassociation.org/article/letting-go-of-the-reins\">Only about 30% of family-owned businesses</a>) make it to the next generation. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"OH6AVURXJJGTHLWC4UQJ6SWIYE","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q. Why do you think that is?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLIDZ64U6FAEHAIXH5WT7JAGQ4","additional_properties":{},"content":"A. There’s a generational gap. Most CEOs tend not to listen to younger people. The active listening skills are not there. I don’t think that some of us are willing to learn. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6G5TTHLKDBF7JIN62T4KOXKCFQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"I think about this all the time. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6IRVXSCR3VFI7AYAUDO3VB4CV4","additional_properties":{},"content":"I try to do a better job than I have been doing, listening to the younger people within the office — and maybe not always change, but at least hear them out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4JONLZWXJFCITONSXOMK5Y7RXA","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"Atlanta tech entrepreneur went from young founder to leading team of nearly 50","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/02/atlanta-tech-entrepreneur-went-from-young-founder-to-leading-team-of-nearly-50/"},{"_id":"DWASJFV5AZA4BAKXXHA7VPWKXM","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q. What’s an example of a valuable kind of thing you’ve learned from listening to some of the younger people in the office?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"E7MR7KJPPRERNC5F6Y6NI356O4","additional_properties":{},"content":"A. So for years, we had something called a weekly report, and it was paper. It was a hard notebook, and it showed everything that each department did for the week. (At) weekly meetings … we had a weekly report.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SKOY2MECRZH4THWQF6VMPUP77E","additional_properties":{},"content":"I continued this up until two years ago, and it took a long time from them to convince me that we needed to change. We’ve gone now into a system where everything is uploaded into our computer, and I can see what accounting is doing, marketing is doing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DEM4Q2LAFNGCRGDQHTSFD4NO3Y","additional_properties":{},"content":"Another piece is that — I’ll admit it … There’s a fear, especially people that are older than me, that they won’t understand how to utilize this new technology. And no one is really sitting down teaching them how to.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PMQQBG5Z4RCRTFPRC72PYHHPLU","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q. Empowering women: Why is that important to you and how do you do that?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"3XUVWEFZWNCBTBXNEOB4NSIJEM","additional_properties":{},"content":"A. I started to hear that women aren’t interested in structural engineering because they think it’s not sexy, because they think it’s hard hats and steel toe boots. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"FFUPSRQ3PZFS3PUHMTFSTZ3LF4","additional_properties":{},"content":"But there’s so much more to infrastructure and construction, and so I felt it was <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/top-workplaces/2025/08/10-newcomers-ranked-in-the-small-workplaces-category/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/top-workplaces/2025/08/10-newcomers-ranked-in-the-small-workplaces-category/\">important for me to go out and start recruiting women</a>, and that’s what we’ve been doing. … Our staff is probably 70% women.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZKWRLQNWWVASHKNMGEPZSN6HMU","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"More from AJC Her+Story","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory"},{"_id":"I4OUMKFJVFDDHNLIWI6TM2VFKY","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q. What’s one mistake that you’ve made that transformed how you approached your career?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"IQZNSPC2EZGDTNPXWMA7AFG3EM","additional_properties":{},"content":"One mistake I’ve made is (we) teamed with a partner that did not align with our cultural values, and we had to separate ourselves.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UMOUDGX6DJACDCL4DUIWIU4VMI","additional_properties":{},"content":"And to this day, I don’t care what opportunity comes through the door — if I feel like it’s just not the right opportunity, the values aren’t aligned, then we will pass it up.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AH2ZKMQCDBEM7PXYF27QOPP77A","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q. How can you tell if values are not aligned before you’ve struck a deal?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"OQPQJD3VAJC3TFLT7Y5J434MJM","additional_properties":{},"content":"A. Usually it’s intuition. My father always told me that you can walk into a room and immediately you know if the person is telling the truth (and) how they perform. And then you can also do research, obviously. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"FCQC5VPHV5C4PCXUT22HFEWF24","additional_properties":{},"content":"But this particular firm, we just didn’t align on how they billed, when they billed, how many hours they’re charging. We’ve built 50 years’ reputation on integrity, so I would never align myself with an organization that doesn’t believe in the same.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WHOKBPNKKRDGNKFB5CBEJBZTFA","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"Former Turner executive finds inspiration at Atlanta Braves front office","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/03/former-turner-executive-finds-inspiration-at-atlanta-braves-front-office/"},{"_id":"ZFMGEMIMUJD33JJAKKKJBTZXCE","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q. What are the most interesting or energizing parts of your job?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"B3V62UBIJNF5ROAY47NRWR6NJM","additional_properties":{},"content":"A. The most interesting parts of my job are, I would say, understanding someone’s personality.","type":"text"},{"_id":"M7R7ECEHFZBRTD3XVB6OLH6VXM","additional_properties":{},"content":"And probably the exciting part is winning.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NC7CS4L7SFE7VLA6CM7FUKBW3U","additional_properties":{},"content":"It’s <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/former-city-employee-files-whistleblower-suit-against-mayor/W54OWUWrFVquiQDZ0LTp1H/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/former-city-employee-files-whistleblower-suit-against-mayor/W54OWUWrFVquiQDZ0LTp1H/\">very political</a>. It’s like <a href=\"https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/56058-let-your-plans-be-dark-and-impenetrable-as-night-and\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/56058-let-your-plans-be-dark-and-impenetrable-as-night-and\">“The Art of War.”</a> Never let the enemy know what you’re thinking, and always be prepared, because someone is always after you. For years, I’ve tried to keep a low profile and not be too visible, because then all of a sudden, people will put a target on your back. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"TOMSOKCNVRHQFGUWIUN2WJSLBU","type":"divider"},{"_id":"ZN3TK6OT6ZFIDEWDOUQFVCPYWM","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>AJC Her+Story is a series in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlighting women founders, creators, executives and professionals. It is about building a community. Know someone the AJC should feature in AJC Her+Story? Email us at </i><a href=\"mailto:herstory@ajc.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>herstory@ajc.com</i></a><i> with your suggestions. Check out more of our AJC Her+Story coverage at </i><a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>ajc.com/herstory</i></a><i>.</i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"kelly-yamanouchi","type":"author","version":"0.5.8","name":"Kelly Yamanouchi","image":{"url":"https://author-service-images-prod-us-east-1.publishing.aws.arc.pub/ajc/5f92eb8c-65ec-4d6b-905f-1943f365f66f.png","version":"0.5.8"},"description":"As Deputy Editor for business, Kelly Yamanouchi edits and writes business stories. 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(Arvin Temkar/AJC)","copyright":"Copyright 2026 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","created_date":"2026-04-15T17:15:21Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"Arvin Temkar/AJC","type":"author"}],"by":[{"name":"Arvin Temkar","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"46cae676-4989-4b34-bc9b-906e8e9b6d59"},"geo":{},"height":2000,"image_type":"photograph","last_updated_date":"2026-05-07T20:49:17Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc","sponsored":false},"slug":"aajc 041526 Joy Rohadfox","source":{"name":"AJC Freelancer","source_id":"Freelancer/aajc 041526 Joy Rohadfox filed 0003.JPG","source_type":"freelance","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/SHZNLSTEWFHXNMCPMRALNJ22IA","system":"AJC Freelancer"},"subtitle":"Joy Rohadfox Her+Story profile\r\r","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":["69d963513315424f251fb564"]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/SHZNLSTEWFHXNMCPMRALNJ22IA.JPG?auth=09502ba3ca03e5dff0a991803466a29bc707511bbdf244d524445f48e5628ceb","version":"0.10.9","width":3000,"focal_point":{"x":1516,"y":953}}}],"id":"69ca8d5ba9805180564e0974","blockName":"Main Article Card / Type 2 /1:1 Image "},{"blockType":"app-content","PackageTitle":"","hidePackageTitle":false,"displayconfig":"ArticleCardType3","ListMenuHierarchy":"","MostReadFeed":"","MostReadNumber":5,"populateBy":"collection-content-api","mustIncludeThumbnail":false,"collectionId":"GX5JLHZLTZGL3GTJFHLR3JKOQM","onlyIncludeThisType":"","canonicalWebsites":{"ajc":false,"uatl":false,"dawgnation":false,"access-atlanta":false},"daysBack":30,"size":3,"from":10,"mustIncludeAllTags":"no","content":[{"canonical_url":"/herstory/2026/05/care-packages-have-fed-the-hungry-abroad-now-some-go-to-atlantas-needy/","canonical_website":"ajc","content_elements":[{"_id":"JEVJV45IOFBMZKTUM66CIKFIUQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"For most of its history, Atlanta-based CARE has been dedicated to humanitarian aid outside our borders, sending its signature CARE packages and help to people in poverty and crisis in countries around the world.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LPCP2RFJCRAGPFBEIUL22KS4HY","additional_properties":{},"content":"It <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/2026/02/80-years-of-care-nonprofit-with-wwii-roots-navigates-huge-foreign-aid-cuts/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/2026/02/80-years-of-care-nonprofit-with-wwii-roots-navigates-huge-foreign-aid-cuts/\">started with CARE packages of food sent to people who were starving in war-torn Europe in 1946</a>, and expanded to fight global<b> </b>poverty and assist in crisis relief.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LO24PZFIQRFS5CP547E7WDLLTI","additional_properties":{},"content":"But circumstances have changed. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"A5LPYQD2Z5ENJEUYBIDMXTDBSY","additional_properties":{},"content":"CARE, which this week <a href=\"https://www.care.org/about-us/our-history/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.care.org/about-us/our-history/\">marks 80 years since the first CARE package was delivered</a>, has pivoted over the last several years to <a href=\"https://www.care.org/media-and-press/care-celebrates-80-years-by-delivering-the-next-generation-of-care-package-kits/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.care.org/media-and-press/care-celebrates-80-years-by-delivering-the-next-generation-of-care-package-kits/\">add a focus on domestic aid</a> — including in its hometown of Atlanta.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LH4ZKOWDRRB3XGGYEWISUTXOUY","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/LH4ZKOWDRRB3XGGYEWISUTXOUY.jpg?auth=4d7dbd7d45d93b400e9c9d00dd450b0b2e4310ef589d0c7855c581953376c204","galleries":[],"ingestionMethod":"manual","iptc_source":"CARE","keywords":["family","food relief","historic","history","second world war"],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"RS2716_DEU-HIST-CARE-099.jpg","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/LH4ZKOWDRRB3XGGYEWISUTXOUY.jpg","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/LH4ZKOWDRRB3XGGYEWISUTXOUY.jpg?auth=4d7dbd7d45d93b400e9c9d00dd450b0b2e4310ef589d0c7855c581953376c204","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/LH4ZKOWDRRB3XGGYEWISUTXOUY.jpg?auth=4d7dbd7d45d93b400e9c9d00dd450b0b2e4310ef589d0c7855c581953376c204","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2015-07-29T21:44:47Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/LH4ZKOWDRRB3XGGYEWISUTXOUY.jpg?auth=4d7dbd7d45d93b400e9c9d00dd450b0b2e4310ef589d0c7855c581953376c204&width=300","version":0,"template_id":594,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"4d7dbd7d45d93b400e9c9d00dd450b0b2e4310ef589d0c7855c581953376c204"},"caption":"Over the rubble of war-battered Berlin, a father is carrying home a CARE food package. (Courtesy of CARE)","copyright":"© CARE","created_date":"2021-06-25T22:03:22Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"CARE","type":"author"}],"by":[{"byline":"CARE","name":"CARE","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019"},"height":2743,"image_type":"photograph","last_updated_date":"2021-06-25T22:03:22Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc","sponsored":false},"source":{"name":"AJC","source_type":"staff","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/LH4ZKOWDRRB3XGGYEWISUTXOUY","system":"photo center"},"subtitle":"75 years later, spirit of CARE Packages also soothes those in U.S.","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":[]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/LH4ZKOWDRRB3XGGYEWISUTXOUY.jpg?auth=4d7dbd7d45d93b400e9c9d00dd450b0b2e4310ef589d0c7855c581953376c204","version":"0.10.9","width":3000,"syndication":{},"creditIPTC":"CARE"},{"_id":"YQUBKWEJFFHHTAZQTV6L65KKEE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The domestic focus started with CARE packages of food delivered to people in need during the COVID-19 pandemic in cities around the U.S. It expanded to disaster response.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NLB4CCT3DFBD5KYTOSEAIZ4EGY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Then last year, the nonprofit had to <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/2025/05/care-other-georgia-humanitarian-organizations-lay-off-staff-lower-wages/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/2025/05/care-other-georgia-humanitarian-organizations-lay-off-staff-lower-wages/\">slash its workforce globally after sharp cuts in U.S. foreign aid</a> by the Trump administration. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5MF2VHQ2V5GZ5AIAY3LBQ6XOS4","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/5MF2VHQ2V5GZ5AIAY3LBQ6XOS4.jpg?auth=b198fa61ff99bc37a426cc463b7f16fe9a17b88cfc13522c70ec8d252df9e299","galleries":[],"ingestionMethod":"manual","iptc_source":"Laura Noel","keywords":["bethel's heavenly hands","houston","partner","texas"],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"RS77487_USA_2021_LN_2_H_001-224.jpg","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/5MF2VHQ2V5GZ5AIAY3LBQ6XOS4.jpg","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/5MF2VHQ2V5GZ5AIAY3LBQ6XOS4.jpg?auth=b198fa61ff99bc37a426cc463b7f16fe9a17b88cfc13522c70ec8d252df9e299","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/5MF2VHQ2V5GZ5AIAY3LBQ6XOS4.jpg?auth=b198fa61ff99bc37a426cc463b7f16fe9a17b88cfc13522c70ec8d252df9e299","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2021-02-23T23:08:21Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/5MF2VHQ2V5GZ5AIAY3LBQ6XOS4.jpg?auth=b198fa61ff99bc37a426cc463b7f16fe9a17b88cfc13522c70ec8d252df9e299&width=300","version":0,"template_id":594,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"b198fa61ff99bc37a426cc463b7f16fe9a17b88cfc13522c70ec8d252df9e299"},"caption":"Gabby Dirden, a CARE contractor, helps Walter Ballard collect food and water for his family during Bethel's Heavenly Hands food and water distribution in Houston, Texas, on February 25, 2021. Hundreds of people received much needed food and water. The need was even greater following snowstorms that disrupted power and water service to much of Houston. Bethel's Heavenly Hands is a CARE partner. (Photo by Laura Noel/CARE)","copyright":"© 2021  Laura Noel/CARE","created_date":"2021-06-25T21:59:03Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"Laura Noel","type":"author"}],"by":[{"byline":"Laura Noel/CARE","name":"Laura Noel/CARE","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019"},"height":1761,"image_type":"photograph","last_updated_date":"2021-06-25T21:59:03Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc","sponsored":false},"source":{"name":"AJC","source_type":"staff","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/5MF2VHQ2V5GZ5AIAY3LBQ6XOS4","system":"photo center"},"subtitle":"75 years later, spirit of CARE Packages also soothes those in U.S.","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":[]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/5MF2VHQ2V5GZ5AIAY3LBQ6XOS4.jpg?auth=b198fa61ff99bc37a426cc463b7f16fe9a17b88cfc13522c70ec8d252df9e299","version":"0.10.9","width":3000,"syndication":{},"creditIPTC":"Laura Noel"},{"_id":"HM6VKPBVC5A2TCLELLGWKM5FLI","additional_properties":{},"content":"And there is <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2025/09/federal-budget-cuts-threaten-pregnant-womens-health-care-access-and-lives/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2025/09/federal-budget-cuts-threaten-pregnant-womens-health-care-access-and-lives/\">plenty of need right here at home.</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ER3UXYCKRFAPPNRYLFIKDFFT4U","additional_properties":{},"content":"So now, CARE has a pilot program dedicated to helping expectant mothers in Atlanta, as well as in Albany. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"V2DHPJ63SJDT5H2TX4JINGHQLA","additional_properties":{},"content":"CARE is known for its work globally, but the organization decided, “Let’s focus on <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/health-news/cdc-hopes-31-million-will-help-reduce-georgias-high-maternal-mortality-rate/GPUEKHFCFVGH3NS2SAEDLKT6E4/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/health-news/cdc-hopes-31-million-will-help-reduce-georgias-high-maternal-mortality-rate/GPUEKHFCFVGH3NS2SAEDLKT6E4/\">the women in our own backyard</a>,” said Gabrielle Dirden, director of implementation U.S. programs for CARE.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6GMZEY3DUBBQ3JZC7QLCISZTUI","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"Health experts: Axing CDC research on maternal health a ‘huge’ step backward","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/news/health-news/experts-call-cdc-maternal-health-research-cuts-a-huge-step-backward/GQFOTYU5GZHF3BX5AERJAVNZZQ/"},{"_id":"CDM662HKZBCPBK4TSQAMIVJO2Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"At a rooftop gathering in West Midtown this week, dozens of women gathered for an event to hear about CARE’s focus on <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/politics/2025/10/georgia-women-face-geographic-gaps-in-prenatal-care/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/politics/2025/10/georgia-women-face-geographic-gaps-in-prenatal-care/\">maternal health</a> and prepare 200 CARE packages for mothers that are part of the nonprofit’s pilot program in Georgia. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"CZREGZ6RPVBX7HPQZN3UDG2IAU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Into bags emblazoned with the CARE logo went baby wipes, socks, a manual breast pump, a teething toy and other items. Some of the items were contributed by <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/life/celebrities/idris-elbas-daughter-iced-him-out-after-not-landing-a-role-in-beast/MOQO3JSXJNDAJP6X4ZJX6QRPH4/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/life/celebrities/idris-elbas-daughter-iced-him-out-after-not-landing-a-role-in-beast/MOQO3JSXJNDAJP6X4ZJX6QRPH4/\">Isan Elba, the daughter of actor Idris Elba</a> who partnered with CARE for the event, and her nonprofit Beauty Forward.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F542YWO64RF7PHNAWXCRKN2WCA","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/F542YWO64RF7PHNAWXCRKN2WCA.jpeg?auth=9eeb9f3f4ccd5ec9e36fbe3a8a472e9bdb49c8c6ee87dd9594530fde545e68d7","galleries":[],"ingestionMethod":"manual","keywords":[],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"IMG_9675.jpeg","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/F542YWO64RF7PHNAWXCRKN2WCA.jpeg","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/F542YWO64RF7PHNAWXCRKN2WCA.jpeg?auth=9eeb9f3f4ccd5ec9e36fbe3a8a472e9bdb49c8c6ee87dd9594530fde545e68d7","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/F542YWO64RF7PHNAWXCRKN2WCA.jpeg?auth=9eeb9f3f4ccd5ec9e36fbe3a8a472e9bdb49c8c6ee87dd9594530fde545e68d7","restricted":false,"thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/F542YWO64RF7PHNAWXCRKN2WCA.jpeg?auth=9eeb9f3f4ccd5ec9e36fbe3a8a472e9bdb49c8c6ee87dd9594530fde545e68d7&width=300","version":0,"template_id":594,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"9eeb9f3f4ccd5ec9e36fbe3a8a472e9bdb49c8c6ee87dd9594530fde545e68d7"},"caption":"Volunteers assemble CARE packages to help mothers in CARE's maternal health program. (Kelly Yamanouchi/AJC)","created_date":"2026-05-13T17:22:04Z","credits":{"affiliation":[],"by":[{"byline":"Kelly Yamanouchi","name":"Kelly Yamanouchi","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019"},"height":3024,"image_type":"photograph","last_updated_date":"2026-05-13T17:22:04Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc","sponsored":false},"source":{"name":"AJC","source_type":"staff","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/F542YWO64RF7PHNAWXCRKN2WCA","system":"photo center"},"subtitle":"CARE maternal health pilot program","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":[]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/F542YWO64RF7PHNAWXCRKN2WCA.jpeg?auth=9eeb9f3f4ccd5ec9e36fbe3a8a472e9bdb49c8c6ee87dd9594530fde545e68d7","version":"0.10.9","width":4032,"syndication":{}},{"_id":"SMDA5JZ26RFF5JAWJSPTP2F7SM","additional_properties":{},"content":"“It was energizing” to put together the CARE packages, said Tameka Mitchell, a <a href=\"https://psichapters.com/ga/#toggle-id-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://psichapters.com/ga/#toggle-id-1\">board member of Postpartum Support International’s Georgia chapter</a> who participated in the event at Retreat by The Gathering Spot. As a mother of two, she said she knows “these small things make a huge difference.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"EZIXOLFXTRENBIV4I7VJWUUIAY","additional_properties":{},"content":"The mothers in the program also get pre- and post-natal <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2026/04/investing-in-doulas-would-go-a-long-way-to-improving-maternal-health-in-georgia/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2026/04/investing-in-doulas-would-go-a-long-way-to-improving-maternal-health-in-georgia/\">support</a> from the <a href=\"https://centerformaternalhealth-equity.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://centerformaternalhealth-equity.org/\">Morehouse School of Medicine’s Center for Maternal Health Equity</a>, ride credits for transportation to appointments from Lyft, food from the Atlanta Community Food Bank, well-being support funded by the UPS Foundation and cash assistance.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EHDUPPEQCBDOTA6UCK4VP5H4CE","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"More from AJC Her+Story","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory"},{"_id":"FKOEXIWLXJCZNMRSEKBH45VIFE","additional_properties":{},"content":"“One of the things that all of us have in common is that we all have a mother,” said Valerie Montgomery Rice, president of the Morehouse School of Medicine and a CARE board member. “When we protect mothers, we protect our future.” In Georgia, she added, “We have too high of an incidence of maternal mortality and morbidity.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NXNQSF4PZZHXRBAMLQO6VDAQXQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"A <a href=\"https://dph.georgia.gov/maternal-mortality\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://dph.georgia.gov/maternal-mortality\">report from the Georgia Department of Public Health</a> showed there were 141 pregnancy-related deaths in the state from 2020 to 2022, and 87% had at least some chance of being prevented.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KWPYAH3EJJEXZDNBRMN2LLG4L4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Georgia is one of the 10 states with the highest rates of pregnancy-related deaths in the country, according to the <a href=\"https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2025/jul/maternal-mortality-united-states-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2025/jul/maternal-mortality-united-states-2025\">Commonwealth Fund, citing CDC data</a>. Most of the other 10 states are also in the Deep South.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7EH6OAE3PZBN3L3Q7KZL2XHEFU","content":"<div class=\"infogram-embed\" data-id=\"45fe174c-330f-4b22-8d9b-bc67b90bf302\" data-type=\"interactive\" data-title=\"Maternal Mortality in the United States, 2025: Exhibit 4\"></div><script>!function(e,n,i,s){var d=\"InfogramEmbeds\";var o=e.getElementsByTagName(n)[0];if(window[d]&&window[d].initialized)window[d].process&&window[d].process();else if(!e.getElementById(i)){var r=e.createElement(n);r.async=1,r.id=i,r.src=s,o.parentNode.insertBefore(r,o)}}(document,\"script\",\"infogram-async\",\"https://e.infogram.com/js/dist/embed-loader-min.js\");</script>","type":"raw_html"},{"_id":"OODYNQBTRFDS3PKGMOA26A45OQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"CARE started its two-year maternal health pilot program for Georgia in January 2025 through a partnership with the AbbVie Foundation, a health equity nonprofit.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HJHTOKQYJBF4DG6WW3ACEUPSFU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Last year’s federal funding cuts created a lot of challenges, “but I also think that there is a story of resilience,” said CARE President and CEO Michelle Nunn. She said organizations are “reimagining the future with lighter footprints” and more collaboration.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PIUFEAJFUJGK7NPVTIB5FMPV6M","additional_properties":{},"content":"For the maternal health program, Dirden said, “the hope is that we expand across the Southeast United States and make more of an impact.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"WLGWAJNKLRAH5CGQXVNJE2TD6A","additional_properties":{},"content":"Beyond Georgia, Mississippi has <a href=\"https://umc.edu/news/News_Articles/2025/06/Maternal-Health.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://umc.edu/news/News_Articles/2025/06/Maternal-Health.html\">one of the highest rates of pregnancy-related deaths</a>, for example. “The alarming rates of <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2026/04/my-daughter-a-doctor-studied-health-inequity-georgias-system-let-her-die/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2026/04/my-daughter-a-doctor-studied-health-inequity-georgias-system-let-her-die/\">maternal mortality</a> should truly make us all uncomfortable,” Dirden said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ANONWIC6KNFT7KDVP3GKIDZYFE","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/ANONWIC6KNFT7KDVP3GKIDZYFE.jpg?auth=8370b93d607a1992ef0ebe4c56f9eb8d5bc76e048d0adc2bb9b7a384c9947ce7","galleries":[],"ingestionMethod":"manual","keywords":[],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"Ravi podium.jpg","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/ANONWIC6KNFT7KDVP3GKIDZYFE.jpg","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/ANONWIC6KNFT7KDVP3GKIDZYFE.jpg?auth=8370b93d607a1992ef0ebe4c56f9eb8d5bc76e048d0adc2bb9b7a384c9947ce7","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/ANONWIC6KNFT7KDVP3GKIDZYFE.jpg?auth=8370b93d607a1992ef0ebe4c56f9eb8d5bc76e048d0adc2bb9b7a384c9947ce7","restricted":false,"thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/ANONWIC6KNFT7KDVP3GKIDZYFE.jpg?auth=8370b93d607a1992ef0ebe4c56f9eb8d5bc76e048d0adc2bb9b7a384c9947ce7&width=300","version":2,"template_id":594,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"8370b93d607a1992ef0ebe4c56f9eb8d5bc76e048d0adc2bb9b7a384c9947ce7"},"caption":"Maternal health leaders and workers in Georgia and elsewhere convened at an Emory University conference on maternal mortality at the Emory Conference Center Hotel on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023. (Courtesy of Emory University, by Jenni Girtman)","created_date":"2023-11-29T23:12:04Z","credits":{"by":[{"byline":"Courtesy of Emory University","name":"Courtesy of Emory University","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019"},"geo":{},"height":213,"image_type":"photograph","last_updated_date":"2023-11-29T23:21:39Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc","sponsored":false},"slug":"AAJC 113023 HX Emory survey","source":{"name":"AJC","source_type":"staff","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/ANONWIC6KNFT7KDVP3GKIDZYFE","system":"photo center"},"subtitle":"AAJC 113023 HX Emory survey","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":[]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/ANONWIC6KNFT7KDVP3GKIDZYFE.jpg?auth=8370b93d607a1992ef0ebe4c56f9eb8d5bc76e048d0adc2bb9b7a384c9947ce7","version":"0.10.9","width":320,"syndication":{},"editor_note":"Uploaded by Ariel Hart"},{"_id":"WS4MWHUVPJFNFHKEMATQ7425LE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Natalie Hernandez-Green, executive director of the Center for Maternal Health Equity at the Morehouse School of Medicine, said the problem is rooted in <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/black-mamas-deserve-better/2SRPEUUBWVA77GZZJ7W4ZER7XU/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/black-mamas-deserve-better/2SRPEUUBWVA77GZZJ7W4ZER7XU/\">structural inequities.</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"T54LN5QTLFCV3O2Y5YZHGB6YUA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women, <a href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/womens-health/features/maternal-mortality.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.cdc.gov/womens-health/features/maternal-mortality.html\">according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2024</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VPGD6TNRABEFBNY52XW542OGVY","additional_properties":{},"content":"“We need holistic care around the mental and the physical health of Black women,” Hernandez-Green said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OX6G44GY5BBS7JQQEF5GXO23TU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Access to care is also a barrier. <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/health-news/more-than-40-of-georgias-counties-are-maternity-care-deserts/YTIJE6RD5ZHEFNKXU3XDQHBSXY/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/health-news/more-than-40-of-georgias-counties-are-maternity-care-deserts/YTIJE6RD5ZHEFNKXU3XDQHBSXY/\">A 2024 report by the March of Dimes</a> found more than 40% of Georgia’s counties were “maternity care deserts,” without maternity care providers or birthing facilities. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"RZLVKCIWLRAGLP6VM6NT3ZH47M","additional_properties":{},"content":"With its work on disaster response and <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2026/04/investing-in-doulas-would-go-a-long-way-to-improving-maternal-health-in-georgia/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2026/04/investing-in-doulas-would-go-a-long-way-to-improving-maternal-health-in-georgia/\">maternal health</a>, CARE now aims to deliver CARE packages to 1 million people in the U.S. by 2030, focusing on supplies for mothers and young children.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PPLUXWB2XZF5HNPHJLSTAQPQFI","additional_properties":{},"content":"“For the first 75 years, CARE supported people all around the world,” said Jack Hardin, a partner at law firm Smith, Gambrell &amp; Russell, who with his wife Caroline founded a CARE donor group. “But what we’re recognizing is that we have people who are seriously prevented from having access to the benefits of our society.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"E57643LAA5EMJJMJY6BQUSPA7Q","type":"divider"},{"_id":"SGG4KXHJMFEXBIVJHJDQIIPWNM","additional_properties":{},"content":"The evolution of CARE packages","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"SKBCZLGEKZHLNJWRMY5VECPGTU","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>1946 — The original CARE packages, Europe</b>: Instant coffee, canned meat, pitted prunes, chocolate and other items.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TYXZ6NVHQFGK7EH355YIRXCVBE","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/TYXZ6NVHQFGK7EH355YIRXCVBE.jpg?auth=078714cd1ced782238491cf8715a79b060218347eddf11a203bf346df4b820a1","galleries":[],"ingestionMethod":"manual","iptc_source":"CARE","keywords":["food relief","history","second world war","typical care package","usa"],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"CARE historical photo.jpg","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/TYXZ6NVHQFGK7EH355YIRXCVBE.jpg","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/TYXZ6NVHQFGK7EH355YIRXCVBE.jpg?auth=078714cd1ced782238491cf8715a79b060218347eddf11a203bf346df4b820a1","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/TYXZ6NVHQFGK7EH355YIRXCVBE.jpg?auth=078714cd1ced782238491cf8715a79b060218347eddf11a203bf346df4b820a1","restricted":false,"thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/TYXZ6NVHQFGK7EH355YIRXCVBE.jpg?auth=078714cd1ced782238491cf8715a79b060218347eddf11a203bf346df4b820a1&width=300","version":0,"template_id":594,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"078714cd1ced782238491cf8715a79b060218347eddf11a203bf346df4b820a1"},"caption":"Contents of a typical CARE package. German civilians called the planes dropping the boxes “raisin bombers.” (Courtesy of CARE)","created_date":"2026-05-14T16:19:21Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"CARE","type":"author"}],"by":[{"byline":"CARE","name":"CARE","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019"},"height":800,"image_type":"photograph","last_updated_date":"2026-05-14T16:19:21Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc","sponsored":false},"source":{"name":"AJC","source_type":"staff","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/TYXZ6NVHQFGK7EH355YIRXCVBE","system":"photo center"},"subtitle":"CARE package","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":[]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/TYXZ6NVHQFGK7EH355YIRXCVBE.jpg?auth=078714cd1ced782238491cf8715a79b060218347eddf11a203bf346df4b820a1","version":"0.10.9","width":1001,"syndication":{},"creditIPTC":"CARE","vanity_credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"Courtesy of CARE","type":"author"}]}},{"_id":"S2JMABJXSFH2PAEKHJQLFD547I","additional_properties":{},"content":"In later years, CARE packages expanded to other regions in need.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YIGS3GVBH32XVN53VPQXHTXL3Q","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/YIGS3GVBH32XVN53VPQXHTXL3Q.jpg?auth=2cd571d21c10ae712b08610eb60d211ddf17f39a357ee02e23483a0bc4f9337d","galleries":[],"keywords":["politics","politicsajc","politicsajclede","ga-government.ajc","georgia-news-ajc","ajc top news"],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"https://www.ajc.com//rw/Pub/p9/AJC/2018/02/13/Images/Care%20Package%202(1).JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/YIGS3GVBH32XVN53VPQXHTXL3Q.jpg","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/YIGS3GVBH32XVN53VPQXHTXL3Q.jpg?auth=2cd571d21c10ae712b08610eb60d211ddf17f39a357ee02e23483a0bc4f9337d","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/YIGS3GVBH32XVN53VPQXHTXL3Q.jpg?auth=2cd571d21c10ae712b08610eb60d211ddf17f39a357ee02e23483a0bc4f9337d","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2018-02-13T14:25:53Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/YIGS3GVBH32XVN53VPQXHTXL3Q.jpg?auth=2cd571d21c10ae712b08610eb60d211ddf17f39a357ee02e23483a0bc4f9337d&width=300","version":0,"alt_text":"","link":""},"auth":{"1":"2cd571d21c10ae712b08610eb60d211ddf17f39a357ee02e23483a0bc4f9337d"},"caption":"The typical contents of a CARE Package included 5 pounds of milk powder, 7 pounds of cheese, 5 pounds of rice and 5 pounds of beans. (AJC file)","created_date":"2020-06-28T14:39:26Z","credits":{"by":[{"byline":"HANDOUT","name":"HANDOUT","type":"author","affiliation":"special","slug":"handout"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019"},"height":2310,"last_updated_date":"2020-06-28T14:39:26Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc"},"source":{"source_id":"cc338340-10c9-11e8-9af5-1514438713cb","source_type":"other","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"system":"Methode"},"subtitle":"Sonny Perdue defends Trump plan to shift from food stamps to ‘CARE’ packages for poor","type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/YIGS3GVBH32XVN53VPQXHTXL3Q.jpg?auth=2cd571d21c10ae712b08610eb60d211ddf17f39a357ee02e23483a0bc4f9337d","version":"0.10.9","width":3000,"display_date":"2018-02-13T14:25:53Z","workflow":{"status_code":4},"first_publish_date":"2018-02-13T14:25:53Z","publish_date":"2018-02-13T14:25:53Z"},{"_id":"AMKTTLDZVRBJLMQMADF7VGA5WM","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>2020 — COVID-19 pandemic, U.S.</b>: Apples, peanut butter, cereal, a microwaveable meal, nonperishable items, bread, desserts and different types of meat, such as chicken, pork and beef.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XZQZUDZ4FXXM6TDHEXLHG3NRZA","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/XZQZUDZ4FXXM6TDHEXLHG3NRZA.png?auth=412d50b026dcfb49f3fb934d0a30af5f522fd290b52a0448b5aa9ab173d4e20e","galleries":[],"keywords":["metro-news.ajc","coronavirus","coronavirus-helping","atlanta-news-metro.ajc","nonprofits"],"mime_type":"image/png","originalName":"https://www.ajc.com//rw/Pub/p11/AJC/2020/06/12/Images/care%20packages.png","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/XZQZUDZ4FXXM6TDHEXLHG3NRZA.png","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/XZQZUDZ4FXXM6TDHEXLHG3NRZA.png?auth=412d50b026dcfb49f3fb934d0a30af5f522fd290b52a0448b5aa9ab173d4e20e","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/XZQZUDZ4FXXM6TDHEXLHG3NRZA.png?auth=412d50b026dcfb49f3fb934d0a30af5f522fd290b52a0448b5aa9ab173d4e20e","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2020-06-12T15:43:19Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/XZQZUDZ4FXXM6TDHEXLHG3NRZA.png?auth=412d50b026dcfb49f3fb934d0a30af5f522fd290b52a0448b5aa9ab173d4e20e&width=300","version":0,"alt_text":"","link":""},"auth":{"1":"412d50b026dcfb49f3fb934d0a30af5f522fd290b52a0448b5aa9ab173d4e20e"},"caption":"CARE packages contained a range of foods for vulnerable families impacted by COVID-19. Atlanta-based CARE relaunched its CARE Package Program during the pandemic, the first time it is operating in the U.S. since the program was created after World War II. (File)","created_date":"2020-06-30T02:25:26Z","credits":{},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019"},"height":653,"last_updated_date":"2020-06-30T02:25:26Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc"},"source":{"source_id":"703a939c-acc3-11ea-9369-c7c08300c5bb","source_type":"other","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"system":"Methode"},"subtitle":"Atlanta-based CARE revives package program to fight COVID-19","type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/XZQZUDZ4FXXM6TDHEXLHG3NRZA.png?auth=412d50b026dcfb49f3fb934d0a30af5f522fd290b52a0448b5aa9ab173d4e20e","version":"0.10.9","width":1280,"display_date":"2020-06-12T15:43:19Z","workflow":{"status_code":4},"first_publish_date":"2020-06-12T15:43:19Z","publish_date":"2020-06-12T15:43:19Z"},{"_id":"4RJVPOWZVNFKNJWFRUTGDLWPGE","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>2026 — Maternal health pilot program, Atlanta and Albany, Georgia</b>: Baby shampoo and body wash, baby wipes, hand soap, socks, hand sanitizer, manual breast pump, teething toy, blanket, bags for breast milk, lip balm, fragrance, lotion.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VCMEZMMU2NDGHHT42MC7MIHTEU","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/VCMEZMMU2NDGHHT42MC7MIHTEU.jpeg?auth=41749021b3b58f07d664afb7b569b1612cd39c0a461fd1a781109170c1199f3c","galleries":[],"ingestionMethod":"manual","keywords":[],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"IMG_9672 (1).jpeg","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/VCMEZMMU2NDGHHT42MC7MIHTEU.jpeg","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/VCMEZMMU2NDGHHT42MC7MIHTEU.jpeg?auth=41749021b3b58f07d664afb7b569b1612cd39c0a461fd1a781109170c1199f3c","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/VCMEZMMU2NDGHHT42MC7MIHTEU.jpeg?auth=41749021b3b58f07d664afb7b569b1612cd39c0a461fd1a781109170c1199f3c","restricted":false,"thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/VCMEZMMU2NDGHHT42MC7MIHTEU.jpeg?auth=41749021b3b58f07d664afb7b569b1612cd39c0a461fd1a781109170c1199f3c&width=300","version":0,"template_id":594,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"41749021b3b58f07d664afb7b569b1612cd39c0a461fd1a781109170c1199f3c"},"caption":"Items to be packed into CARE packages for the not-for-profit's maternal health program.","created_date":"2026-05-13T17:30:37Z","credits":{"affiliation":[],"by":[{"byline":"Kelly Yamanouchi","name":"Kelly Yamanouchi","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019"},"height":1495,"image_type":"photograph","last_updated_date":"2026-05-13T17:30:37Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc","sponsored":false},"source":{"name":"AJC","source_type":"staff","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/VCMEZMMU2NDGHHT42MC7MIHTEU","system":"photo center"},"subtitle":"CARE package","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":[]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/VCMEZMMU2NDGHHT42MC7MIHTEU.jpeg?auth=41749021b3b58f07d664afb7b569b1612cd39c0a461fd1a781109170c1199f3c","version":"0.10.9","width":2658,"syndication":{}},{"_id":"S7MYPE47LJEZHKQ7JPSGHZEOZA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>Source: CARE, AJC research</i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"GTTZOC3I6NGS5GFIMREJ2TVHEQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>AJC Her+Story is a series in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlighting women founders, creators, executives and professionals. It is about building a community. Know someone the AJC should feature in AJC Her+Story? Email us at </i><a href=\"mailto:herstory@ajc.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>herstory@ajc.com</i></a><i> with your suggestions. Check out more of our AJC Her+Story coverage at </i><a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>ajc.com/herstory</i></a><i>.</i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"kelly-yamanouchi","type":"author","version":"0.5.8","name":"Kelly Yamanouchi","image":{"url":"https://author-service-images-prod-us-east-1.publishing.aws.arc.pub/ajc/5f92eb8c-65ec-4d6b-905f-1943f365f66f.png","version":"0.5.8"},"description":"As Deputy Editor for business, Kelly Yamanouchi edits and writes business stories. ","url":"https://www.ajc.com/staff/kelly-yamanouchi/","social_links":[{"site":"email","url":"kelly.yamanouchi@ajc.com"},{"site":"facebook","url":"https://www.facebook.com/atlantaairportnewsnow/"},{"site":"twitter","url":"https://twitter.com/atlairportnews"}],"socialLinks":[{"site":"email","url":"kelly.yamanouchi@ajc.com","deprecated":true,"deprecation_msg":"Please use social_links."},{"site":"facebook","url":"https://www.facebook.com/atlantaairportnewsnow/","deprecated":true,"deprecation_msg":"Please use social_links."},{"site":"twitter","url":"https://twitter.com/atlairportnews","deprecated":true,"deprecation_msg":"Please use social_links."}],"additional_properties":{"original":{"_id":"kelly-yamanouchi","byline":"Kelly Yamanouchi","org":"ajc","email":"kelly.yamanouchi@ajc.com","affiliations":"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","role":"Business reporter","status":true,"bio":"As Deputy Editor for business, Kelly Yamanouchi edits and writes business stories. ","firstName":"Kelly","lastName":"Yamanouchi","longBio":"As Deputy Editor for business, Kelly Yamanouchi edits and write business stories. She started at the AJC in 2008, joining the paper from the Denver Post. 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(Courtesy of CARE)","copyright":"© CARE","created_date":"2021-06-25T22:02:02Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"CARE","type":"author"}],"by":[{"byline":"CARE","name":"CARE","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019"},"height":4486,"image_type":"photograph","last_updated_date":"2021-06-25T22:02:02Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc","sponsored":false},"source":{"name":"AJC","source_type":"staff","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/GDRTVKYLV5E3DAFZPKJGJDWDAQ","system":"photo center"},"subtitle":"75 years later, spirit of CARE Packages also soothes those in U.S.","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":[]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/GDRTVKYLV5E3DAFZPKJGJDWDAQ.jpg?auth=4bcc5d4d9598667e0b11807369754afae9b535695ecb82557916ee46f715ed93","version":"0.10.9","width":5906,"syndication":{},"creditIPTC":"CARE","focal_point":{"x":2849,"y":2223}}},{"canonical_url":"/herstory/2026/05/behind-the-scenes-of-the-atlanta-dream-women-also-lead/","canonical_website":"ajc","content_elements":[{"_id":"IJSKAYB7WRHTJBIDJIKEVA3DWM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Inside a weekly leadership team meeting at the Atlanta Dream’s front office in West Midtown well before the start of the season, a big list of priorities was on the agenda: the WNBA free agency period when they <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/2026/04/dream-scenario-atlanta-acquires-two-time-all-star-angel-reese-in-trade/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/2026/04/dream-scenario-atlanta-acquires-two-time-all-star-angel-reese-in-trade/\">ultimately traded to bring star Angel Reese to the team</a>, arena readiness and ticket sales, to name a few.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R3ITMRTNRJFH3NW3FHDTMQZHO4","additional_properties":{},"content":"At this conference table, like the Dream on the court, the action is dominated by women. Ten of the 13 leaders in the room are female.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4KMUSRXVQVFAHGAFKITGGWEASE","additional_properties":{},"content":"“It’s great to see <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/former-suns-assistant-nicki-collen-named-atlanta-dream-head-coach/ONeOD6Aq6yDsqUigtjMrkM/?page_id=105725&amp;page_id=105725&amp;mobile=&amp;mobile=&amp;season=2026&amp;month=all&amp;location=all&amp;opponent=all\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/former-suns-assistant-nicki-collen-named-atlanta-dream-head-coach/ONeOD6Aq6yDsqUigtjMrkM/?page_id=105725&amp;page_id=105725&amp;mobile=&amp;mobile=&amp;season=2026&amp;month=all&amp;location=all&amp;opponent=all\">women in powerful positions</a> and to show people that you’re able to do many, many things and be very, very good at all of them,” said Brooklyn Cartwright, assistant general manager and a five-year veteran in the team’s front office. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"CAIJFRTADZD65ESDHCDWZJPTGQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"That’s a common priority in the women’s game, she said. “And I think that’s really important for young women and girls to see. … It’s about representation.” ","type":"text"},{"_id":"WAFVXJCORNBMXAMVAU6IKHAK44","additional_properties":{},"content":"But for those who don’t come from women’s sports, it can be surprising. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"ATGGSFTIDBGYRAD7UIGUBWZX7I","additional_properties":{},"content":"“It caught me off guard when I came in as a new staff member, to walk into an organization where you see so many women on staff, so many women in leadership,” said Aisha Greenlee, the Dream’s director of community impact, who previously worked in public radio, education and at a nonprofit. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"3KBNYFIB7ZCFFAMWOQFIZEMRAY","additional_properties":{},"content":"“This is a very unique setting,” Greenlee said. “I will make a safe assumption that most people are not used to seeing this many women leading an organization.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OMOMXT4E4NHR5HPQP4ODNJMAEI","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"Dream defeat Sky as Reese faces former team","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/sports/2026/04/dream-defeats-sky-as-reese-faces-former-team/"},{"_id":"IYIGBHOJFJGYRBKFZ5VAWW2OWE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Women have long led the Dream, and today, they occupy the key roles of CEO, president, vice president, chief revenue officer, assistant general manager and assistant coaches, among others.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TDR6YOZ5NNCSLLAJCKBSN4OASQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"It’s powerful for players to “see people that look like you making the decisions every day, and people that they can relate to,” Cartwright said, showing “that we, you know, walk the walk.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XHHWMTNYOFCFRMTMRC4FF32OTE","additional_properties":{},"content":"It’s a pivotal time for the Dream, with a new WNBA labor contract boosting salaries for all players and the arrival of Reese, a <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/2026/04/dream-proclaim-angel-reese-is-the-missing-piece-and-maybe-theyre-right/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/2026/04/dream-proclaim-angel-reese-is-the-missing-piece-and-maybe-theyre-right/\">two-time All-Star with a national following</a>, expected to draw more fans and attention to the Dream.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XAIVZFNO2ZACPD7BEAU2DHRVTY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Women’s sports, basketball and soccer in particular, have seen a surge in interest in recent years. In 2025, the WNBA reached <a href=\"https://x.com/WNBAComms/status/1958544705915846669?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://x.com/WNBAComms/status/1958544705915846669?s=20\">its highest-ever single-season attendance</a>, surpassing the previous record set in 2002.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D6YVJUXJGRCYLOTO2D5XVW76GE","type":"reference","referent":{"type":"image","id":"D6YVJUXJGRCYLOTO2D5XVW76GE","provider":""}},{"_id":"HMHHA463N5DE3IG3ASIJ76FQ6I","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Dream’s build-up to this point comes after a tumultuous period that dates back to 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when players’ activism on Black Lives Matter <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/loeffler-criticizes-atlanta-dream-players-for-walk-off-protests/3DIVCTZUWBCZRC6HBRJOD3UGQQ/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/loeffler-criticizes-atlanta-dream-players-for-walk-off-protests/3DIVCTZUWBCZRC6HBRJOD3UGQQ/\">put them at odds with the team’s then-co-owner and then-U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ORFNVCBXKRGMRE4S62TA7DFRNY","additional_properties":{},"content":"“We had a really challenging history with the team before most of us that are here now had arrived,” Cartwright said. “We kind of had a lot of work to do in terms of rewriting the narrative about who is the Dream. What do we stand for?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7Q7NYW7RFEJDJPXYNF4WY5L3E","additional_properties":{},"content":"Loeffler ended up <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/sale-of-atlanta-dream-could-be-announced-today/7OAXQCPCHFHTHOW6VD4BVVX3BM/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/sale-of-atlanta-dream-could-be-announced-today/7OAXQCPCHFHTHOW6VD4BVVX3BM/\">selling the team in 2021 to an ownership group including real estate investor Larry Gottesdiener, former Dream player Renee Montgomery</a> and <a href=\"https://google.com/search?q=suzanne+abair+ceo+dream+ajc&amp;safe=active&amp;sca_esv=89d14285035c4550&amp;rlz=1C5GCEM_enUS1170US1171&amp;sxsrf=ANbL-n4qF5wnio6TzX0hncPvT-TVDxH4Rw%3A1778001679032&amp;ei=Dyf6aaDQAcCc0PEPx9qwUQ&amp;biw=1185&amp;bih=572&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjgk_Sz1KKUAxVADjQIHUctLAoQ4dUDCBM&amp;uact=5&amp;oq=suzanne+abair+ceo+dream+ajc&amp;gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiG3N1emFubmUgYWJhaXIgY2VvIGRyZWFtIGFqYzIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABSMoPUMQCWNQOcAF4AZABAJgBhgGgAeIDqgEDMC40uAEDyAEA-AEBmAIFoAKBBMICChAAGEcY1gQYsAPCAgUQIRirAsICBRAhGJ8FmAMAiAYBkAYEkgcDMS40oAfeErIHAzAuNLgH-gPCBwUwLjMuMsgHEIAIAQ&amp;sclient=gws-wiz-serp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://google.com/search?q=suzanne+abair+ceo+dream+ajc&amp;safe=active&amp;sca_esv=89d14285035c4550&amp;rlz=1C5GCEM_enUS1170US1171&amp;sxsrf=ANbL-n4qF5wnio6TzX0hncPvT-TVDxH4Rw%3A1778001679032&amp;ei=Dyf6aaDQAcCc0PEPx9qwUQ&amp;biw=1185&amp;bih=572&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjgk_Sz1KKUAxVADjQIHUctLAoQ4dUDCBM&amp;uact=5&amp;oq=suzanne+abair+ceo+dream+ajc&amp;gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiG3N1emFubmUgYWJhaXIgY2VvIGRyZWFtIGFqYzIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABSMoPUMQCWNQOcAF4AZABAJgBhgGgAeIDqgEDMC40uAEDyAEA-AEBmAIFoAKBBMICChAAGEcY1gQYsAPCAgUQIRirAsICBRAhGJ8FmAMAiAYBkAYEkgcDMS40oAfeErIHAzAuNLgH-gPCBwUwLjMuMsgHEIAIAQ&amp;sclient=gws-wiz-serp\">Suzanne Abair, who is now CEO of the Dream</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2NBOMW6PRRGDBBLOVSCMICHPIU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Since then, “we’ve been in exponential growth mode,” said Dream President and Chief Operating Officer Morgan Shaw Parker, who was <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/state-sports/dream-make-key-hire-in-adding-morgan-shaw-parker-as-president/ZEJC4BCVFVGE5LB3IWKWRCJLLE/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/state-sports/dream-make-key-hire-in-adding-morgan-shaw-parker-as-president/ZEJC4BCVFVGE5LB3IWKWRCJLLE/\">brought in by the new ownership team</a> and tasked with building the fan base and creating a diverse organization.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZE2CCDHHFFFZ3KOGJRFGJXHVTI","additional_properties":{},"content":"As Shaw Parker grew the staff from seven people in 2021 to about 70 this season, she said there was careful thought put into details like where to post job listings to best bring diversity to the front office and leadership.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4EJ2YK6VHJHIPJTUQZFNCIXYMY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Reaching the fans","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"S5JHBHS36RAS7AJQOF4G3PTF5E","additional_properties":{},"content":"Women and people from different backgrounds bring “an ability to connect the dots in different ways,” Shaw Parker said. “Intentionally building this with women first, I think you automatically get people at the table that can think about the things that these female athletes need.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IODT6QV7MBBTPMHJ3UDZ2UIOOY","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/IODT6QV7MBBTPMHJ3UDZ2UIOOY.JPG?auth=647400b91faebbedead8a5abd07aee0d2d138d85fd6a22b9441a1f9645250932","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"69c92883062c0306ce0c4dd3","iptc_source":"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","iptc_title":"Visual Journalist","keywords":["atlanta dream"],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"aajc 033026 dream meeting ABC 17.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/IODT6QV7MBBTPMHJ3UDZ2UIOOY.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/IODT6QV7MBBTPMHJ3UDZ2UIOOY.JPG?auth=647400b91faebbedead8a5abd07aee0d2d138d85fd6a22b9441a1f9645250932","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/IODT6QV7MBBTPMHJ3UDZ2UIOOY.JPG?auth=647400b91faebbedead8a5abd07aee0d2d138d85fd6a22b9441a1f9645250932","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-03-30T18:27:55Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/IODT6QV7MBBTPMHJ3UDZ2UIOOY.JPG?auth=647400b91faebbedead8a5abd07aee0d2d138d85fd6a22b9441a1f9645250932&width=300","version":1},"address":{"locality":"Atanta","region":"GA"},"auth":{"1":"647400b91faebbedead8a5abd07aee0d2d138d85fd6a22b9441a1f9645250932"},"caption":"President and Chief Operating Officer Morgan Shaw Parker listens as other Atlanta Dream executives listen during their weekly leadership meeting at the Dream office in Atlanta on Monday, March 30, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)","copyright":"Copyright 2026 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","created_date":"2026-03-31T19:31:45Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"Abbey Cutrer/AJC","type":"author"}],"by":[{"name":"Abbey Cutrer","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"46cae676-4989-4b34-bc9b-906e8e9b6d59"},"height":2503,"last_updated_date":"2026-03-31T19:31:46Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc"},"slug":"aajc 033026 dream meeting","source":{"name":"AJC Freelancer","source_id":"Freelancer/aajc 033026 dream meeting ABC 17.JPG","source_type":"freelance","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/IODT6QV7MBBTPMHJ3UDZ2UIOOY","system":"AJC Freelancer"},"subtitle":"Atlanta Dream women dominate on the court, and in the front office too","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":["69c92883062c0306ce0c4dd3"]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/IODT6QV7MBBTPMHJ3UDZ2UIOOY.JPG?auth=647400b91faebbedead8a5abd07aee0d2d138d85fd6a22b9441a1f9645250932","version":"0.10.9","width":3755},{"_id":"RVUCS2KYNBFZ7MCGP2ABK7D2OA","additional_properties":{},"content":"And, she said, women leaders can bring a better understanding of the fan base and what they care about.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BE4EP64NZFELFJJS6PIAA2JG3M","additional_properties":{},"content":"“We’re finding fans come out of the woodwork that have never felt like they’ve been represented before,” she said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ALGVTKSWXVEDXK7IDI2UQSSU4E","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"More from AJC Her+Story","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/"},{"_id":"35GOAS2NWREVDPAUPWIHEZ4RBM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Michael Lewis, a professor and sports marketing expert at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, said there’s “a real layer of complexity in terms of women’s sports.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"EHN5MKXBSRC63ICZHVJR6NOLLQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"“There’s a sporting element that’s consistent with every other sport out there. <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/2026/04/committed-to-winning-dream-re-sign-gray-howard-plus-three-core-players/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/2026/04/committed-to-winning-dream-re-sign-gray-howard-plus-three-core-players/\">When you win</a>, the fans show up,” he said. But women’s sports “also has this really powerful social component to it. … A lot of the fans are, in fact, advocates for the sport as much as they are for an individual team.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KWVQFU3PUFCE5D7LNH4EIGVTSY","additional_properties":{},"content":"That’s true for Angela Perry, who lives in Florida near Jacksonville but has season tickets to the Dream and typically flies in for games.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SC4N5A5XWVCNBASWVLRGFHPN4A","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I’m a fan of the league in general,” said Perry, who played college basketball and now works as a design consultant in banking and as a women’s hoops content creator on the side. But “we don’t have a team here in Florida.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UC2ZU7ZKABE7DLHSSAQR6VMXPU","additional_properties":{},"content":"“As a little girl growing up, it was really exciting when they announced the WNBA. So me and my childhood best friend, we made a whole day of it for the first game” in 1997, Perry said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UO6NCCVI7BAOXBND3NR7IVQQNM","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I like to see that a league that is for women is also led by women,” Perry said. “As a woman who is in leadership and management in the company I work in, I love to see it.”","type":"text"},{"type":"oembed_response","subtype":"instagram","_id":"YD7GKHKYCZETJPDZK4KEAZSY3E","raw_oembed":{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Instagram","provider_url":"https://www.instagram.com/","type":"instagram","width":658,"html":"<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https://www.instagram.com/reel/DX2oh2QN03I/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; 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border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"></div></div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"></div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"></div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"></div></div></div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"></div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"></div></div></a></div></blockquote>\n<script async src=\"//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js\"></script>","_id":"https://www.instagram.com/p/DX2oh2QN03I/"},"referent":{"id":"https://www.instagram.com/p/DX2oh2QN03I/","provider":"https://graph.facebook.com/v8.0/instagram_oembed?url=","referent_properties":{},"service":"oembed","type":"instagram"}},{"_id":"5W5AUO3YMZFFBLLDIWRHVYAKW4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Before deciding to buy season tickets for the Dream, Perry said she had seen other<b> </b>WNBA teams in different arenas, and the Dream “just felt like the best team to be a season-ticket holder” for the community and the perks, like when the team rented out a bowling alley for the day and season-ticket holders could bowl with the team.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LRWJOAT5AJDR5CPKG2MBTS5X4M","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Some of those things feel like women-led ideas and thoughts,” Perry said. “I‘m friends with a lot of different season-ticket holders for other teams, and they’re always really surprised at the things that we get and the access we get to the players.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5NPU6I6H2NE4LKRNU5FR5QLH3A","additional_properties":{},"content":"The team’s research has shown “women who connect with the Dream specifically do so for the love of the game, but they also do it because they want to be affiliated with a purpose-driven organization,” Greenlee said. “That’s the difference between women’s sports fans and men’s sports fans.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y6JLIWVE4RDBTIQXJLMZIXRMLE","additional_properties":{},"content":"More than a name","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"FFDS4EUG3BCGZMTFO22FQXGJW4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Not long after she took on the job, Shaw Parker led a re-envisioning of the organization’s mission centered around three pillars: equity for all, empowering girls and women in sports and spreading basketball.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JHWAMTJQJ5FC3KBKE3NYPANLYE","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"Dream president Morgan Shaw Parker blazing path for women in sports careers","type":"interstitial_link","url":"google.com/search?q=morganshawparker+ajc&safe=active&sca_esv=08b21aac9d38c64a&rlz=1C5GCEM_enUS1170US1171&sxsrf=ANbL-n7TMYr5llpJ4_T1kUkKj6i2-GQDKA%3A1778022981878&ei=RXr6abWvNeKckPIPv9vZuAk&ved=0ahUKEwj15fLho6OUAxViDkQIHb9tFpcQ4dUDCBM&uact=5&oq=morganshawparker+ajc&gs_lp=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&sclient=gws-wiz-serp"},{"_id":"DEXPZ3IFKVHPNHWEOICBKUU6QE","additional_properties":{},"content":"“We all agreed at that time that since we were named after Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech through a community-wide vote, that we needed to really live into that name,” Shaw Parker said. “Carrying a name like this matters.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OBE4UBGQKVCGHNGX3JJYH2IC34","additional_properties":{},"content":"While other businesses have made changes to diversity initiatives in response to backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion programs over the last couple of years, “We aren’t changing the work. We aren’t changing the name,” Shaw Parker said. “We are just continuing to do it and not taking our foot off the gas.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6GCR6DLAHBBHDDGIBOGX4QJ3N4","additional_properties":{},"content":"That includes the focus on empowering women.","type":"text"},{"_id":"44VSECWBJ5HAXNU2MOYOQTNGYY","additional_properties":{},"content":"“That’s something that we’re not just saying, but that you see being done in our front office, with our basketball team, in the community,” Cartwright said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X7JOME6JBNEQNFTC4IWDBJQUT4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Still, the team faces other challenges in growing into its potential. The team plays in the WNBA’s smallest arena, Gateway Center in College Park, with only 3,500 seats — limiting its reach and revenue.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JN5H7MKBVNA7XIAJA7VFQ5EW5A","additional_properties":{},"content":"Season ticket memberships have sold out for three consecutive seasons, and the team has a wait list in the thousands for them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"332LTXCTZFADZINPZHOAZ7FSBU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Having outgrown their home, “our owner has a vision of building an arena for women by women,” Shaw Parker said. Meanwhile, the team will <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/2026/03/atlanta-dream-thinking-bigger-with-5-games-at-state-farm-arena-this-summer/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/2026/03/atlanta-dream-thinking-bigger-with-5-games-at-state-farm-arena-this-summer/\">play five games at State Farm Arena</a>, its previous home,<b> </b>this season.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NQG7FZL5QBHKPFTAHQ5PFHJPTQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"It’s yet to be seen when a decision on a new arena will come. “It really does take time to make sure that we’re putting (our arena) where Atlanta wants it,” Shaw Parker said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S6E23HZ54FCURB3OPFUAFREAQY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Room to grow will be particularly crucial, because the increase in minimum player salaries from about $66,000 to at least $270,000 in the new labor contract means “a significant impact on my operational budget,” Shaw Parker acknowledged.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A5Z7NZXY7RAHJMKKILUTTTUXOU","additional_properties":{},"content":"But “this is actually what needs to happen to be able to help put women on the map and to put women’s pro sports in a viable, sustainable and profitable place,” Shaw Parker said. At the same time, “it impacts my bottom line significantly.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YB3T5FY3KVCPHBHHOU4U6GGOYA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Hopes are for sponsorships to help boost the Dream’s coffers. But women’s basketball still has a niche audience compared with the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball, said Lewis, the Emory professor.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RRFYNIKFPBCSTD4ZMLCQWLPZJM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Shaw Parker, however, said she’s not worried.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLG4CIMUYNATRAGBGME6JL6HO4","additional_properties":{},"content":"“The sponsor money, the ticket money, it’s out there,” she said. “You have to build the infrastructure for what you’re aiming for, and you can’t take your foot off the gas.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"I2Q5EWXNPNAVZAVKW4QB4IFEJA","type":"divider"},{"_id":"WAX6LAPXEJC3NNKF26Z45GVYIU","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>AJC Her+Story is a series in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlighting women founders, creators, executives and professionals. It is about building a community. Know someone the AJC should feature in AJC Her+Story? Email us at </i><a href=\"mailto:herstory@ajc.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>herstory@ajc.com</i></a><i> with your suggestions. Check out more of our AJC Her+Story coverage at </i><a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>ajc.com/herstory</i></a><i>.</i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"kelly-yamanouchi","type":"author","version":"0.5.8","name":"Kelly Yamanouchi","image":{"url":"https://author-service-images-prod-us-east-1.publishing.aws.arc.pub/ajc/5f92eb8c-65ec-4d6b-905f-1943f365f66f.png","version":"0.5.8"},"description":"As Deputy Editor for business, Kelly Yamanouchi edits and writes business stories. ","url":"https://www.ajc.com/staff/kelly-yamanouchi/","social_links":[{"site":"email","url":"kelly.yamanouchi@ajc.com"},{"site":"facebook","url":"https://www.facebook.com/atlantaairportnewsnow/"},{"site":"twitter","url":"https://twitter.com/atlairportnews"}],"socialLinks":[{"site":"email","url":"kelly.yamanouchi@ajc.com","deprecated":true,"deprecation_msg":"Please use social_links."},{"site":"facebook","url":"https://www.facebook.com/atlantaairportnewsnow/","deprecated":true,"deprecation_msg":"Please use social_links."},{"site":"twitter","url":"https://twitter.com/atlairportnews","deprecated":true,"deprecation_msg":"Please use social_links."}],"additional_properties":{"original":{"_id":"kelly-yamanouchi","byline":"Kelly Yamanouchi","org":"ajc","email":"kelly.yamanouchi@ajc.com","affiliations":"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","role":"Business reporter","status":true,"bio":"As Deputy Editor for business, Kelly Yamanouchi edits and writes business stories. ","firstName":"Kelly","lastName":"Yamanouchi","longBio":"As Deputy Editor for business, Kelly Yamanouchi edits and write business stories. She started at the AJC in 2008, joining the paper from the Denver Post. She has a bachelor's degree from Harvard University and a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.","twitter":"https://twitter.com/atlairportnews","custom_ajc_phone":"404-526-5055","books":[],"podcasts":[],"education":[],"awards":[],"last_updated_date":"2026-04-27T20:14:29.213Z","image":"https://author-service-images-prod-us-east-1.publishing.aws.arc.pub/ajc/5f92eb8c-65ec-4d6b-905f-1943f365f66f.png","expertise":"18,Business, Travel","facebook":"https://www.facebook.com/atlantaairportnewsnow/","bio_page":"https://www.ajc.com/staff/kelly-yamanouchi/","beat":"Airlines and airport","author_type":"Staff","custom_ajc_website":"ajc"}}}]},"description":{"basic":"It's important to show players on the WNBA team “that we, you know, walk the walk,” said Dream Assistant General Manager Brooklyn Cartwright."},"display_date":"2026-05-08T09:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Behind the scenes of the Atlanta Dream, women also lead","meta_title":"Behind the scenes of the WNBA's Atlanta Dream, women also lead","mobile":"","native":"","print":"Behind the scenes of the Dream, women also lead","table":"","tablet":"","web":""},"label":{"custom_label":{"display":true,"text":"AJC Her+Story"},"team":{"display":true,"text":"business","url":""},"tease_label":{"display":true,"text":"AJC Her+Story"}},"subheadlines":{"basic":"A look inside the WNBA team’s front office, where the decision-makers bring a distinct voice and perspective."},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"D4NPY426UNFXVKS6A574ZO7WGE","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/D4NPY426UNFXVKS6A574ZO7WGE.JPG?auth=df139d64ca80425f01c20f6a50ec72a1ec6c3ee09a185d76be336d6fe195b36c","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"69c92883062c0306ce0c4dd3","iptc_source":"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","iptc_title":"Visual Journalist","keywords":["atlanta dream"],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"aajc 033026 dream meeting ABC 19.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/D4NPY426UNFXVKS6A574ZO7WGE.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/D4NPY426UNFXVKS6A574ZO7WGE.JPG?auth=df139d64ca80425f01c20f6a50ec72a1ec6c3ee09a185d76be336d6fe195b36c","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/D4NPY426UNFXVKS6A574ZO7WGE.JPG?auth=df139d64ca80425f01c20f6a50ec72a1ec6c3ee09a185d76be336d6fe195b36c","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-03-30T18:36:36Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/D4NPY426UNFXVKS6A574ZO7WGE.JPG?auth=df139d64ca80425f01c20f6a50ec72a1ec6c3ee09a185d76be336d6fe195b36c&width=300","version":1},"address":{"locality":"Atanta","region":"GA"},"auth":{"1":"df139d64ca80425f01c20f6a50ec72a1ec6c3ee09a185d76be336d6fe195b36c"},"caption":"Atlanta Dream executives listen during their weekly leadership meeting at the team office in Atlanta on Monday, March 30, 2026. 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","type":"text"},{"_id":"3PLKAN2SIBH2ZGYVMPXGOKLP7U","additional_properties":{},"content":"The reason: “As a leader … the information flow doesn’t go up well,” Terry said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FIMSZZM6UFHCFJ2QFHMDUO2FXU","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I tell my employees all the time, I’m the least knowledgeable person in the room. Because people don’t tell you stuff. They don’t like to tell you stuff. They don’t want to tell you stuff,” she said. “They try to hide stuff from you. Not because they’re mean, just because either they don’t want you to get involved in their business and think you’re going to get in the way, or because they don’t want to let you down and disappoint you. And they want to try to handle it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AB5DI2HWO5HVLLNBFL7PGPB6ME","additional_properties":{},"content":"“As you move up, people will tell you less and less,” Terry said. “And you are further and further away from the front lines of your business.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"23AOVL3KURAXTLVOSHLOP7DIL4","additional_properties":{},"content":"“That requires you to be curious, because if you don’t ask a question as a leader, you will oftentimes not get the information that you need to make the decisions.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OKUA47BDM5F6NNJPXHFCVDQRHE","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/things-to-do/monica-pearson-talks-with-southern-company-ceo-christopher-womack/PDZKIRGGBNBFNB572ZPCHMHUFE/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/things-to-do/monica-pearson-talks-with-southern-company-ceo-christopher-womack/PDZKIRGGBNBFNB572ZPCHMHUFE/\">Southern CEO Chris Womack</a> “is a curious person,” Terry said in an interview. “He’s always thirsting for knowledge. … I see the impact it has on his leadership.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"J7SPUBB7KJAU7AWJ2YMLKDEPAU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Managers sometimes feel they’re supposed to know things without asking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DGWJ4LX5EFE4ROUIKH5TX5XZQA","additional_properties":{},"content":"“But you’re not supposed to know. None of us are supposed to know,” Terry said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TRW3KWN6KZBIFKDXMTJ6H745NU","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"Southern Co. exec: A career doesn’t always follow a straight line","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/04/southern-co-exec-a-career-doesnt-always-follow-a-straight-line/"},{"_id":"HVBBADG6BVBUBNN4U3QYRUKTAE","additional_properties":{},"content":"No. 2: Courage","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"YAUH4TL6NJBX3JVMH3FPZAHVRE","additional_properties":{},"content":"“You have to be courageous,” Terry said. “I did not say you have to be reckless. I did not say you have to be fearless. I said you have to be courageous, because courage requires you to do the things that need to be done for the people that need you to do it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OCI2L62F3VDOVCZYOVDR7LA5KY","additional_properties":{},"content":"It’s not the same thing as just having something to say or to fulfill a sense of self-righteousness, according to Terry.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6SSOGIEFDFHOZL6Y4XYOG7H5VY","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Are you being courageous because you feel like you need to say something? Or are you being courageous because you feel like you need to impact?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5QR5IT72AFBW5HFIGUKTHLWMWM","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Those are two very, very different things,” she said. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"OTVYSG3JDNBXBC77WWYKSUSH3E","additional_properties":{},"content":"Without courage, you can’t move forward with a big vision to have lasting impact, according to Terry. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"YVX3EG4LHVFZTM5JC23NZ35H7Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"No. 3: Authenticity","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"RUUJIZDKDRGJDKML7AZIHWGLAY","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Authenticity has gotten to be a buzzword,” Terry said. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"L7UIBZKKINCVXF6FIZ3CGJKFPI","additional_properties":{},"content":"But if you’re not authentic, people “know what fake looks like,” she said. “They feel it. You feel it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BO7EIFDXGVEAHNATCUWEEZLCHI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Terry said when she became CEO of Southern Linc, she stood up in front of her employees and “told them that I didn’t know how to do their jobs.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PNETUO3LVJBQHJXJEAZMS5IKNA","additional_properties":{},"content":"“And guess what? They already knew that,” she said. “They looked at my background.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YUDONDIRNZB3PHSLHA27YMNLQ4","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Who would I have fooled if I acted like I knew?” Terry said. “So being authentic was not only good for me, it was good for them.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"MU5PM34T3RCCVMSB7NF7JRKAEQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"“It allowed me to be curious” and ask questions, she said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4NP76Y5LMVHC5AUNYLSDF7B3BQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"No. 4: Empathy","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"SYHZHT6NGJBUFKQC47V3BKXYMU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Being empathetic helps you to process information when talking with employees and helping them deal with problems, she said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L6SIGYCAX5AHLIDULOHOEKTWT4","additional_properties":{},"content":"“You spend the time to try to understand what’s going on in their lives, if you’re courageous enough to ask them the questions that they might be afraid to tell you information about,” she said. “Then you can be empathetic to their situation.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RHQBRORGDNE6RJAVAWYGR3LFWA","additional_properties":{},"content":"“If you couple curiosity with empathy, man, you are a powerful leader for your employees,” Terry said. “It all kind of comes together.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SZIRCLMC2NDPFMS6W3PHCO2VUU","additional_properties":{},"content":"“<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/takeaways-the-roots-leadership-and-self-confidence/69QlrHa5zZTOqf03HUaF8O/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/takeaways-the-roots-leadership-and-self-confidence/69QlrHa5zZTOqf03HUaF8O/\">Leadership is not about your personality characteristics</a>,” Terry said. “Bold leadership is about your courage. It’s about speaking up. It’s about holding to your values. It’s about clarity, it’s about authenticity and it’s about courage. … It’s not about answers. It’s about asking the right questions.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FIKEUKWJ2ZF6FH6VYDW32CSRCU","type":"divider"},{"_id":"S2M3GWS72FDCVHAZG7K5WNZM6I","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>AJC Her+Story is a series in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlighting women founders, creators, executives and professionals. It is about building a community. Know someone the AJC should feature in AJC Her+Story? Email us at </i><a href=\"mailto:herstory@ajc.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>herstory@ajc.com</i></a><i> with your suggestions. Check out more of our AJC Her+Story coverage at </i><a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>ajc.com/herstory</i></a><i>.</i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"kelly-yamanouchi","type":"author","version":"0.5.8","name":"Kelly Yamanouchi","image":{"url":"https://author-service-images-prod-us-east-1.publishing.aws.arc.pub/ajc/5f92eb8c-65ec-4d6b-905f-1943f365f66f.png","version":"0.5.8"},"description":"As Deputy Editor for business, Kelly Yamanouchi edits and writes business stories. 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In 2025, the WNBA reached <a href=\"https://x.com/WNBAComms/status/1958544705915846669?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://x.com/WNBAComms/status/1958544705915846669?s=20\">its highest-ever single-season attendance</a>, surpassing the previous record set in 2002.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D6YVJUXJGRCYLOTO2D5XVW76GE","type":"reference","referent":{"type":"image","id":"D6YVJUXJGRCYLOTO2D5XVW76GE","provider":""}},{"_id":"HMHHA463N5DE3IG3ASIJ76FQ6I","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Dream’s build-up to this point comes after a tumultuous period that dates back to 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when players’ activism on Black Lives Matter <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/loeffler-criticizes-atlanta-dream-players-for-walk-off-protests/3DIVCTZUWBCZRC6HBRJOD3UGQQ/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/loeffler-criticizes-atlanta-dream-players-for-walk-off-protests/3DIVCTZUWBCZRC6HBRJOD3UGQQ/\">put them at odds with the team’s then-co-owner and then-U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ORFNVCBXKRGMRE4S62TA7DFRNY","additional_properties":{},"content":"“We had a really challenging history with the team before most of us that are here now had arrived,” Cartwright said. “We kind of had a lot of work to do in terms of rewriting the narrative about who is the Dream. What do we stand for?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7Q7NYW7RFEJDJPXYNF4WY5L3E","additional_properties":{},"content":"Loeffler ended up <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/sale-of-atlanta-dream-could-be-announced-today/7OAXQCPCHFHTHOW6VD4BVVX3BM/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/sale-of-atlanta-dream-could-be-announced-today/7OAXQCPCHFHTHOW6VD4BVVX3BM/\">selling the team in 2021 to an ownership group including real estate investor Larry Gottesdiener, former Dream player Renee Montgomery</a> and <a href=\"https://google.com/search?q=suzanne+abair+ceo+dream+ajc&amp;safe=active&amp;sca_esv=89d14285035c4550&amp;rlz=1C5GCEM_enUS1170US1171&amp;sxsrf=ANbL-n4qF5wnio6TzX0hncPvT-TVDxH4Rw%3A1778001679032&amp;ei=Dyf6aaDQAcCc0PEPx9qwUQ&amp;biw=1185&amp;bih=572&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjgk_Sz1KKUAxVADjQIHUctLAoQ4dUDCBM&amp;uact=5&amp;oq=suzanne+abair+ceo+dream+ajc&amp;gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiG3N1emFubmUgYWJhaXIgY2VvIGRyZWFtIGFqYzIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABSMoPUMQCWNQOcAF4AZABAJgBhgGgAeIDqgEDMC40uAEDyAEA-AEBmAIFoAKBBMICChAAGEcY1gQYsAPCAgUQIRirAsICBRAhGJ8FmAMAiAYBkAYEkgcDMS40oAfeErIHAzAuNLgH-gPCBwUwLjMuMsgHEIAIAQ&amp;sclient=gws-wiz-serp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://google.com/search?q=suzanne+abair+ceo+dream+ajc&amp;safe=active&amp;sca_esv=89d14285035c4550&amp;rlz=1C5GCEM_enUS1170US1171&amp;sxsrf=ANbL-n4qF5wnio6TzX0hncPvT-TVDxH4Rw%3A1778001679032&amp;ei=Dyf6aaDQAcCc0PEPx9qwUQ&amp;biw=1185&amp;bih=572&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjgk_Sz1KKUAxVADjQIHUctLAoQ4dUDCBM&amp;uact=5&amp;oq=suzanne+abair+ceo+dream+ajc&amp;gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiG3N1emFubmUgYWJhaXIgY2VvIGRyZWFtIGFqYzIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABSMoPUMQCWNQOcAF4AZABAJgBhgGgAeIDqgEDMC40uAEDyAEA-AEBmAIFoAKBBMICChAAGEcY1gQYsAPCAgUQIRirAsICBRAhGJ8FmAMAiAYBkAYEkgcDMS40oAfeErIHAzAuNLgH-gPCBwUwLjMuMsgHEIAIAQ&amp;sclient=gws-wiz-serp\">Suzanne Abair, who is now CEO of the Dream</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2NBOMW6PRRGDBBLOVSCMICHPIU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Since then, “we’ve been in exponential growth mode,” said Dream President and Chief Operating Officer Morgan Shaw Parker, who was <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/state-sports/dream-make-key-hire-in-adding-morgan-shaw-parker-as-president/ZEJC4BCVFVGE5LB3IWKWRCJLLE/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/state-sports/dream-make-key-hire-in-adding-morgan-shaw-parker-as-president/ZEJC4BCVFVGE5LB3IWKWRCJLLE/\">brought in by the new ownership team</a> and tasked with building the fan base and creating a diverse organization.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZE2CCDHHFFFZ3KOGJRFGJXHVTI","additional_properties":{},"content":"As Shaw Parker grew the staff from seven people in 2021 to about 70 this season, she said there was careful thought put into details like where to post job listings to best bring diversity to the front office and leadership.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4EJ2YK6VHJHIPJTUQZFNCIXYMY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Reaching the fans","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"S5JHBHS36RAS7AJQOF4G3PTF5E","additional_properties":{},"content":"Women and people from different backgrounds bring “an ability to connect the dots in different ways,” Shaw Parker said. “Intentionally building this with women first, I think you automatically get people at the table that can think about the things that these female athletes need.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IODT6QV7MBBTPMHJ3UDZ2UIOOY","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/IODT6QV7MBBTPMHJ3UDZ2UIOOY.JPG?auth=647400b91faebbedead8a5abd07aee0d2d138d85fd6a22b9441a1f9645250932","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"69c92883062c0306ce0c4dd3","iptc_source":"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","iptc_title":"Visual Journalist","keywords":["atlanta dream"],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"aajc 033026 dream meeting ABC 17.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/IODT6QV7MBBTPMHJ3UDZ2UIOOY.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/IODT6QV7MBBTPMHJ3UDZ2UIOOY.JPG?auth=647400b91faebbedead8a5abd07aee0d2d138d85fd6a22b9441a1f9645250932","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/IODT6QV7MBBTPMHJ3UDZ2UIOOY.JPG?auth=647400b91faebbedead8a5abd07aee0d2d138d85fd6a22b9441a1f9645250932","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-03-30T18:27:55Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/IODT6QV7MBBTPMHJ3UDZ2UIOOY.JPG?auth=647400b91faebbedead8a5abd07aee0d2d138d85fd6a22b9441a1f9645250932&width=300","version":1},"address":{"locality":"Atanta","region":"GA"},"auth":{"1":"647400b91faebbedead8a5abd07aee0d2d138d85fd6a22b9441a1f9645250932"},"caption":"President and Chief Operating Officer Morgan Shaw Parker listens as other Atlanta Dream executives listen during their weekly leadership meeting at the Dream office in Atlanta on Monday, March 30, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)","copyright":"Copyright 2026 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution","created_date":"2026-03-31T19:31:45Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"Abbey Cutrer/AJC","type":"author"}],"by":[{"name":"Abbey Cutrer","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"46cae676-4989-4b34-bc9b-906e8e9b6d59"},"height":2503,"last_updated_date":"2026-03-31T19:31:46Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc"},"slug":"aajc 033026 dream meeting","source":{"name":"AJC Freelancer","source_id":"Freelancer/aajc 033026 dream meeting ABC 17.JPG","source_type":"freelance","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/IODT6QV7MBBTPMHJ3UDZ2UIOOY","system":"AJC Freelancer"},"subtitle":"Atlanta Dream women dominate on the court, and in the front office too","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":["69c92883062c0306ce0c4dd3"]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/IODT6QV7MBBTPMHJ3UDZ2UIOOY.JPG?auth=647400b91faebbedead8a5abd07aee0d2d138d85fd6a22b9441a1f9645250932","version":"0.10.9","width":3755},{"_id":"RVUCS2KYNBFZ7MCGP2ABK7D2OA","additional_properties":{},"content":"And, she said, women leaders can bring a better understanding of the fan base and what they care about.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BE4EP64NZFELFJJS6PIAA2JG3M","additional_properties":{},"content":"“We’re finding fans come out of the woodwork that have never felt like they’ve been represented before,” she said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ALGVTKSWXVEDXK7IDI2UQSSU4E","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"More from AJC Her+Story","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/"},{"_id":"35GOAS2NWREVDPAUPWIHEZ4RBM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Michael Lewis, a professor and sports marketing expert at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, said there’s “a real layer of complexity in terms of women’s sports.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"EHN5MKXBSRC63ICZHVJR6NOLLQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"“There’s a sporting element that’s consistent with every other sport out there. <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/2026/04/committed-to-winning-dream-re-sign-gray-howard-plus-three-core-players/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/2026/04/committed-to-winning-dream-re-sign-gray-howard-plus-three-core-players/\">When you win</a>, the fans show up,” he said. But women’s sports “also has this really powerful social component to it. … A lot of the fans are, in fact, advocates for the sport as much as they are for an individual team.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KWVQFU3PUFCE5D7LNH4EIGVTSY","additional_properties":{},"content":"That’s true for Angela Perry, who lives in Florida near Jacksonville but has season tickets to the Dream and typically flies in for games.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SC4N5A5XWVCNBASWVLRGFHPN4A","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I’m a fan of the league in general,” said Perry, who played college basketball and now works as a design consultant in banking and as a women’s hoops content creator on the side. But “we don’t have a team here in Florida.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"UC2ZU7ZKABE7DLHSSAQR6VMXPU","additional_properties":{},"content":"“As a little girl growing up, it was really exciting when they announced the WNBA. So me and my childhood best friend, we made a whole day of it for the first game” in 1997, Perry said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UO6NCCVI7BAOXBND3NR7IVQQNM","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I like to see that a league that is for women is also led by women,” Perry said. “As a woman who is in leadership and management in the company I work in, I love to see it.”","type":"text"},{"type":"oembed_response","subtype":"instagram","_id":"YD7GKHKYCZETJPDZK4KEAZSY3E","raw_oembed":{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Instagram","provider_url":"https://www.instagram.com/","type":"instagram","width":658,"html":"<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https://www.instagram.com/reel/DX2oh2QN03I/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; 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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"></div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"></div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"></div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"></div></div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"></div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"></div></div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"></div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"></div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"></div></div></div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"></div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"></div></div></a></div></blockquote>\n<script async src=\"//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js\"></script>","_id":"https://www.instagram.com/p/DX2oh2QN03I/"},"referent":{"id":"https://www.instagram.com/p/DX2oh2QN03I/","provider":"https://graph.facebook.com/v8.0/instagram_oembed?url=","referent_properties":{},"service":"oembed","type":"instagram"}},{"_id":"5W5AUO3YMZFFBLLDIWRHVYAKW4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Before deciding to buy season tickets for the Dream, Perry said she had seen other<b> </b>WNBA teams in different arenas, and the Dream “just felt like the best team to be a season-ticket holder” for the community and the perks, like when the team rented out a bowling alley for the day and season-ticket holders could bowl with the team.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LRWJOAT5AJDR5CPKG2MBTS5X4M","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Some of those things feel like women-led ideas and thoughts,” Perry said. “I‘m friends with a lot of different season-ticket holders for other teams, and they’re always really surprised at the things that we get and the access we get to the players.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5NPU6I6H2NE4LKRNU5FR5QLH3A","additional_properties":{},"content":"The team’s research has shown “women who connect with the Dream specifically do so for the love of the game, but they also do it because they want to be affiliated with a purpose-driven organization,” Greenlee said. “That’s the difference between women’s sports fans and men’s sports fans.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y6JLIWVE4RDBTIQXJLMZIXRMLE","additional_properties":{},"content":"More than a name","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"FFDS4EUG3BCGZMTFO22FQXGJW4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Not long after she took on the job, Shaw Parker led a re-envisioning of the organization’s mission centered around three pillars: equity for all, empowering girls and women in sports and spreading basketball.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JHWAMTJQJ5FC3KBKE3NYPANLYE","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"Dream president Morgan Shaw Parker blazing path for women in sports careers","type":"interstitial_link","url":"google.com/search?q=morganshawparker+ajc&safe=active&sca_esv=08b21aac9d38c64a&rlz=1C5GCEM_enUS1170US1171&sxsrf=ANbL-n7TMYr5llpJ4_T1kUkKj6i2-GQDKA%3A1778022981878&ei=RXr6abWvNeKckPIPv9vZuAk&ved=0ahUKEwj15fLho6OUAxViDkQIHb9tFpcQ4dUDCBM&uact=5&oq=morganshawparker+ajc&gs_lp=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&sclient=gws-wiz-serp"},{"_id":"DEXPZ3IFKVHPNHWEOICBKUU6QE","additional_properties":{},"content":"“We all agreed at that time that since we were named after Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech through a community-wide vote, that we needed to really live into that name,” Shaw Parker said. “Carrying a name like this matters.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OBE4UBGQKVCGHNGX3JJYH2IC34","additional_properties":{},"content":"While other businesses have made changes to diversity initiatives in response to backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion programs over the last couple of years, “We aren’t changing the work. We aren’t changing the name,” Shaw Parker said. “We are just continuing to do it and not taking our foot off the gas.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"6GCR6DLAHBBHDDGIBOGX4QJ3N4","additional_properties":{},"content":"That includes the focus on empowering women.","type":"text"},{"_id":"44VSECWBJ5HAXNU2MOYOQTNGYY","additional_properties":{},"content":"“That’s something that we’re not just saying, but that you see being done in our front office, with our basketball team, in the community,” Cartwright said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X7JOME6JBNEQNFTC4IWDBJQUT4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Still, the team faces other challenges in growing into its potential. The team plays in the WNBA’s smallest arena, Gateway Center in College Park, with only 3,500 seats — limiting its reach and revenue.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JN5H7MKBVNA7XIAJA7VFQ5EW5A","additional_properties":{},"content":"Season ticket memberships have sold out for three consecutive seasons, and the team has a wait list in the thousands for them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"332LTXCTZFADZINPZHOAZ7FSBU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Having outgrown their home, “our owner has a vision of building an arena for women by women,” Shaw Parker said. Meanwhile, the team will <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/2026/03/atlanta-dream-thinking-bigger-with-5-games-at-state-farm-arena-this-summer/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/2026/03/atlanta-dream-thinking-bigger-with-5-games-at-state-farm-arena-this-summer/\">play five games at State Farm Arena</a>, its previous home,<b> </b>this season.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NQG7FZL5QBHKPFTAHQ5PFHJPTQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"It’s yet to be seen when a decision on a new arena will come. “It really does take time to make sure that we’re putting (our arena) where Atlanta wants it,” Shaw Parker said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S6E23HZ54FCURB3OPFUAFREAQY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Room to grow will be particularly crucial, because the increase in minimum player salaries from about $66,000 to at least $270,000 in the new labor contract means “a significant impact on my operational budget,” Shaw Parker acknowledged.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A5Z7NZXY7RAHJMKKILUTTTUXOU","additional_properties":{},"content":"But “this is actually what needs to happen to be able to help put women on the map and to put women’s pro sports in a viable, sustainable and profitable place,” Shaw Parker said. At the same time, “it impacts my bottom line significantly.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YB3T5FY3KVCPHBHHOU4U6GGOYA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Hopes are for sponsorships to help boost the Dream’s coffers. But women’s basketball still has a niche audience compared with the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball, said Lewis, the Emory professor.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RRFYNIKFPBCSTD4ZMLCQWLPZJM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Shaw Parker, however, said she’s not worried.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLG4CIMUYNATRAGBGME6JL6HO4","additional_properties":{},"content":"“The sponsor money, the ticket money, it’s out there,” she said. “You have to build the infrastructure for what you’re aiming for, and you can’t take your foot off the gas.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"I2Q5EWXNPNAVZAVKW4QB4IFEJA","type":"divider"},{"_id":"WAX6LAPXEJC3NNKF26Z45GVYIU","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>AJC Her+Story is a series in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlighting women founders, creators, executives and professionals. It is about building a community. Know someone the AJC should feature in AJC Her+Story? Email us at </i><a href=\"mailto:herstory@ajc.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>herstory@ajc.com</i></a><i> with your suggestions. Check out more of our AJC Her+Story coverage at </i><a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>ajc.com/herstory</i></a><i>.</i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"kelly-yamanouchi","type":"author","version":"0.5.8","name":"Kelly Yamanouchi","image":{"url":"https://author-service-images-prod-us-east-1.publishing.aws.arc.pub/ajc/5f92eb8c-65ec-4d6b-905f-1943f365f66f.png","version":"0.5.8"},"description":"As Deputy Editor for business, Kelly Yamanouchi edits and writes business stories. 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","type":"text"},{"_id":"3PLKAN2SIBH2ZGYVMPXGOKLP7U","additional_properties":{},"content":"The reason: “As a leader … the information flow doesn’t go up well,” Terry said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FIMSZZM6UFHCFJ2QFHMDUO2FXU","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I tell my employees all the time, I’m the least knowledgeable person in the room. Because people don’t tell you stuff. They don’t like to tell you stuff. They don’t want to tell you stuff,” she said. “They try to hide stuff from you. Not because they’re mean, just because either they don’t want you to get involved in their business and think you’re going to get in the way, or because they don’t want to let you down and disappoint you. And they want to try to handle it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AB5DI2HWO5HVLLNBFL7PGPB6ME","additional_properties":{},"content":"“As you move up, people will tell you less and less,” Terry said. “And you are further and further away from the front lines of your business.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"23AOVL3KURAXTLVOSHLOP7DIL4","additional_properties":{},"content":"“That requires you to be curious, because if you don’t ask a question as a leader, you will oftentimes not get the information that you need to make the decisions.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OKUA47BDM5F6NNJPXHFCVDQRHE","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/things-to-do/monica-pearson-talks-with-southern-company-ceo-christopher-womack/PDZKIRGGBNBFNB572ZPCHMHUFE/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/things-to-do/monica-pearson-talks-with-southern-company-ceo-christopher-womack/PDZKIRGGBNBFNB572ZPCHMHUFE/\">Southern CEO Chris Womack</a> “is a curious person,” Terry said in an interview. “He’s always thirsting for knowledge. … I see the impact it has on his leadership.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"J7SPUBB7KJAU7AWJ2YMLKDEPAU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Managers sometimes feel they’re supposed to know things without asking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DGWJ4LX5EFE4ROUIKH5TX5XZQA","additional_properties":{},"content":"“But you’re not supposed to know. None of us are supposed to know,” Terry said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TRW3KWN6KZBIFKDXMTJ6H745NU","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"Southern Co. exec: A career doesn’t always follow a straight line","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/04/southern-co-exec-a-career-doesnt-always-follow-a-straight-line/"},{"_id":"HVBBADG6BVBUBNN4U3QYRUKTAE","additional_properties":{},"content":"No. 2: Courage","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"YAUH4TL6NJBX3JVMH3FPZAHVRE","additional_properties":{},"content":"“You have to be courageous,” Terry said. “I did not say you have to be reckless. I did not say you have to be fearless. I said you have to be courageous, because courage requires you to do the things that need to be done for the people that need you to do it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OCI2L62F3VDOVCZYOVDR7LA5KY","additional_properties":{},"content":"It’s not the same thing as just having something to say or to fulfill a sense of self-righteousness, according to Terry.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6SSOGIEFDFHOZL6Y4XYOG7H5VY","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Are you being courageous because you feel like you need to say something? Or are you being courageous because you feel like you need to impact?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5QR5IT72AFBW5HFIGUKTHLWMWM","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Those are two very, very different things,” she said. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"OTVYSG3JDNBXBC77WWYKSUSH3E","additional_properties":{},"content":"Without courage, you can’t move forward with a big vision to have lasting impact, according to Terry. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"YVX3EG4LHVFZTM5JC23NZ35H7Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"No. 3: Authenticity","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"RUUJIZDKDRGJDKML7AZIHWGLAY","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Authenticity has gotten to be a buzzword,” Terry said. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"L7UIBZKKINCVXF6FIZ3CGJKFPI","additional_properties":{},"content":"But if you’re not authentic, people “know what fake looks like,” she said. “They feel it. You feel it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BO7EIFDXGVEAHNATCUWEEZLCHI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Terry said when she became CEO of Southern Linc, she stood up in front of her employees and “told them that I didn’t know how to do their jobs.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PNETUO3LVJBQHJXJEAZMS5IKNA","additional_properties":{},"content":"“And guess what? 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","type":"text"},{"_id":"QZRMICCJ4RF3JCTA5YJOENF3KE","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false,"storyId":""},"content":"AJC Her+Story: She asked Atlanta to share its good news. The response was overwhelming.","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/wellness/2026/04/she-asked-atlanta-to-share-its-good-news-the-response-was-overwhelming/"},{"_id":"TOTEFAWRGZHMPBFRD3PASWAUPU","additional_properties":{},"content":"So she went out into the field, visiting an Austell facility to speak to a group of engineers, linemen and customer service representatives, and “it was perhaps one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YLHKD3MWLFH27B3VIRAQBCC5UM","additional_properties":{},"content":"“The very first day, when I walked into the assembly room … there was a lot of skepticism in the crowd,” Terry said during a keynote speech at the Georgia Chamber’s “Women Who Lead” event last month. “<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/gallery/news/2026/01/photos-georgia-readies-for-incoming-ice-storm/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/gallery/news/2026/01/photos-georgia-readies-for-incoming-ice-storm/\">Those linemen</a> were sitting back there with their arms crossed … I was as afraid of them as probably they were afraid of me.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"R2SMTTHNW5HNLA7CYDKMI5VLNA","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I remember thinking, ‘Oh, my God, am I ready? 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","type":"text"},{"_id":"WFVLMTMPRZEJXNMZA2MGNR32UI","additional_properties":{},"content":"At Georgia Power, she wondered: “How can I lead this team of people when I couldn’t do their jobs, when I didn’t know everything that they did?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"CR5WJ5R4OFEW3MMHACQZ3YDA7I","additional_properties":{},"content":"It’s been about 25 years since Terry joined the company, and she is now CEO of Southern’s wireless communication subsidiary, Southern Linc, and fiber optic subsidiary, Southern Telecom.","type":"text"},{"_id":"352DV4IHS5B4LOUYNF2KRSBMC4","additional_properties":{},"content":"“If you looked at where I started and looked at where I ended up, you cannot draw a straight line. It’s one with all kinds of squiggly points,” Terry said in an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6NXMFUF5QVEENFCFDDMA7CPEH4","additional_properties":{},"content":"She also took a lesson learned from that meeting in an Austell assembly room after she went into her role in operations at Georgia Power: “Leadership rarely begins with certainty.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"CCHZK2OCUJH4PKUSBAIH7CWP4Y","additional_properties":{},"content":"“It begins with courage in the face of a challenge, and that means standing in that room,” she said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CVBRIEGWKVATXN7ZUWPZFOJG6E","additional_properties":{},"content":"Terry sat down with AJC Her+Story to share the advice she gives to young people pursuing a path to leadership, her favorite restaurant for a business lunch downtown and what some people get wrong about Atlanta.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JIRMURFN7BFZ3BEXXOODEVMOGI","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>Edited for length and clarity.</i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"WZCBYCFJ6VD5VFYZI5O3C5GPXA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What’s your morning routine?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZPTTIKPDFFBKXE6RXTA5QR43I4","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: I get up between 5:30 and 6 o’clock. I try to work out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J3ARNBC6BFHDJCJDYWGXIK73ME","additional_properties":{},"content":"I listen to my text messages and all that stuff in the car on the way to work. I kind of do the, ‘Siri read my unread text messages’ thing. I used to do that at the house, but now I find that it’s more efficient for me to do it the car, and it can help me respond to the text messages.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MWBGOXPUQBGZ3IUFDF7KA2SBGI","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What’s one mistake you’ve made that transformed how you approached your career?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ETQAIZQSDRB2RGRXR7WUWLGD74","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: I am very strong-willed, some might say hardheaded, and I run on intuition and I move fast.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L34VVGTW2VFXDMM43YZMZMPM3M","additional_properties":{},"content":"So some of the biggest mistakes I’ve made in my career are when I wasn’t thoughtful, when I didn’t take the time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5WW7LVBFGZGDVEKAB7XZNRMDUE","additional_properties":{},"content":"You have to listen, and you have to make sure that you get the right information from the right people. The times when I’ve not been successful have been because I believed I knew everything and didn’t take the time and energy to make sure I fully had a complete understanding or grasp of the situation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZMMLON5P7BHD5GKQFEQ6Y2MJBI","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: Is there an example?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"2H7LCT5Q65BJZF3YD5PPDV3FSU","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: Yeah. When I was down in Florida working for another Southern Co. subsidiary, I had come up with a new way to design the organization. It was me and the HR person, (we) sat in a room over a couple of meetings, and we redesigned the organization. And looking back now, that even sounds crazy, but that’s the way we did it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AUPPB5I2TNDJ3L3VEGPIDUKPDA","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false,"storyId":""},"content":"These are the four skills you need to be a leader, says Southern Co. exec","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/04/these-are-the-four-skills-you-need-to-be-a-leader-says-a-top-atlanta-exec/"},{"_id":"FAJ4BTGIVVHETMIM3EHNYKBUTM","additional_properties":{},"content":"And what I didn’t know or understand was the impacts of some of those decisions looked different to the employees because of decisions that had been made previously. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"7UIMGYXD4RCSBPLJM5JHNQBLHA","additional_properties":{},"content":"So I just didn’t really have the context to know and understand that what I was thinking I was doing was one thing, but what employees were going to see or how they were going to take it was going to be completely different. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"MFZQSOVEDZBC7BGWJC5YSZK4RE","additional_properties":{},"content":"If I had taken the time and energy to make sure I understood the culture and a little bit more about the history, then I would have seen the impact of those things on the employees from a cultural standpoint.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5SRBDAMNLFCTRN2BEZWZ7OJFC4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Those might have still been the right things to do, but I could have presented them in a way that acknowledged the experience that the employees had had previously and made sure that I could say: I know this feels like or sounds like or looks like this to you, but let me talk about why it’s different. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"BSH7I3P5IJHFZNL5SGRGWYUAKU","additional_properties":{},"content":"But I didn’t know, and I didn’t stop long enough to try to figure that out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RAZNZTAE5REYFJHFOXCK7P6AXA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What are the best things someone can do to distinguish themselves in a job interview?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"57MAZ6YNIZB2NMMB5KFEKPX4RY","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: I tell people to go into a job interview and be authentic.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X6UXLMRKY5B7HB6C5LMRPBAHKQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"You know, we all have to code switch. It’s kind of funny to me that we talk about code switching like everybody doesn’t do it. Everybody code switches. You talk one way around your family. When you’re in a business setting, you need to be business appropriate.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DKRJ3KFM2VESRJHEGGSBWANXSY","additional_properties":{},"content":"I don’t mean don’t recognize that, but be who you are. … If you decide to go into that interview not being who you are, and then you show up (for work) as you are, it may not be a good fit. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"RNCABPZKPVAJRHEA4OVNTEVUVU","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What’s your favorite restaurant for a business lunch?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"TTE56KMBJNDIJOINOGVNIEFG24","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: I love A Mano. It is on Ralph McGill (Boulevard). It is not far from my work (downtown). But I also like it. There’s a server there who is just the most delightful person. She’s just so upbeat and so friendly. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"JB7MV4APTFF6PK4YZK2TC72FCM","additional_properties":{},"content":"If I want pasta that day or if I want a nice sandwich, it’s really good. It’s convenient and easy, and so that’s one of the places I love to go to. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"4XXH5KS32VBA3EE225USDPG6UQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What is your best Atlanta parking secret?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"LKC5T7U5C5B65BV5SCHFNNDG7I","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: I have an electric vehicle, and I feel like that gives me an advantage. I have a 2016 Tesla. There tends to be an EV (charging) spot available when there’s not always a regular spot available. So I can pull into an EV spot.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7UEZU55XLBBYVGAIRIISUQBAAA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What do you love most about Atlanta?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"YP5BRCTSSBAGFB2EPA5EBYMTD4","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: I always say Atlanta feels like these are my people. I love the mix of sophistication, but still very much Southern. I like to think that that’s kind of what I am. One of my favorite restaurants is the Busy Bee — I love a good Southern home-cooked meal, but I like to put on a pair of heels and a pretty dress and be a little sophisticated. And I feel like that’s what Atlanta is, and it’s just a place that I feel very comfortable.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A4TZY6PXNBENDGNZYT3KQDQGDM","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"AJC Her+Story","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/"},{"_id":"FSD5NVYIMBDJRJFEEUJV5PRNC4","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What breaks your heart about Atlanta?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y3U4CUOQDFAGLDSMHZZO274YIQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: That everybody doesn’t get to experience Atlanta the way I experience Atlanta. In two ways.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GIFS2BNYQ5HD7AFYN3BRNKN2NE","additional_properties":{},"content":"One is, there’s tremendous inequality in wealth. There are a lot of people in Atlanta who struggle. That breaks my heart to see that everybody is not allowed to live to their full potential in Atlanta.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JLH76655I5GDTGY4GAR6QHRIKY","additional_properties":{},"content":"And then the second thing is, to outsiders who view Atlanta, they view it through the lens of what they’ve seen on Bravo.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLYRFIKDE5DNBH4KSTALGI6NOI","additional_properties":{},"content":"That is not nearly all of Atlanta. There are corporate headquarters, and there’s a cultural center that is vibrant and beautiful, and there are parks and green spaces. There’s just so much more to Atlanta than what I think people get to see on television sometimes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PIAQEKJDVJDPHLZLB6GFG3QLKM","type":"divider"},{"_id":"3I4QNALUXNAFLBZLOPYKBNWBG4","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>AJC Her+Story is a series in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlighting women founders, creators, executives and professionals. It is about building a community. Know someone the AJC should feature in AJC Her+Story? Email us at </i><a href=\"mailto:herstory@ajc.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>herstory@ajc.com</i></a><i> with your suggestions. Check out more of our AJC Her+Story coverage at </i><a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>ajc.com/herstory</i></a><i>.</i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"kelly-yamanouchi","type":"author","version":"0.5.8","name":"Kelly Yamanouchi","image":{"url":"https://author-service-images-prod-us-east-1.publishing.aws.arc.pub/ajc/5f92eb8c-65ec-4d6b-905f-1943f365f66f.png","version":"0.5.8"},"description":"As Deputy Editor for business, Kelly Yamanouchi edits and writes business stories. 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","type":"text"},{"_id":"3PLKAN2SIBH2ZGYVMPXGOKLP7U","additional_properties":{},"content":"The reason: “As a leader … the information flow doesn’t go up well,” Terry said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FIMSZZM6UFHCFJ2QFHMDUO2FXU","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I tell my employees all the time, I’m the least knowledgeable person in the room. Because people don’t tell you stuff. They don’t like to tell you stuff. They don’t want to tell you stuff,” she said. “They try to hide stuff from you. Not because they’re mean, just because either they don’t want you to get involved in their business and think you’re going to get in the way, or because they don’t want to let you down and disappoint you. And they want to try to handle it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AB5DI2HWO5HVLLNBFL7PGPB6ME","additional_properties":{},"content":"“As you move up, people will tell you less and less,” Terry said. “And you are further and further away from the front lines of your business.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"23AOVL3KURAXTLVOSHLOP7DIL4","additional_properties":{},"content":"“That requires you to be curious, because if you don’t ask a question as a leader, you will oftentimes not get the information that you need to make the decisions.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OKUA47BDM5F6NNJPXHFCVDQRHE","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/things-to-do/monica-pearson-talks-with-southern-company-ceo-christopher-womack/PDZKIRGGBNBFNB572ZPCHMHUFE/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/things-to-do/monica-pearson-talks-with-southern-company-ceo-christopher-womack/PDZKIRGGBNBFNB572ZPCHMHUFE/\">Southern CEO Chris Womack</a> “is a curious person,” Terry said in an interview. “He’s always thirsting for knowledge. … I see the impact it has on his leadership.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"J7SPUBB7KJAU7AWJ2YMLKDEPAU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Managers sometimes feel they’re supposed to know things without asking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DGWJ4LX5EFE4ROUIKH5TX5XZQA","additional_properties":{},"content":"“But you’re not supposed to know. None of us are supposed to know,” Terry said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TRW3KWN6KZBIFKDXMTJ6H745NU","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"Southern Co. exec: A career doesn’t always follow a straight line","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/04/southern-co-exec-a-career-doesnt-always-follow-a-straight-line/"},{"_id":"HVBBADG6BVBUBNN4U3QYRUKTAE","additional_properties":{},"content":"No. 2: Courage","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"YAUH4TL6NJBX3JVMH3FPZAHVRE","additional_properties":{},"content":"“You have to be courageous,” Terry said. “I did not say you have to be reckless. I did not say you have to be fearless. I said you have to be courageous, because courage requires you to do the things that need to be done for the people that need you to do it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OCI2L62F3VDOVCZYOVDR7LA5KY","additional_properties":{},"content":"It’s not the same thing as just having something to say or to fulfill a sense of self-righteousness, according to Terry.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6SSOGIEFDFHOZL6Y4XYOG7H5VY","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Are you being courageous because you feel like you need to say something? Or are you being courageous because you feel like you need to impact?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5QR5IT72AFBW5HFIGUKTHLWMWM","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Those are two very, very different things,” she said. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"OTVYSG3JDNBXBC77WWYKSUSH3E","additional_properties":{},"content":"Without courage, you can’t move forward with a big vision to have lasting impact, according to Terry. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"YVX3EG4LHVFZTM5JC23NZ35H7Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"No. 3: Authenticity","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"RUUJIZDKDRGJDKML7AZIHWGLAY","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Authenticity has gotten to be a buzzword,” Terry said. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"L7UIBZKKINCVXF6FIZ3CGJKFPI","additional_properties":{},"content":"But if you’re not authentic, people “know what fake looks like,” she said. “They feel it. You feel it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"BO7EIFDXGVEAHNATCUWEEZLCHI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Terry said when she became CEO of Southern Linc, she stood up in front of her employees and “told them that I didn’t know how to do their jobs.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PNETUO3LVJBQHJXJEAZMS5IKNA","additional_properties":{},"content":"“And guess what? They already knew that,” she said. “They looked at my background.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"YUDONDIRNZB3PHSLHA27YMNLQ4","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Who would I have fooled if I acted like I knew?” Terry said. “So being authentic was not only good for me, it was good for them.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"MU5PM34T3RCCVMSB7NF7JRKAEQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"“It allowed me to be curious” and ask questions, she said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4NP76Y5LMVHC5AUNYLSDF7B3BQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"No. 4: Empathy","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"SYHZHT6NGJBUFKQC47V3BKXYMU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Being empathetic helps you to process information when talking with employees and helping them deal with problems, she said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L6SIGYCAX5AHLIDULOHOEKTWT4","additional_properties":{},"content":"“You spend the time to try to understand what’s going on in their lives, if you’re courageous enough to ask them the questions that they might be afraid to tell you information about,” she said. “Then you can be empathetic to their situation.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RHQBRORGDNE6RJAVAWYGR3LFWA","additional_properties":{},"content":"“If you couple curiosity with empathy, man, you are a powerful leader for your employees,” Terry said. “It all kind of comes together.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SZIRCLMC2NDPFMS6W3PHCO2VUU","additional_properties":{},"content":"“<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/takeaways-the-roots-leadership-and-self-confidence/69QlrHa5zZTOqf03HUaF8O/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/takeaways-the-roots-leadership-and-self-confidence/69QlrHa5zZTOqf03HUaF8O/\">Leadership is not about your personality characteristics</a>,” Terry said. “Bold leadership is about your courage. It’s about speaking up. It’s about holding to your values. It’s about clarity, it’s about authenticity and it’s about courage. … It’s not about answers. It’s about asking the right questions.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FIKEUKWJ2ZF6FH6VYDW32CSRCU","type":"divider"},{"_id":"S2M3GWS72FDCVHAZG7K5WNZM6I","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>AJC Her+Story is a series in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlighting women founders, creators, executives and professionals. It is about building a community. Know someone the AJC should feature in AJC Her+Story? Email us at </i><a href=\"mailto:herstory@ajc.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>herstory@ajc.com</i></a><i> with your suggestions. Check out more of our AJC Her+Story coverage at </i><a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>ajc.com/herstory</i></a><i>.</i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"kelly-yamanouchi","type":"author","version":"0.5.8","name":"Kelly Yamanouchi","image":{"url":"https://author-service-images-prod-us-east-1.publishing.aws.arc.pub/ajc/5f92eb8c-65ec-4d6b-905f-1943f365f66f.png","version":"0.5.8"},"description":"As Deputy Editor for business, Kelly Yamanouchi edits and writes business stories. 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I try to work out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J3ARNBC6BFHDJCJDYWGXIK73ME","additional_properties":{},"content":"I listen to my text messages and all that stuff in the car on the way to work. I kind of do the, ‘Siri read my unread text messages’ thing. I used to do that at the house, but now I find that it’s more efficient for me to do it the car, and it can help me respond to the text messages.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MWBGOXPUQBGZ3IUFDF7KA2SBGI","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What’s one mistake you’ve made that transformed how you approached your career?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ETQAIZQSDRB2RGRXR7WUWLGD74","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: I am very strong-willed, some might say hardheaded, and I run on intuition and I move fast.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L34VVGTW2VFXDMM43YZMZMPM3M","additional_properties":{},"content":"So some of the biggest mistakes I’ve made in my career are when I wasn’t thoughtful, when I didn’t take the time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5WW7LVBFGZGDVEKAB7XZNRMDUE","additional_properties":{},"content":"You have to listen, and you have to make sure that you get the right information from the right people. 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And looking back now, that even sounds crazy, but that’s the way we did it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AUPPB5I2TNDJ3L3VEGPIDUKPDA","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false,"storyId":""},"content":"These are the four skills you need to be a leader, says Southern Co. exec","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/04/these-are-the-four-skills-you-need-to-be-a-leader-says-a-top-atlanta-exec/"},{"_id":"FAJ4BTGIVVHETMIM3EHNYKBUTM","additional_properties":{},"content":"And what I didn’t know or understand was the impacts of some of those decisions looked different to the employees because of decisions that had been made previously. 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","type":"text"},{"_id":"BSH7I3P5IJHFZNL5SGRGWYUAKU","additional_properties":{},"content":"But I didn’t know, and I didn’t stop long enough to try to figure that out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RAZNZTAE5REYFJHFOXCK7P6AXA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What are the best things someone can do to distinguish themselves in a job interview?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"57MAZ6YNIZB2NMMB5KFEKPX4RY","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: I tell people to go into a job interview and be authentic.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X6UXLMRKY5B7HB6C5LMRPBAHKQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"You know, we all have to code switch. It’s kind of funny to me that we talk about code switching like everybody doesn’t do it. Everybody code switches. You talk one way around your family. 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One of my favorite restaurants is the Busy Bee — I love a good Southern home-cooked meal, but I like to put on a pair of heels and a pretty dress and be a little sophisticated. And I feel like that’s what Atlanta is, and it’s just a place that I feel very comfortable.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A4TZY6PXNBENDGNZYT3KQDQGDM","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"AJC Her+Story","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/"},{"_id":"FSD5NVYIMBDJRJFEEUJV5PRNC4","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What breaks your heart about Atlanta?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y3U4CUOQDFAGLDSMHZZO274YIQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: That everybody doesn’t get to experience Atlanta the way I experience Atlanta. In two ways.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GIFS2BNYQ5HD7AFYN3BRNKN2NE","additional_properties":{},"content":"One is, there’s tremendous inequality in wealth. 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Some have worked at all three<b> </b>Atlanta area ballparks, from Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium to Turner Field to Truist Park.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LUGNBOY2CRBRPB7UASMU2RHVGU","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"Braves earn glowing reviews for fan service again in 2024","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/braves-earn-glowing-reviews-for-fan-service-again-in-2024/VBCMJQ5IPFCE5O26IAOID6JEW4/"},{"_id":"O2JT4LGXOZC25A75CEGK4NKHJY","additional_properties":{},"content":"The reason for that, she believes: “We’ve created a culture where people feel like this is considered home,”<b> </b>she said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TIBNKRYOZJBXVIDGXHKIRY4XNE","additional_properties":{},"content":"And, “Our game day staff have a relationship with the fans,” particularly <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2026/03/as-a-30-year-braves-season-ticket-holder-price-hikes-are-turning-me-off/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2026/03/as-a-30-year-braves-season-ticket-holder-price-hikes-are-turning-me-off/\">season ticket-holders</a>, she said. “They really are connected with them.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RDNYRF4SUVCQFL3V73J4BV6BKE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Rhodes joined the Braves in 2019 and advanced to her current role with a focus on engagement and “what it means for people to work for a sports organization.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5Z2JQ7MTCVEBZGCX3CLBMUEPLY","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/5Z2JQ7MTCVEBZGCX3CLBMUEPLY.JPG?auth=62e0241339569c7c5158b7662bdf03c003194e6dbf131da52c058ef27ace940a","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"695e6f4e974302421b015c74","mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"01132026 DERETTA RHODES 02.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/5Z2JQ7MTCVEBZGCX3CLBMUEPLY.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/5Z2JQ7MTCVEBZGCX3CLBMUEPLY.JPG?auth=62e0241339569c7c5158b7662bdf03c003194e6dbf131da52c058ef27ace940a","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/5Z2JQ7MTCVEBZGCX3CLBMUEPLY.JPG?auth=62e0241339569c7c5158b7662bdf03c003194e6dbf131da52c058ef27ace940a","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-01-13T18:17:06Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/5Z2JQ7MTCVEBZGCX3CLBMUEPLY.JPG?auth=62e0241339569c7c5158b7662bdf03c003194e6dbf131da52c058ef27ace940a&width=300","version":1,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"62e0241339569c7c5158b7662bdf03c003194e6dbf131da52c058ef27ace940a"},"caption":"DeRetta Rhodes, executive vice president and chief people & culture officer of the Atlanta Braves, poses for a portrait at Truist Park. 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Absolutely not.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SFCBERY6VNDA7EJVJJQMONAGGI","additional_properties":{},"content":"She came with years of experience as a human resources executive at the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, First Data and Turner Broadcasting.","type":"text"},{"_id":"POIKHOXXS5G2DKOL3JEOYNAIFY","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"Turner built an empire. These women left it — and still shape Atlanta’s culture today.","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/12/ex-turner-broadcasting-leaders-still-shape-arts-and-media-in-atlanta/"},{"_id":"6R23B7ES45F4TEZLACRKSIJTZU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Rhodes got a call about the Braves job thanks to Lisa Chang, a woman she worked for at Turner who is now the <a href=\"https://www.coca-colacompany.com/about-us/leadership/lisa-chang\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.coca-colacompany.com/about-us/leadership/lisa-chang\">global chief people officer at Coca-Cola</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O7UTWVB3E5HT3DGDREE36ILPLI","additional_properties":{},"content":"There are long historical ties between Turner and the Braves, with Ted Turner <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/turner-broadcasting-timeline/Oa63C3Of3MhiFoZaSNUz3K/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/turner-broadcasting-timeline/Oa63C3Of3MhiFoZaSNUz3K/\">buying an Atlanta TV station in 1970, acquiring the rights to Braves games in 1973 and acquiring the Braves in 1976</a>. He later <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/years-ted-turner/y0dQ69hfyGm5DK6dJlmjbP/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/years-ted-turner/y0dQ69hfyGm5DK6dJlmjbP/\">lost control of the Braves through Turner Broadcasting’s 1996 merger with Time Warner</a> and <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/the-time-ted-turner-made-himself-the-braves-manager/x2m40WAfuLGwhNoFQN8ZDN/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/the-time-ted-turner-made-himself-the-braves-manager/x2m40WAfuLGwhNoFQN8ZDN/\">Time Warner’s subsequent merger with AOL</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C5BTIONVPJBOXGAAMC5CQ2ZQSU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Today, Turner Broadcasting’s DNA still has a big impact on the Braves. Rhodes is among several Turner alumni who are now in the executive suite there — including <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/business/atlanta-braves-buy-pennant-park-office-complex-in-cobb-county/PMINBKY5QFA6JEAHJM337NQNOQ/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/business/atlanta-braves-buy-pennant-park-office-complex-in-cobb-county/PMINBKY5QFA6JEAHJM337NQNOQ/\">Braves Development Company CEO Mike Plant</a>, a former Turner Sports executive, and <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/local/how-braves-executives-quickly-quietly-navigated-cobb-deal/Pc0CA2Pv3YrZK5TLrHwLUO/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/local/how-braves-executives-quickly-quietly-navigated-cobb-deal/Pc0CA2Pv3YrZK5TLrHwLUO/\">Chief Legal Officer Greg Heller</a>, who worked for TBS and Turner Sports.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SGO3RLYZRJCN3HA4HR24MUGFM4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Not long after Rhodes joined the Braves, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and having strong HR leadership became critically important in navigating office closures and return to office.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A33HDYCWDJHXXK6CGH3XQK6VEE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Rhodes has since broadened her role with a focus on culture, including community affairs and communications.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VHI2YGAWJ5HYNMJMY3GAAOTAOI","additional_properties":{},"content":"All of those elements affect “how people view and feel about organizations,” she said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LCMSP6QJO5HGDNTKQFR2WBWY5A","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"More from AJC Her+Story","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/"},{"_id":"VETS3KOUYVBXTP5BJDMBMPFTZY","additional_properties":{},"content":"The biggest challenge in the job, Rhodes said, is that “everybody brings their own set of perspectives and motivations and desires,” but the focus is to motivate people in the same direction.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VI755JEX3FDWRKTPQY63GVXUEM","additional_properties":{},"content":"However, “I never want somebody to show up differently than who they are,” she said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QIUWXXZXQZCOHI4IBBVWA7AFKA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Rhodes — who has a doctoral degree in adult education from the University of Georgia and an MBA from Clark Atlanta University — is also author of the book <a href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Voice-Empowering-Women-Professional/dp/1961863014\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Voice-Empowering-Women-Professional/dp/1961863014\">“Courage of Voice: Empowering Women to Open Professional Doors”</a> published in 2024. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QHNWFLJCNJHONAEEQNLGYRVGJM","additional_properties":{},"content":"She <a href=\"https://www.ted.com/talks/deretta_cole_rhodes_from_survive_to_thrive_women_of_color_in_corporate_leadership_deretta_cole_rhodes_tedxuga\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ted.com/talks/deretta_cole_rhodes_from_survive_to_thrive_women_of_color_in_corporate_leadership_deretta_cole_rhodes_tedxuga\">gave a 2018 TEDx Talk</a> on women of color in corporate leadership and wrote her dissertation on how Black women have learned to survive in corporate America. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"TC2T5RHROZAAHPFNKAZ2R4RYO4","additional_properties":{},"content":"But, Rhodes said, she has always wanted to do more than just a diversity role.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LLKIZHNRUFDJZFANY6E3HVAXSM","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I never wanted to be pigeonholed,” she said. And, “I’ve always viewed inclusiveness, diversity … as more of a change process than anything. It’s a change strategy.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FHDNWO77WVE5NKOH3NFN7CC6LE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Amid a <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/business/dei-pullback-and-decreased-support-hurting-black-women-owned-businesses/37I6MSGDJBHE5KJEUKBEM6NLA4/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/business/dei-pullback-and-decreased-support-hurting-black-women-owned-businesses/37I6MSGDJBHE5KJEUKBEM6NLA4/\">backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives</a>, Rhodes said: “I think people get caught in the nomenclature.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"HVUNEAPKIZB5ZD4PLK7WALXABM","additional_properties":{},"content":"“When you start talking about it being a strategy and creating an environment where people feel welcomed, regardless of who or what they are,” she said, that “speaks to truly what you’re trying to do from an inclusiveness standpoint.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XKFALDVTCRHRDLGZNG3NS37VIU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Rhodes sat down with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and shared how one assignment early in her career transformed how she leads, where she goes for her business lunches in the Cumberland area and more.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5PGXMLQT75B75BM254GJMHW55I","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>Edited for length and clarity.</i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"233SBFJTFBCF3LFVRYWD6AFWTA","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/233SBFJTFBCF3LFVRYWD6AFWTA.JPG?auth=0a3d0e62965c9068a24639c184c10256f79b67c0f1e500c6e7d98a1202145fe1","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"695e6f4e974302421b015c74","mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"01132026 DERETTA RHODES 06.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/233SBFJTFBCF3LFVRYWD6AFWTA.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/233SBFJTFBCF3LFVRYWD6AFWTA.JPG?auth=0a3d0e62965c9068a24639c184c10256f79b67c0f1e500c6e7d98a1202145fe1","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/233SBFJTFBCF3LFVRYWD6AFWTA.JPG?auth=0a3d0e62965c9068a24639c184c10256f79b67c0f1e500c6e7d98a1202145fe1","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-01-13T18:35:38Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/233SBFJTFBCF3LFVRYWD6AFWTA.JPG?auth=0a3d0e62965c9068a24639c184c10256f79b67c0f1e500c6e7d98a1202145fe1&width=300","version":1,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"0a3d0e62965c9068a24639c184c10256f79b67c0f1e500c6e7d98a1202145fe1"},"caption":"DeRetta Rhodes, executive vice president and chief people & culture officer of the Atlanta Braves, poses for a portrait at Truist Park. (Natrice Miller/AJC)","created_date":"2026-01-22T05:11:55Z","credits":{},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"46cae676-4989-4b34-bc9b-906e8e9b6d59"},"height":3803,"last_updated_date":"2026-01-22T05:11:56Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc"},"slug":"AAJC","source":{"name":"AJC Freelancer","source_id":"Freelancer/01132026 DERETTA RHODES 06.JPG","source_type":"freelance","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/233SBFJTFBCF3LFVRYWD6AFWTA","system":"AJC Freelancer"},"subtitle":"HER STORY DERETTA RHODES","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":["695e6f4e974302421b015c74"]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/233SBFJTFBCF3LFVRYWD6AFWTA.JPG?auth=0a3d0e62965c9068a24639c184c10256f79b67c0f1e500c6e7d98a1202145fe1","version":"0.10.9","width":5705},{"_id":"XM6WTTZSNRFYZCCDENTRIPHD24","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What is one mistake you’ve made that transformed how you approached your career?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"BF3CEPWJFJAQTKSSMS2LDNXTSI","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: One of the biggest mistakes that I made (was) early in my career. My sons were an infant and 2 years old.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DDLCOEDPSVFPLH4CESL5SBSOCY","additional_properties":{},"content":"I was having the opportunity to go on an assignment (in Omaha). So they brought us all in the room, and one of the leaders turned around and said to me, “Oh, DeRetta, you can do this assignment <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/pulse/does-no-kids-equal-more-work-and-less-time-off/PASINV6HNZFJDHB5JZZBCNGDMY/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/pulse/does-no-kids-equal-more-work-and-less-time-off/PASINV6HNZFJDHB5JZZBCNGDMY/\">because you don’t have kids</a>.’","type":"text"},{"_id":"2UNO4EWUJVEVLKCECQJNYOLKQA","additional_properties":{},"content":"And I never answered the question. I never <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/wellness/2025/11/she-wanted-to-empower-moms-to-rejoin-the-workforce-meet-momforce/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/wellness/2025/11/she-wanted-to-empower-moms-to-rejoin-the-workforce-meet-momforce/\">told them I had kids</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OSOLDYTUQJH5RNNXWG4CFHHRHY","additional_properties":{},"content":"I did get the assignment, and I feel like that really helped me. My biggest fear was that if I told them that I had kids, they <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/pulse/georgia-is-worse-for-working-moms-than-most-of-the-country/NR3UYR2HQ5G2JL2MWFU3EPSESQ/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/pulse/georgia-is-worse-for-working-moms-than-most-of-the-country/NR3UYR2HQ5G2JL2MWFU3EPSESQ/\">wouldn’t let me do the assignment</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"46ARY242KVAAVGAVF74K7DARCU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Hindsight, thinking back on that, I probably could have been right. But I think it would have opened up a different type of conversation for other individuals in the room.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RGWV6MJU75BZBE3WCNMQNXNW7Y","additional_properties":{},"content":"And for me, it ate at me. Like, it really bothered me that I wasn’t willing to share the fact that I had kids. And I had young kids at the time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JYRBABCF3ZHXBI6G6XDU6BWLEU","additional_properties":{},"content":"And that was one of the things that drives me now. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6SSTVKBSYFGIXNWAYXXCHVZOFU","additional_properties":{},"content":"So I’m not quiet in a room. Now, it may be easier now for me to say things. But I also hope I give voice to others, and I want people to be able to <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2026/03/atlantas-future-depends-on-women-and-systems-that-support-them-thriving/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2026/03/atlantas-future-depends-on-women-and-systems-that-support-them-thriving/\">express those type of things</a> because we are not one-dimensional. We are multidimensional. We have everything that’s facing us in different ways, and to have to hide that I had children was very detrimental for me.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R43MD4YUDBBXDOTGI4MK4QBO5M","additional_properties":{},"content":"So I make sure that I don’t do that any longer, and I try to ask the right questions for others, to make sure they’re able to answer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DCW2ANAV4FGBBEV2XUWTMZJZQA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What would be the right question?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"WPSCSQILOVANZOHEVAFITQ764M","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: First of all, don’t ask somebody if they have children. That’s the wrong question. I think more of the conversation is, do you have the availability to do this?","type":"text"},{"_id":"V3JVQLZKV5ADZC36RDK6VPWA2I","additional_properties":{},"content":"If you don’t have the availability to do this, what is hindering you from doing that? How can we <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2025/11/ceos-in-atlanta-and-beyond-dont-regress-on-supporting-working-mothers/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2025/11/ceos-in-atlanta-and-beyond-dont-regress-on-supporting-working-mothers/\">help to support you</a>?","type":"text"},{"_id":"RPYTDBPXX5HRJPMZ2HTIWY3CYE","additional_properties":{},"content":"That is a better lead-in than, “Oh, you don’t have children.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"22MXKT6VNBCZNEVFRWCITFLKXQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Because in my mind, if this is an amazing assignment that’s getting you exposure and development, you should be able to do it, and we should be able to support you in how that happens.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VYB3GXNRKNGOBIZ7MKYSZVW3V4","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: If it were able to spark a conversation, what kind of conversation would that be?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"7WXIDOFP4BF3VH5EIOPJOFQIX4","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: At the time … I then came to them and tried to resign for a different reason.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2H5VHXDOMVG7NJ4WVBUPDJDVUI","additional_properties":{},"content":"We talked through the assignment that I was on, and I explained to (the division president), “You know, I do have children.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IC2BZJXQ6JHK3H3UJCAKV5EMIE","additional_properties":{},"content":"And he said, “Why didn’t you say anything in the room at the time?” And I said, “Because I was worried that I wouldn’t get the assignment.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"X7HI4HPVUNGKXGZ43CL7SVN7RE","additional_properties":{},"content":"And he said, “I hate that that was how you felt. I wish you had said something because there were other people that were in the room that, if you had said that, they would have been able to also say the same thing.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TSNNYWAQGRDPXIYBM32GU5CWEY","additional_properties":{},"content":"There were only two of us that were in the room that were women, and there was about 15 of us in the room. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"NDXTX47WRRGHNLIHVQT4M5QWXY","additional_properties":{},"content":"But then there was another gentleman that had a newborn and very similar to mine, and <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/pulse/georgia-ranks-in-bottom-half-of-best-states-for-working-dads-study-says/767ETUPOOVAKNJBLYZ5ODY4BCA/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/pulse/georgia-ranks-in-bottom-half-of-best-states-for-working-dads-study-says/767ETUPOOVAKNJBLYZ5ODY4BCA/\">he was having challenges with child care</a>, and he went to (the division president) and <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2025/10/fathers-benefit-from-improved-policies-on-paid-leave-and-child-tax-credit/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2025/10/fathers-benefit-from-improved-policies-on-paid-leave-and-child-tax-credit/\">talked to him about it</a>. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"2AA7PHBUPFG43FSVONPUVJ2R4A","additional_properties":{},"content":"I wasn’t going to have that conversation because I wasn’t comfortable enough to do it. I wasn’t brave enough to do it. So that’s what he meant by “I wish you had said something.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2ZDPX3GFVRHJRHCWU5Z4T5ZNCU","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: How do you approach mentorship?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"FBZWEFOSVRGVHEGUC54QJ2MO7Y","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: Anytime I start a mentorship relationship, my first conversation is around the fact that it is reciprocal. We’re mentoring each other. The other thing that I always demand and expect is that you need to tell me what your expectation is. What are you trying to get to? What are you wanting for me? ","type":"text"},{"_id":"R3RGOTG7QBCOZGMGJPHJYDZGTM","additional_properties":{},"content":"I always explain the difference between mentorship and sponsorship. Mentorship is that I am in the bubble with you, like I am there to help and support you. Sponsorship looks very different, and a lot of times, you don’t know if someone’s sponsoring you, and a lot of times, sponsorship has more to do with someone making sure you get access, making sure that you are getting opportunities. That doesn’t necessarily mean that that’s your mentor. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"OFCTNY2EJZCM5CWIPAAIGWPNVQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What is your favorite restaurant for a business lunch?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZBAWTDHY7VAMDHS4PUJQVAEQNE","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: For a business lunch, C&amp;S (Seafood &amp; Oyster Bar at) Galleria. Parking is easy — you get in, you get out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HUBFDFLXTFBUVC4HEICGVHONNA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Houston’s (on Northside Parkway) is another one. You know exactly what you’re going to get every single time. It is consistent.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VVWP3MABT5B2FDA2DHYAXAIMVQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"For breakfast, I do Goldbergs (at the Battery). I consider <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/food-and-dining/atlanta-stadium-restaurants-at-the-battery-atlanta-and-braves-stadium-truist-park/D7IJVXRNBMK6PYILJKUBI5EYGM/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/food-and-dining/atlanta-stadium-restaurants-at-the-battery-atlanta-and-braves-stadium-truist-park/D7IJVXRNBMK6PYILJKUBI5EYGM/\">everything in the Battery</a> is our cafeteria.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PFYYP4JZINB6VKVWHBDFIX5CFA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What do you love about Atlanta?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"24P3YH4STVFT5MHLI5S6RUZTBY","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: That’s a tough question for me because I truly thought I was going to move out of Atlanta. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"A46R4WCF7BCQJPWJ5XRE3X6Q7M","additional_properties":{},"content":"I moved right before high school to Douglas County. And so there was nothing to me at the time that was great about Atlanta. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"2W66ELBHNBHANHIRK7DDCEVUGI","additional_properties":{},"content":"What has worked out very well is I’ve been able to raise my sons, and it has served them well. It created a level of stability, and that, I think, has been amazing for them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KMNCE3RWURCM5FTXGZFING6MTE","additional_properties":{},"content":"So that would be my love for Atlanta.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RRP6FGYNLJHM7DADAHD5K4FU3M","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What breaks your heart about Atlanta?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"54RYLZ23VJGJRKUPRWFVYP5OI4","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: I still feel that in some instances, it can be very cliquish. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"GTP2DLUQIVGZRF27WU327VLGEE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Sometimes people (find it) hard to find their community here, and that breaks my heart.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YYYI3K2R3FGH5CMJI6MP23WA3I","type":"divider"},{"_id":"KHDO7I63RVFZDIZ2XU6SPIH2VI","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>AJC Her+Story is a series in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlighting women founders, creators, executives and professionals. It is about building a community. Know someone the AJC should feature in AJC Her+Story? Email us at </i><a href=\"mailto:herstory@ajc.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>herstory@ajc.com</i></a><i> with your suggestions. Check out more of our AJC Her+Story coverage at </i><a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>ajc.com/herstory</i></a><i>.</i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"kelly-yamanouchi","type":"author","version":"0.5.8","name":"Kelly Yamanouchi","image":{"url":"https://author-service-images-prod-us-east-1.publishing.aws.arc.pub/ajc/5f92eb8c-65ec-4d6b-905f-1943f365f66f.png","version":"0.5.8"},"description":"As Deputy Editor for business, Kelly Yamanouchi edits and writes business stories. 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","type":"text"},{"_id":"QZRMICCJ4RF3JCTA5YJOENF3KE","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false,"storyId":""},"content":"AJC Her+Story: She asked Atlanta to share its good news. 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","type":"text"},{"_id":"WFVLMTMPRZEJXNMZA2MGNR32UI","additional_properties":{},"content":"At Georgia Power, she wondered: “How can I lead this team of people when I couldn’t do their jobs, when I didn’t know everything that they did?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"CR5WJ5R4OFEW3MMHACQZ3YDA7I","additional_properties":{},"content":"It’s been about 25 years since Terry joined the company, and she is now CEO of Southern’s wireless communication subsidiary, Southern Linc, and fiber optic subsidiary, Southern Telecom.","type":"text"},{"_id":"352DV4IHS5B4LOUYNF2KRSBMC4","additional_properties":{},"content":"“If you looked at where I started and looked at where I ended up, you cannot draw a straight line. It’s one with all kinds of squiggly points,” Terry said in an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6NXMFUF5QVEENFCFDDMA7CPEH4","additional_properties":{},"content":"She also took a lesson learned from that meeting in an Austell assembly room after she went into her role in operations at Georgia Power: “Leadership rarely begins with certainty.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"CCHZK2OCUJH4PKUSBAIH7CWP4Y","additional_properties":{},"content":"“It begins with courage in the face of a challenge, and that means standing in that room,” she said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CVBRIEGWKVATXN7ZUWPZFOJG6E","additional_properties":{},"content":"Terry sat down with AJC Her+Story to share the advice she gives to young people pursuing a path to leadership, her favorite restaurant for a business lunch downtown and what some people get wrong about Atlanta.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JIRMURFN7BFZ3BEXXOODEVMOGI","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>Edited for length and clarity.</i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"WZCBYCFJ6VD5VFYZI5O3C5GPXA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What’s your morning routine?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZPTTIKPDFFBKXE6RXTA5QR43I4","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: I get up between 5:30 and 6 o’clock. I try to work out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J3ARNBC6BFHDJCJDYWGXIK73ME","additional_properties":{},"content":"I listen to my text messages and all that stuff in the car on the way to work. I kind of do the, ‘Siri read my unread text messages’ thing. I used to do that at the house, but now I find that it’s more efficient for me to do it the car, and it can help me respond to the text messages.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MWBGOXPUQBGZ3IUFDF7KA2SBGI","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What’s one mistake you’ve made that transformed how you approached your career?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ETQAIZQSDRB2RGRXR7WUWLGD74","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: I am very strong-willed, some might say hardheaded, and I run on intuition and I move fast.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L34VVGTW2VFXDMM43YZMZMPM3M","additional_properties":{},"content":"So some of the biggest mistakes I’ve made in my career are when I wasn’t thoughtful, when I didn’t take the time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5WW7LVBFGZGDVEKAB7XZNRMDUE","additional_properties":{},"content":"You have to listen, and you have to make sure that you get the right information from the right people. The times when I’ve not been successful have been because I believed I knew everything and didn’t take the time and energy to make sure I fully had a complete understanding or grasp of the situation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZMMLON5P7BHD5GKQFEQ6Y2MJBI","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: Is there an example?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"2H7LCT5Q65BJZF3YD5PPDV3FSU","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: Yeah. When I was down in Florida working for another Southern Co. subsidiary, I had come up with a new way to design the organization. It was me and the HR person, (we) sat in a room over a couple of meetings, and we redesigned the organization. And looking back now, that even sounds crazy, but that’s the way we did it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AUPPB5I2TNDJ3L3VEGPIDUKPDA","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false,"storyId":""},"content":"These are the four skills you need to be a leader, says Southern Co. exec","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/04/these-are-the-four-skills-you-need-to-be-a-leader-says-a-top-atlanta-exec/"},{"_id":"FAJ4BTGIVVHETMIM3EHNYKBUTM","additional_properties":{},"content":"And what I didn’t know or understand was the impacts of some of those decisions looked different to the employees because of decisions that had been made previously. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"7UIMGYXD4RCSBPLJM5JHNQBLHA","additional_properties":{},"content":"So I just didn’t really have the context to know and understand that what I was thinking I was doing was one thing, but what employees were going to see or how they were going to take it was going to be completely different. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"MFZQSOVEDZBC7BGWJC5YSZK4RE","additional_properties":{},"content":"If I had taken the time and energy to make sure I understood the culture and a little bit more about the history, then I would have seen the impact of those things on the employees from a cultural standpoint.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5SRBDAMNLFCTRN2BEZWZ7OJFC4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Those might have still been the right things to do, but I could have presented them in a way that acknowledged the experience that the employees had had previously and made sure that I could say: I know this feels like or sounds like or looks like this to you, but let me talk about why it’s different. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"BSH7I3P5IJHFZNL5SGRGWYUAKU","additional_properties":{},"content":"But I didn’t know, and I didn’t stop long enough to try to figure that out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RAZNZTAE5REYFJHFOXCK7P6AXA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What are the best things someone can do to distinguish themselves in a job interview?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"57MAZ6YNIZB2NMMB5KFEKPX4RY","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: I tell people to go into a job interview and be authentic.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X6UXLMRKY5B7HB6C5LMRPBAHKQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"You know, we all have to code switch. It’s kind of funny to me that we talk about code switching like everybody doesn’t do it. Everybody code switches. You talk one way around your family. When you’re in a business setting, you need to be business appropriate.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DKRJ3KFM2VESRJHEGGSBWANXSY","additional_properties":{},"content":"I don’t mean don’t recognize that, but be who you are. … If you decide to go into that interview not being who you are, and then you show up (for work) as you are, it may not be a good fit. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"RNCABPZKPVAJRHEA4OVNTEVUVU","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What’s your favorite restaurant for a business lunch?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"TTE56KMBJNDIJOINOGVNIEFG24","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: I love A Mano. It is on Ralph McGill (Boulevard). It is not far from my work (downtown). But I also like it. There’s a server there who is just the most delightful person. She’s just so upbeat and so friendly. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"JB7MV4APTFF6PK4YZK2TC72FCM","additional_properties":{},"content":"If I want pasta that day or if I want a nice sandwich, it’s really good. 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One of my favorite restaurants is the Busy Bee — I love a good Southern home-cooked meal, but I like to put on a pair of heels and a pretty dress and be a little sophisticated. And I feel like that’s what Atlanta is, and it’s just a place that I feel very comfortable.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A4TZY6PXNBENDGNZYT3KQDQGDM","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"AJC Her+Story","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/"},{"_id":"FSD5NVYIMBDJRJFEEUJV5PRNC4","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What breaks your heart about Atlanta?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y3U4CUOQDFAGLDSMHZZO274YIQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: That everybody doesn’t get to experience Atlanta the way I experience Atlanta. In two ways.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GIFS2BNYQ5HD7AFYN3BRNKN2NE","additional_properties":{},"content":"One is, there’s tremendous inequality in wealth. There are a lot of people in Atlanta who struggle. That breaks my heart to see that everybody is not allowed to live to their full potential in Atlanta.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JLH76655I5GDTGY4GAR6QHRIKY","additional_properties":{},"content":"And then the second thing is, to outsiders who view Atlanta, they view it through the lens of what they’ve seen on Bravo.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLYRFIKDE5DNBH4KSTALGI6NOI","additional_properties":{},"content":"That is not nearly all of Atlanta. There are corporate headquarters, and there’s a cultural center that is vibrant and beautiful, and there are parks and green spaces. There’s just so much more to Atlanta than what I think people get to see on television sometimes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PIAQEKJDVJDPHLZLB6GFG3QLKM","type":"divider"},{"_id":"3I4QNALUXNAFLBZLOPYKBNWBG4","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>AJC Her+Story is a series in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlighting women founders, creators, executives and professionals. It is about building a community. Know someone the AJC should feature in AJC Her+Story? Email us at </i><a href=\"mailto:herstory@ajc.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>herstory@ajc.com</i></a><i> with your suggestions. Check out more of our AJC Her+Story coverage at </i><a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>ajc.com/herstory</i></a><i>.</i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"kelly-yamanouchi","type":"author","version":"0.5.8","name":"Kelly Yamanouchi","image":{"url":"https://author-service-images-prod-us-east-1.publishing.aws.arc.pub/ajc/5f92eb8c-65ec-4d6b-905f-1943f365f66f.png","version":"0.5.8"},"description":"As Deputy Editor for business, Kelly Yamanouchi edits and writes business stories. 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Some have worked at all three<b> </b>Atlanta area ballparks, from Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium to Turner Field to Truist Park.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LUGNBOY2CRBRPB7UASMU2RHVGU","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"Braves earn glowing reviews for fan service again in 2024","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/braves-earn-glowing-reviews-for-fan-service-again-in-2024/VBCMJQ5IPFCE5O26IAOID6JEW4/"},{"_id":"O2JT4LGXOZC25A75CEGK4NKHJY","additional_properties":{},"content":"The reason for that, she believes: “We’ve created a culture where people feel like this is considered home,”<b> </b>she said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TIBNKRYOZJBXVIDGXHKIRY4XNE","additional_properties":{},"content":"And, “Our game day staff have a relationship with the fans,” particularly <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2026/03/as-a-30-year-braves-season-ticket-holder-price-hikes-are-turning-me-off/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2026/03/as-a-30-year-braves-season-ticket-holder-price-hikes-are-turning-me-off/\">season ticket-holders</a>, she said. “They really are connected with them.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"RDNYRF4SUVCQFL3V73J4BV6BKE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Rhodes joined the Braves in 2019 and advanced to her current role with a focus on engagement and “what it means for people to work for a sports organization.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"5Z2JQ7MTCVEBZGCX3CLBMUEPLY","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/5Z2JQ7MTCVEBZGCX3CLBMUEPLY.JPG?auth=62e0241339569c7c5158b7662bdf03c003194e6dbf131da52c058ef27ace940a","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"695e6f4e974302421b015c74","mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"01132026 DERETTA RHODES 02.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/5Z2JQ7MTCVEBZGCX3CLBMUEPLY.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/5Z2JQ7MTCVEBZGCX3CLBMUEPLY.JPG?auth=62e0241339569c7c5158b7662bdf03c003194e6dbf131da52c058ef27ace940a","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/5Z2JQ7MTCVEBZGCX3CLBMUEPLY.JPG?auth=62e0241339569c7c5158b7662bdf03c003194e6dbf131da52c058ef27ace940a","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-01-13T18:17:06Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/5Z2JQ7MTCVEBZGCX3CLBMUEPLY.JPG?auth=62e0241339569c7c5158b7662bdf03c003194e6dbf131da52c058ef27ace940a&width=300","version":1,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"62e0241339569c7c5158b7662bdf03c003194e6dbf131da52c058ef27ace940a"},"caption":"DeRetta Rhodes, executive vice president and chief people & culture officer of the Atlanta Braves, poses for a portrait at Truist Park. (Natrice Miller/AJC)","created_date":"2026-01-22T05:11:47Z","credits":{},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"46cae676-4989-4b34-bc9b-906e8e9b6d59"},"height":3709,"last_updated_date":"2026-01-22T05:11:48Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc"},"slug":"AAJC","source":{"name":"AJC Freelancer","source_id":"Freelancer/01132026 DERETTA RHODES 02.JPG","source_type":"freelance","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/5Z2JQ7MTCVEBZGCX3CLBMUEPLY","system":"AJC Freelancer"},"subtitle":"HER STORY DERETTA RHODES","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":["695e6f4e974302421b015c74"]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/5Z2JQ7MTCVEBZGCX3CLBMUEPLY.JPG?auth=62e0241339569c7c5158b7662bdf03c003194e6dbf131da52c058ef27ace940a","version":"0.10.9","width":5563},{"_id":"3KJN3LAJJVCWNAIWWTKHW62LCY","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I know baseball,” she said. “I used to listen to baseball with my grandfather and grandmother when I was growing up” in Kansas City, home of the <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/negro-leagues-museum-sees-global-outpouring-love-after-vandalism/1a1Jt9AcgRH2DgPocR8I7M/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/negro-leagues-museum-sees-global-outpouring-love-after-vandalism/1a1Jt9AcgRH2DgPocR8I7M/\">Negro Leagues Baseball Museum</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PDWVXTJQL5BSFKP3JKWMW4I66M","additional_properties":{},"content":"But before taking the job, “Did I know the business of baseball? Absolutely not.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SFCBERY6VNDA7EJVJJQMONAGGI","additional_properties":{},"content":"She came with years of experience as a human resources executive at the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, First Data and Turner Broadcasting.","type":"text"},{"_id":"POIKHOXXS5G2DKOL3JEOYNAIFY","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"Turner built an empire. These women left it — and still shape Atlanta’s culture today.","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/12/ex-turner-broadcasting-leaders-still-shape-arts-and-media-in-atlanta/"},{"_id":"6R23B7ES45F4TEZLACRKSIJTZU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Rhodes got a call about the Braves job thanks to Lisa Chang, a woman she worked for at Turner who is now the <a href=\"https://www.coca-colacompany.com/about-us/leadership/lisa-chang\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.coca-colacompany.com/about-us/leadership/lisa-chang\">global chief people officer at Coca-Cola</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O7UTWVB3E5HT3DGDREE36ILPLI","additional_properties":{},"content":"There are long historical ties between Turner and the Braves, with Ted Turner <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/turner-broadcasting-timeline/Oa63C3Of3MhiFoZaSNUz3K/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/turner-broadcasting-timeline/Oa63C3Of3MhiFoZaSNUz3K/\">buying an Atlanta TV station in 1970, acquiring the rights to Braves games in 1973 and acquiring the Braves in 1976</a>. He later <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/years-ted-turner/y0dQ69hfyGm5DK6dJlmjbP/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/years-ted-turner/y0dQ69hfyGm5DK6dJlmjbP/\">lost control of the Braves through Turner Broadcasting’s 1996 merger with Time Warner</a> and <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/the-time-ted-turner-made-himself-the-braves-manager/x2m40WAfuLGwhNoFQN8ZDN/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/sports/the-time-ted-turner-made-himself-the-braves-manager/x2m40WAfuLGwhNoFQN8ZDN/\">Time Warner’s subsequent merger with AOL</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C5BTIONVPJBOXGAAMC5CQ2ZQSU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Today, Turner Broadcasting’s DNA still has a big impact on the Braves. Rhodes is among several Turner alumni who are now in the executive suite there — including <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/business/atlanta-braves-buy-pennant-park-office-complex-in-cobb-county/PMINBKY5QFA6JEAHJM337NQNOQ/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/business/atlanta-braves-buy-pennant-park-office-complex-in-cobb-county/PMINBKY5QFA6JEAHJM337NQNOQ/\">Braves Development Company CEO Mike Plant</a>, a former Turner Sports executive, and <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/local/how-braves-executives-quickly-quietly-navigated-cobb-deal/Pc0CA2Pv3YrZK5TLrHwLUO/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/local/how-braves-executives-quickly-quietly-navigated-cobb-deal/Pc0CA2Pv3YrZK5TLrHwLUO/\">Chief Legal Officer Greg Heller</a>, who worked for TBS and Turner Sports.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SGO3RLYZRJCN3HA4HR24MUGFM4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Not long after Rhodes joined the Braves, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and having strong HR leadership became critically important in navigating office closures and return to office.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A33HDYCWDJHXXK6CGH3XQK6VEE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Rhodes has since broadened her role with a focus on culture, including community affairs and communications.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VHI2YGAWJ5HYNMJMY3GAAOTAOI","additional_properties":{},"content":"All of those elements affect “how people view and feel about organizations,” she said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LCMSP6QJO5HGDNTKQFR2WBWY5A","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"More from AJC Her+Story","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/"},{"_id":"VETS3KOUYVBXTP5BJDMBMPFTZY","additional_properties":{},"content":"The biggest challenge in the job, Rhodes said, is that “everybody brings their own set of perspectives and motivations and desires,” but the focus is to motivate people in the same direction.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VI755JEX3FDWRKTPQY63GVXUEM","additional_properties":{},"content":"However, “I never want somebody to show up differently than who they are,” she said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QIUWXXZXQZCOHI4IBBVWA7AFKA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Rhodes — who has a doctoral degree in adult education from the University of Georgia and an MBA from Clark Atlanta University — is also author of the book <a href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Voice-Empowering-Women-Professional/dp/1961863014\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Voice-Empowering-Women-Professional/dp/1961863014\">“Courage of Voice: Empowering Women to Open Professional Doors”</a> published in 2024. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QHNWFLJCNJHONAEEQNLGYRVGJM","additional_properties":{},"content":"She <a href=\"https://www.ted.com/talks/deretta_cole_rhodes_from_survive_to_thrive_women_of_color_in_corporate_leadership_deretta_cole_rhodes_tedxuga\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ted.com/talks/deretta_cole_rhodes_from_survive_to_thrive_women_of_color_in_corporate_leadership_deretta_cole_rhodes_tedxuga\">gave a 2018 TEDx Talk</a> on women of color in corporate leadership and wrote her dissertation on how Black women have learned to survive in corporate America. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"TC2T5RHROZAAHPFNKAZ2R4RYO4","additional_properties":{},"content":"But, Rhodes said, she has always wanted to do more than just a diversity role.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LLKIZHNRUFDJZFANY6E3HVAXSM","additional_properties":{},"content":"“I never wanted to be pigeonholed,” she said. And, “I’ve always viewed inclusiveness, diversity … as more of a change process than anything. It’s a change strategy.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FHDNWO77WVE5NKOH3NFN7CC6LE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Amid a <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/business/dei-pullback-and-decreased-support-hurting-black-women-owned-businesses/37I6MSGDJBHE5KJEUKBEM6NLA4/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/business/dei-pullback-and-decreased-support-hurting-black-women-owned-businesses/37I6MSGDJBHE5KJEUKBEM6NLA4/\">backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives</a>, Rhodes said: “I think people get caught in the nomenclature.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"HVUNEAPKIZB5ZD4PLK7WALXABM","additional_properties":{},"content":"“When you start talking about it being a strategy and creating an environment where people feel welcomed, regardless of who or what they are,” she said, that “speaks to truly what you’re trying to do from an inclusiveness standpoint.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XKFALDVTCRHRDLGZNG3NS37VIU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Rhodes sat down with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and shared how one assignment early in her career transformed how she leads, where she goes for her business lunches in the Cumberland area and more.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5PGXMLQT75B75BM254GJMHW55I","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>Edited for length and clarity.</i>","type":"text"},{"_id":"233SBFJTFBCF3LFVRYWD6AFWTA","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/233SBFJTFBCF3LFVRYWD6AFWTA.JPG?auth=0a3d0e62965c9068a24639c184c10256f79b67c0f1e500c6e7d98a1202145fe1","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"695e6f4e974302421b015c74","mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"01132026 DERETTA RHODES 06.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/233SBFJTFBCF3LFVRYWD6AFWTA.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/233SBFJTFBCF3LFVRYWD6AFWTA.JPG?auth=0a3d0e62965c9068a24639c184c10256f79b67c0f1e500c6e7d98a1202145fe1","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/233SBFJTFBCF3LFVRYWD6AFWTA.JPG?auth=0a3d0e62965c9068a24639c184c10256f79b67c0f1e500c6e7d98a1202145fe1","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-01-13T18:35:38Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/233SBFJTFBCF3LFVRYWD6AFWTA.JPG?auth=0a3d0e62965c9068a24639c184c10256f79b67c0f1e500c6e7d98a1202145fe1&width=300","version":1,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"0a3d0e62965c9068a24639c184c10256f79b67c0f1e500c6e7d98a1202145fe1"},"caption":"DeRetta Rhodes, executive vice president and chief people & culture officer of the Atlanta Braves, poses for a portrait at Truist Park. (Natrice Miller/AJC)","created_date":"2026-01-22T05:11:55Z","credits":{},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"46cae676-4989-4b34-bc9b-906e8e9b6d59"},"height":3803,"last_updated_date":"2026-01-22T05:11:56Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc"},"slug":"AAJC","source":{"name":"AJC Freelancer","source_id":"Freelancer/01132026 DERETTA RHODES 06.JPG","source_type":"freelance","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/233SBFJTFBCF3LFVRYWD6AFWTA","system":"AJC Freelancer"},"subtitle":"HER STORY DERETTA RHODES","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":["695e6f4e974302421b015c74"]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/233SBFJTFBCF3LFVRYWD6AFWTA.JPG?auth=0a3d0e62965c9068a24639c184c10256f79b67c0f1e500c6e7d98a1202145fe1","version":"0.10.9","width":5705},{"_id":"XM6WTTZSNRFYZCCDENTRIPHD24","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What is one mistake you’ve made that transformed how you approached your career?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"BF3CEPWJFJAQTKSSMS2LDNXTSI","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: One of the biggest mistakes that I made (was) early in my career. My sons were an infant and 2 years old.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DDLCOEDPSVFPLH4CESL5SBSOCY","additional_properties":{},"content":"I was having the opportunity to go on an assignment (in Omaha). So they brought us all in the room, and one of the leaders turned around and said to me, “Oh, DeRetta, you can do this assignment <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/pulse/does-no-kids-equal-more-work-and-less-time-off/PASINV6HNZFJDHB5JZZBCNGDMY/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/pulse/does-no-kids-equal-more-work-and-less-time-off/PASINV6HNZFJDHB5JZZBCNGDMY/\">because you don’t have kids</a>.’","type":"text"},{"_id":"2UNO4EWUJVEVLKCECQJNYOLKQA","additional_properties":{},"content":"And I never answered the question. I never <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/wellness/2025/11/she-wanted-to-empower-moms-to-rejoin-the-workforce-meet-momforce/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/wellness/2025/11/she-wanted-to-empower-moms-to-rejoin-the-workforce-meet-momforce/\">told them I had kids</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OSOLDYTUQJH5RNNXWG4CFHHRHY","additional_properties":{},"content":"I did get the assignment, and I feel like that really helped me. My biggest fear was that if I told them that I had kids, they <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/pulse/georgia-is-worse-for-working-moms-than-most-of-the-country/NR3UYR2HQ5G2JL2MWFU3EPSESQ/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/pulse/georgia-is-worse-for-working-moms-than-most-of-the-country/NR3UYR2HQ5G2JL2MWFU3EPSESQ/\">wouldn’t let me do the assignment</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"46ARY242KVAAVGAVF74K7DARCU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Hindsight, thinking back on that, I probably could have been right. But I think it would have opened up a different type of conversation for other individuals in the room.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RGWV6MJU75BZBE3WCNMQNXNW7Y","additional_properties":{},"content":"And for me, it ate at me. Like, it really bothered me that I wasn’t willing to share the fact that I had kids. And I had young kids at the time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JYRBABCF3ZHXBI6G6XDU6BWLEU","additional_properties":{},"content":"And that was one of the things that drives me now. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6SSTVKBSYFGIXNWAYXXCHVZOFU","additional_properties":{},"content":"So I’m not quiet in a room. Now, it may be easier now for me to say things. But I also hope I give voice to others, and I want people to be able to <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2026/03/atlantas-future-depends-on-women-and-systems-that-support-them-thriving/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2026/03/atlantas-future-depends-on-women-and-systems-that-support-them-thriving/\">express those type of things</a> because we are not one-dimensional. We are multidimensional. We have everything that’s facing us in different ways, and to have to hide that I had children was very detrimental for me.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R43MD4YUDBBXDOTGI4MK4QBO5M","additional_properties":{},"content":"So I make sure that I don’t do that any longer, and I try to ask the right questions for others, to make sure they’re able to answer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DCW2ANAV4FGBBEV2XUWTMZJZQA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What would be the right question?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"WPSCSQILOVANZOHEVAFITQ764M","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: First of all, don’t ask somebody if they have children. That’s the wrong question. I think more of the conversation is, do you have the availability to do this?","type":"text"},{"_id":"V3JVQLZKV5ADZC36RDK6VPWA2I","additional_properties":{},"content":"If you don’t have the availability to do this, what is hindering you from doing that? How can we <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2025/11/ceos-in-atlanta-and-beyond-dont-regress-on-supporting-working-mothers/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2025/11/ceos-in-atlanta-and-beyond-dont-regress-on-supporting-working-mothers/\">help to support you</a>?","type":"text"},{"_id":"RPYTDBPXX5HRJPMZ2HTIWY3CYE","additional_properties":{},"content":"That is a better lead-in than, “Oh, you don’t have children.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"22MXKT6VNBCZNEVFRWCITFLKXQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Because in my mind, if this is an amazing assignment that’s getting you exposure and development, you should be able to do it, and we should be able to support you in how that happens.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VYB3GXNRKNGOBIZ7MKYSZVW3V4","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: If it were able to spark a conversation, what kind of conversation would that be?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"7WXIDOFP4BF3VH5EIOPJOFQIX4","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: At the time … I then came to them and tried to resign for a different reason.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2H5VHXDOMVG7NJ4WVBUPDJDVUI","additional_properties":{},"content":"We talked through the assignment that I was on, and I explained to (the division president), “You know, I do have children.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"IC2BZJXQ6JHK3H3UJCAKV5EMIE","additional_properties":{},"content":"And he said, “Why didn’t you say anything in the room at the time?” And I said, “Because I was worried that I wouldn’t get the assignment.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"X7HI4HPVUNGKXGZ43CL7SVN7RE","additional_properties":{},"content":"And he said, “I hate that that was how you felt. I wish you had said something because there were other people that were in the room that, if you had said that, they would have been able to also say the same thing.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TSNNYWAQGRDPXIYBM32GU5CWEY","additional_properties":{},"content":"There were only two of us that were in the room that were women, and there was about 15 of us in the room. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"NDXTX47WRRGHNLIHVQT4M5QWXY","additional_properties":{},"content":"But then there was another gentleman that had a newborn and very similar to mine, and <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/pulse/georgia-ranks-in-bottom-half-of-best-states-for-working-dads-study-says/767ETUPOOVAKNJBLYZ5ODY4BCA/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/pulse/georgia-ranks-in-bottom-half-of-best-states-for-working-dads-study-says/767ETUPOOVAKNJBLYZ5ODY4BCA/\">he was having challenges with child care</a>, and he went to (the division president) and <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2025/10/fathers-benefit-from-improved-policies-on-paid-leave-and-child-tax-credit/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2025/10/fathers-benefit-from-improved-policies-on-paid-leave-and-child-tax-credit/\">talked to him about it</a>. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"2AA7PHBUPFG43FSVONPUVJ2R4A","additional_properties":{},"content":"I wasn’t going to have that conversation because I wasn’t comfortable enough to do it. I wasn’t brave enough to do it. So that’s what he meant by “I wish you had said something.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"2ZDPX3GFVRHJRHCWU5Z4T5ZNCU","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: How do you approach mentorship?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"FBZWEFOSVRGVHEGUC54QJ2MO7Y","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: Anytime I start a mentorship relationship, my first conversation is around the fact that it is reciprocal. We’re mentoring each other. The other thing that I always demand and expect is that you need to tell me what your expectation is. What are you trying to get to? What are you wanting for me? ","type":"text"},{"_id":"R3RGOTG7QBCOZGMGJPHJYDZGTM","additional_properties":{},"content":"I always explain the difference between mentorship and sponsorship. Mentorship is that I am in the bubble with you, like I am there to help and support you. Sponsorship looks very different, and a lot of times, you don’t know if someone’s sponsoring you, and a lot of times, sponsorship has more to do with someone making sure you get access, making sure that you are getting opportunities. That doesn’t necessarily mean that that’s your mentor. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"OFCTNY2EJZCM5CWIPAAIGWPNVQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What is your favorite restaurant for a business lunch?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZBAWTDHY7VAMDHS4PUJQVAEQNE","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: For a business lunch, C&amp;S (Seafood &amp; Oyster Bar at) Galleria. Parking is easy — you get in, you get out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HUBFDFLXTFBUVC4HEICGVHONNA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Houston’s (on Northside Parkway) is another one. You know exactly what you’re going to get every single time. It is consistent.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VVWP3MABT5B2FDA2DHYAXAIMVQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"For breakfast, I do Goldbergs (at the Battery). I consider <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/food-and-dining/atlanta-stadium-restaurants-at-the-battery-atlanta-and-braves-stadium-truist-park/D7IJVXRNBMK6PYILJKUBI5EYGM/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/food-and-dining/atlanta-stadium-restaurants-at-the-battery-atlanta-and-braves-stadium-truist-park/D7IJVXRNBMK6PYILJKUBI5EYGM/\">everything in the Battery</a> is our cafeteria.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PFYYP4JZINB6VKVWHBDFIX5CFA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What do you love about Atlanta?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"24P3YH4STVFT5MHLI5S6RUZTBY","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: That’s a tough question for me because I truly thought I was going to move out of Atlanta. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"A46R4WCF7BCQJPWJ5XRE3X6Q7M","additional_properties":{},"content":"I moved right before high school to Douglas County. And so there was nothing to me at the time that was great about Atlanta. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"2W66ELBHNBHANHIRK7DDCEVUGI","additional_properties":{},"content":"What has worked out very well is I’ve been able to raise my sons, and it has served them well. It created a level of stability, and that, I think, has been amazing for them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KMNCE3RWURCM5FTXGZFING6MTE","additional_properties":{},"content":"So that would be my love for Atlanta.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RRP6FGYNLJHM7DADAHD5K4FU3M","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Q: What breaks your heart about Atlanta?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"54RYLZ23VJGJRKUPRWFVYP5OI4","additional_properties":{},"content":"A: I still feel that in some instances, it can be very cliquish. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"GTP2DLUQIVGZRF27WU327VLGEE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Sometimes people (find it) hard to find their community here, and that breaks my heart.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YYYI3K2R3FGH5CMJI6MP23WA3I","type":"divider"},{"_id":"KHDO7I63RVFZDIZ2XU6SPIH2VI","additional_properties":{},"content":"<i>AJC Her+Story is a series in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlighting women founders, creators, executives and professionals. It is about building a community. Know someone the AJC should feature in AJC Her+Story? Email us at </i><a href=\"mailto:herstory@ajc.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>herstory@ajc.com</i></a><i> with your suggestions. Check out more of our AJC Her+Story coverage at </i><a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\"><i>ajc.com/herstory</i></a><i>.</i>","type":"text"}],"credits":{"by":[{"_id":"kelly-yamanouchi","type":"author","version":"0.5.8","name":"Kelly Yamanouchi","image":{"url":"https://author-service-images-prod-us-east-1.publishing.aws.arc.pub/ajc/5f92eb8c-65ec-4d6b-905f-1943f365f66f.png","version":"0.5.8"},"description":"As Deputy Editor for business, Kelly Yamanouchi edits and writes business stories. 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Her mother died at 83 years old<b> </b>in late 2020 from complications of COVID-19 and Parkinson’s disease.<b> </b>Leslie described it as surreal, especially given that she <a href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/gy/podcast/juicing-for-change-transforming-health-with-ardens-garden/id1611221259?i=1000674243512\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/gy/podcast/juicing-for-change-transforming-health-with-ardens-garden/id1611221259?i=1000674243512\">struggled with drug addiction</a> while in college. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"PEA5OBPOVFAYHDZA6BGUWIBJ6I","additional_properties":{},"content":"Diverging lifestyles, especially around health, once separated her from her mother, but through rehab, recovery and a focus on wellness, their stories would intertwine through Arden’s Garden.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MOPD7NK24NAHPPI33UD7U7GMGQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"“It made me who I am today,” Leslie said, now 40 years sober.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UAQCI3YCEJABJHTYW2UYWVXIE4","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"More from the AJC: Wellness","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/wellness/"},{"_id":"M53FPUAUNZBMVORJLVGJBCQHNE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Nearly one in three restaurants fail, according to the <a href=\"https://restaurant.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://restaurant.org/\">National Restaurant Association</a>, presenting an uphill battle for any upstart trying to crack the market. Focusing on cold-pressed juice and vegan food is even more challenging because <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/2026/01/diet-advisers-weigh-in-on-americas-new-real-food-approach/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/2026/01/diet-advisers-weigh-in-on-americas-new-real-food-approach/\">not all customers are health conscious</a>. But Leslie said her mother didn’t care — the mission was her main squeeze and earned loyalty wherever she went.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F73UUAYKMJHBJEPJZX5J7WLS6E","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Strong brands often have heritage as part of their ethos,” said Doug Bowman, <a href=\"https://goizueta.emory.edu/faculty/profiles/douglas-bowman\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://goizueta.emory.edu/faculty/profiles/douglas-bowman\">a marketing professor</a> at Emory University. He said the story behind Arden’s Garden “is a strong pillar of the brand combined with their community aspect.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XNDZFPHG3VFANC5AH3PO7RSMGA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Juicing everything (even broccoli)","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"2J2OX2ENIFB3BN4EGDVPTKR3IY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Leslie said Arden was always ahead of every health fad.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RQTDMD63KRFG3FDA2SSNMOKDWY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Growing up in south Buckhead, she was in a household that was a revolving door of exotic natural ingredients and raw foods. Leslie said breakfast was often a blended drink called “the concoction,” which contained Arden Zinn’s muse of the moment.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A3FZ7UP66VBYRM6PMXMKW4VLB4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Arden’s fitness kick would later become a public affair.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XNWHVY5NQVHDHBCVNVFGE46XIQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"She <a href=\"https://www.ardensgarden.com/pages/our-story\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ardensgarden.com/pages/our-story\">debuted an exercise show</a> called “The New Fit Bit” on public broadcasting in 1970. A year later, she opened the Arden Zinn Studio fitness center in Buckhead, which later grew to locations across three states. She also served as the stretch coach for Georgia Tech’s football team, the Atlanta Falcons and the Atlanta Hawks.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NWZAYW4MN5H6HEWAEGXMS6TKIY","additional_properties":{},"content":"“My mom’s currency in life was wellness,” Leslie said. “She never cared about money, but if she was helping you be healthy, she was rich.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"KFPUAQ67XRFBNKEAYLXEJUPQVU","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/KFPUAQ67XRFBNKEAYLXEJUPQVU.jpg?auth=a1bc387cf83ddecce2adb912de216bdc151fb65a178ddba7c12fdd724847b3f2","galleries":[],"ingestionMethod":"manual","iptc_source":"omegaSQL 2.0.20","keywords":["2001","arden zinn","ardens garden","atlanta"],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"Arden 1.JPG_750537703270.jpg","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/KFPUAQ67XRFBNKEAYLXEJUPQVU.jpg","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/KFPUAQ67XRFBNKEAYLXEJUPQVU.jpg?auth=a1bc387cf83ddecce2adb912de216bdc151fb65a178ddba7c12fdd724847b3f2","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/KFPUAQ67XRFBNKEAYLXEJUPQVU.jpg?auth=a1bc387cf83ddecce2adb912de216bdc151fb65a178ddba7c12fdd724847b3f2","restricted":false,"thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/KFPUAQ67XRFBNKEAYLXEJUPQVU.jpg?auth=a1bc387cf83ddecce2adb912de216bdc151fb65a178ddba7c12fdd724847b3f2&width=300","usage_instructions":"Digital image","version":0,"template_id":594,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{"locality":"Atlanta","region":"GA"},"auth":{"1":"a1bc387cf83ddecce2adb912de216bdc151fb65a178ddba7c12fdd724847b3f2"},"caption":"Arden Zinn, the founder and owner of Arden's Garden, died in November 2020. (Joey Ivansco/AJC)","copyright":"© 2001 Atlanta Journal-Constit","created_date":"2020-12-04T13:43:57Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"AJC","type":"author"}],"by":[{"byline":"Joey Ivansco","name":"Joey Ivansco","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"8aec2b8c-455c-4816-903d-79fc8fdf8019"},"height":1264,"image_type":"photograph","last_updated_date":"2020-12-04T13:43:57Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc","sponsored":false},"slug":"Arden 1","source":{"name":"AJC","source_type":"staff","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/KFPUAQ67XRFBNKEAYLXEJUPQVU","system":"photo center"},"subtitle":"0000703270","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":[]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/KFPUAQ67XRFBNKEAYLXEJUPQVU.jpg?auth=a1bc387cf83ddecce2adb912de216bdc151fb65a178ddba7c12fdd724847b3f2","version":"0.10.9","width":1808,"syndication":{},"creditIPTC":"AJC"},{"_id":"5UG7UP4ZDVB73GOUUKR2QGUNGM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Arden’s mission-over-money mentality was the impetus for her juicing career.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FXUIOLTYTFCURPGBIFEFKARKXQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Arden in 1993 got a new credit card to spend $2,200 on a Norwalk-branded cold press juicer, an item she coveted for decades. Leslie said her mother’s experimentations led to <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/food--cooking/juices-can-help-you-keep-nutrition-resolutions/4D1piNH3zpIem6XW0cMeWL/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/food--cooking/juices-can-help-you-keep-nutrition-resolutions/4D1piNH3zpIem6XW0cMeWL/\">many tasty triumphs</a>, and a few lessons on what not to juice.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PA7WALLHRFC5RIJ5S6TTBQZSE4","additional_properties":{},"content":"“She was making any juice you can imagine,” Leslie said. “I remember she made broccoli juice — you never ever want to make broccoli juice.” (Apparently it tastes like a concentrated version of broccoli’s sulphury smell.)","type":"text"},{"_id":"FUWACIYXX5BCTGVMA63QLSP4BU","additional_properties":{},"content":"The successes, however, planted seeds that would grow into Arden’s Garden.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XOCEXJ3TJJFQ5HZ2FWNITUPTLE","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"Arden Zinn, 83, brought tasty health to Atlanta masses","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/news/arden-zinn-83-brought-tasty-health-to-atlanta-masses/G6EBJFCLTJFPVJNKB2LNF34HBY/"},{"_id":"26ONTOZWARH55AGUFAIWBGKNYM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Hairdressers and pizza shops","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"CIJP5NZ4BRFQ7JPYLIPU4GWEWM","additional_properties":{},"content":"The business started in the back of a health food store, but its first few months bore little fruit.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LXLKIBQHD5FMRAL2FFAFG4KIB4","additional_properties":{},"content":"In search of customers, Arden had the idea of going to hair salons across Atlanta, peddling her products and letting the rumor mill run from there.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6STKCTWZEFB3VLY4EP323EQP6A","additional_properties":{},"content":"“They were kind of the influencers of the ’90s,” Leslie said. “You go to your hairstylist and you would talk about what you’re into, and they would tell you what other people are doing.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"FUPYOW37Z5GFFGR2VAAHL5KMNI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Juice sales tripled, Leslie said. And with that revelation, a quirky business model was born. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5HSYHKMKCFHVJKRYPTR3SKTAII","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"More from AJC Her+Story","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/"},{"_id":"SNH2UW5WENCMTGFEZPB6QAXOBM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Increasing sales led the Zinns to rent a closed Little Caesars pizza shop in Virginia-Highland, converting it into a juice plant. Before long, neighbors would come and ask to buy juice directly from the store, which led the family <a href=\"https://www.ardensgarden.com/pages/our-stores\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ardensgarden.com/pages/our-stores\">to add a front counter</a> to take orders.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GJRMODCMPNDB5ANIXDKKJJMTXM","additional_properties":{},"content":"In 1995, the store manager at the nearby Kroger at Ansley Mall took notice and offered to stock Arden’s Garden juices on store shelves.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZXAVPRZA75BN3CJVVMN4METJKA","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Little did we know, that store in 1995 was the busiest Kroger in Atlanta,” Leslie said. “Overnight, we were juicing 24 hours a day, seven days a week in this little retail space just for that one store and Kroger.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"OIWBENFGWBAAJLGB5DD4NMYJ74","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/OIWBENFGWBAAJLGB5DD4NMYJ74.JPG?auth=ebf74dfe7234e9adfe1b3b16c31c2978fb1d73eb6e794e844b3c51a4439df997","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"69139ee051f20e12f4d9ea62","iptc_title":"Visual Journalist","mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"aajc 12xx25 leslie zinn herstory filed at 0009.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/OIWBENFGWBAAJLGB5DD4NMYJ74.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/OIWBENFGWBAAJLGB5DD4NMYJ74.JPG?auth=ebf74dfe7234e9adfe1b3b16c31c2978fb1d73eb6e794e844b3c51a4439df997","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/OIWBENFGWBAAJLGB5DD4NMYJ74.JPG?auth=ebf74dfe7234e9adfe1b3b16c31c2978fb1d73eb6e794e844b3c51a4439df997","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2025-12-02T16:13:45Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/OIWBENFGWBAAJLGB5DD4NMYJ74.JPG?auth=ebf74dfe7234e9adfe1b3b16c31c2978fb1d73eb6e794e844b3c51a4439df997&width=300","version":1,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{"region":"Georgia"},"auth":{"1":"ebf74dfe7234e9adfe1b3b16c31c2978fb1d73eb6e794e844b3c51a4439df997"},"caption":"Arden's Gardens juices are seen at the juicing plant in East Point on Tuesday, December 2, 2025. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)","copyright":"2025 Atlanta Journal Constitution","created_date":"2025-12-02T19:43:35Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"arvin.temkar@ajc.com","type":"author"}],"by":[{"name":"Arvin Temkar","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"46cae676-4989-4b34-bc9b-906e8e9b6d59"},"height":2200,"last_updated_date":"2025-12-02T19:43:35Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc"},"slug":"aajc 12xx25 leslie zinn herstory  ","source":{"name":"AJC Freelancer","source_id":"Freelancer/aajc 12xx25 leslie zinn herstory filed at 0009.JPG","source_type":"freelance","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/OIWBENFGWBAAJLGB5DD4NMYJ74","system":"AJC Freelancer"},"subtitle":"Leslie Zinn her+story","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":["69139ee051f20e12f4d9ea62"]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/OIWBENFGWBAAJLGB5DD4NMYJ74.JPG?auth=ebf74dfe7234e9adfe1b3b16c31c2978fb1d73eb6e794e844b3c51a4439df997","version":"0.10.9","width":3300},{"_id":"ARTGXF5GAZFDZOVRZ2DPPKG3WY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Breaking into retail is a challenge for any brand, especially for perishable goods, Bowman said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J3PM7TKM7JBZVGY2TB3ZJYDFD4","additional_properties":{},"content":"“It’s not just the idea of getting on the shelf in some of these major retailers,” he said. “You then need to generate the local demand to make sure that product is selling, so that it stays.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"M2CYO6HGEVG5PIG7TJVRU2BFRY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Gaining brand loyalty","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"UOVU3W2L2JH35D7VAQOLWBIIOQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"As the company scaled, its processes were refined for mass manufacturing. But the core of the products weren’t compromised, Leslie said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y4I27H7UBJCY3MGIB2OY6GEWC4","additional_properties":{},"content":"This is especially true when it comes to heat — and keeping it far away from the juice.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H3XJZBOHAFENVNFI57BSMSLSKU","additional_properties":{},"content":"The company’s current juice factory off Sylvan Road in East Point outputs up to 30,000 bottles per shift. Every step in the process avoids heating up or cooking the produce, which Leslie said <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/food--cooking/juices-can-help-you-keep-nutrition-resolutions/4D1piNH3zpIem6XW0cMeWL/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/food--cooking/juices-can-help-you-keep-nutrition-resolutions/4D1piNH3zpIem6XW0cMeWL/\">preserves nutrients</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NT4DB6BK4ZD4XMBZLCGWTH3S3U","additional_properties":{},"content":"Rather than pasteurization, <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/health-news/raw-milk-is-having-a-moment-but-what-about-raw-cheese/XRNUGOK24NHUTH26OFTXSURL3E/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/health-news/raw-milk-is-having-a-moment-but-what-about-raw-cheese/XRNUGOK24NHUTH26OFTXSURL3E/\">which uses heat</a> to kill potential bacteria, Arden’s Garden uses high pressure processing for sterilization. It’s a process that involves up to 87,000 pounds per square inch of pressure, effectively the same as being 27 miles underwater. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"BGYWMNSPZBHG7M7QCBALANHUIM","additional_properties":{},"content":"“It’s an amazing technology which doesn’t damage the nutrition in the juice or the food,” Leslie said. “It gives you a safer product, a higher-quality product and a longer shelf life.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3OXBNVIFQBFAHBEKNYQWAV4U6U","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/3OXBNVIFQBFAHBEKNYQWAV4U6U.JPG?auth=4bbe25a5235ebef8b9eb6ef3b6431acfaed615ad1d903779c89a664ce2507591","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"69139ee051f20e12f4d9ea62","iptc_title":"Visual Journalist","mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"aajc 12xx25 leslie zinn herstory filed at 0007.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/3OXBNVIFQBFAHBEKNYQWAV4U6U.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/3OXBNVIFQBFAHBEKNYQWAV4U6U.JPG?auth=4bbe25a5235ebef8b9eb6ef3b6431acfaed615ad1d903779c89a664ce2507591","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/3OXBNVIFQBFAHBEKNYQWAV4U6U.JPG?auth=4bbe25a5235ebef8b9eb6ef3b6431acfaed615ad1d903779c89a664ce2507591","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2025-12-02T16:08:44Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/3OXBNVIFQBFAHBEKNYQWAV4U6U.JPG?auth=4bbe25a5235ebef8b9eb6ef3b6431acfaed615ad1d903779c89a664ce2507591&width=300","version":1,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{"region":"Georgia"},"auth":{"1":"4bbe25a5235ebef8b9eb6ef3b6431acfaed615ad1d903779c89a664ce2507591"},"caption":"Beets are processed at the Arden’s Gardens juicing plant in East Point on Tuesday, December 2, 2025. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)","copyright":"2025 Atlanta Journal Constitution","created_date":"2025-12-02T19:43:05Z","credits":{"affiliation":[{"name":"arvin.temkar@ajc.com","type":"author"}],"by":[{"name":"Arvin Temkar","type":"author"}]},"distributor":{"mode":"reference","reference_id":"46cae676-4989-4b34-bc9b-906e8e9b6d59"},"height":2200,"last_updated_date":"2025-12-02T19:43:06Z","licensable":false,"owner":{"id":"ajc"},"slug":"aajc 12xx25 leslie zinn herstory  ","source":{"name":"AJC Freelancer","source_id":"Freelancer/aajc 12xx25 leslie zinn herstory filed at 0007.JPG","source_type":"freelance","additional_properties":{"editor":"photo center"},"edit_url":"https://ajc.arcpublishing.com/photo/3OXBNVIFQBFAHBEKNYQWAV4U6U","system":"AJC Freelancer"},"subtitle":"Leslie Zinn her+story","taxonomy":{"associated_tasks":["69139ee051f20e12f4d9ea62"]},"type":"image","url":"https://images.ajc.com/resizer/v2/3OXBNVIFQBFAHBEKNYQWAV4U6U.JPG?auth=4bbe25a5235ebef8b9eb6ef3b6431acfaed615ad1d903779c89a664ce2507591","version":"0.10.9","width":3300},{"_id":"3VTH56E64JHYPA6UMMYNAMDU7Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"Product safety is paramount, Leslie said, but she said healthy food is also perishable.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2H2Q4FTRUZAZXMZSWNRPRXSJLI","additional_properties":{},"content":"“If the food can sit on the shelf for a year and it’s still OK to eat, you can be sure there’s no life force in it,” she said. “You want to eat foods that have life in them.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SPTSP72IZZAR7MRI4R7YVXFQCQ","additional_properties":{"nofollow":false,"openInNewTab":true,"selectedStory":false,"sponsored":false},"content":"Georgia nonprofit executive is driven by a passion for children’s health","type":"interstitial_link","url":"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/03/georgia-nonprofit-executive-is-driven-by-a-passion-for-childrens-health/"},{"_id":"Q5TYNRNGJZHELFXB4A7GVL7CC4","additional_properties":{},"content":"But choosing to avoid pasteurization has cost Arden’s Garden customers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FID3JRVSBVGM3LZZTYESPRC44Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"After <a href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00044358.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00044358.htm\">a high-profile E. coli outbreak</a> by juice giant Odwalla in 1996, Arden’s Garden’s largest customer, Kroger, pulled unpasteurized juice from shelves, Leslie said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WWUCWURY4ZA4ZLRSUD3ZKQCWZU","additional_properties":{},"content":"“We lost them as a client, but what we gained was brand loyalty,” she said. Kroger declined to comment for this article.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5U2TZGU7QRFP5H3X2M5Q3VCVEM","additional_properties":{},"content":"The following year, Arden’s Garden was added to Publix stores, but that relationship also included its fair share of scares. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"BWLMSHLE3NCLHLI7TIR3H6HORY","additional_properties":{},"content":"In 2001, <a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/local/atlanta-based-coca-cola-discontinuing-odwalla-juice/N0pBH4jXFoRM3Lpz28F04L/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/local/atlanta-based-coca-cola-discontinuing-odwalla-juice/N0pBH4jXFoRM3Lpz28F04L/\">Coca-Cola acquired Odwalla</a>, which prompted Publix to threaten to remove Arden’s Garden products from its stores. This <a href=\"https://www.yahoo.com/news/blogs/driven/arden-garden-atlanta-juice-maker-takes-national-brands-145559412.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAMS-7xHDbRNxBqX6n2EUU9odl5twBRU_GCGVQXTuEuKc-y5uIR1DRnO3zRcSrH9T2ZlDDN638577b7XKhLQcFl4wHfTtSIrB4QCx1H4-z5z5KxIk9DNsQ2xYURyA_loG_AVmJ1iiRIL6_up8U7sdZknbeCAMePzDUN1FNpLvpUAC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.yahoo.com/news/blogs/driven/arden-garden-atlanta-juice-maker-takes-national-brands-145559412.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAMS-7xHDbRNxBqX6n2EUU9odl5twBRU_GCGVQXTuEuKc-y5uIR1DRnO3zRcSrH9T2ZlDDN638577b7XKhLQcFl4wHfTtSIrB4QCx1H4-z5z5KxIk9DNsQ2xYURyA_loG_AVmJ1iiRIL6_up8U7sdZknbeCAMePzDUN1FNpLvpUAC\">led to a grassroots campaign</a> from Arden’s Garden supporters, which resulted in Publix quintupling the number of stores carrying the brand’s juice, Leslie said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FJR7YJXWSFENPCAJ4GS3GNSNX4","additional_properties":{},"content":"‘An oasis of health’","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"GAMMMCIUHFDMFBOHJHX4G73VUY","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Arden’s Garden factory features pulp and juice flowing through an accordion of nets and filters. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"2XWGQEIVKZBTPGHWEO6VDB7MGE","additional_properties":{},"content":"When it’s time to process beets, the factory can look like a red-stained crime scene, while ginger and jalapeño sessions fill the air with stinging compounds and capsaicin, requiring additional personal protective equipment.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2YORIH4BNNBRNPP73QB43ANXPY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Arden’s Garden has scaled its stores and retail footprint without investor funds, financing each next step based on in-house profits. 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These women left it — and still shape Atlanta’s culture today.</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"YV2SK4NSQBDBFLDBH2B6VYKPEM","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/02/this-atlanta-executive-went-from-corporate-lawyer-to-nonprofit-ceo/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/02/this-atlanta-executive-went-from-corporate-lawyer-to-nonprofit-ceo/\">This Atlanta executive went from corporate lawyer to nonprofit CEO</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"I7XQYSQJNVBIPG5CQUU4FCJTNE","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/11/at-atlanta-event-hoda-kotb-shared-how-shes-starting-anew-after-career-shift/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/11/at-atlanta-event-hoda-kotb-shared-how-shes-starting-anew-after-career-shift/\">At Atlanta event, Hoda Kotb shared how she’s starting anew after career shift</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"IRURLKUHGZC2HJ6TXN3L4QAVZE","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/08/atlanta-tv-anchor-gives-rescue-horses-a-second-chance/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/08/atlanta-tv-anchor-gives-rescue-horses-a-second-chance/\">Atlanta TV anchor gives rescue horses a second chance</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"TB5S7HT3M5GWLBFU4MMI6TO72I","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/wellness/2025/07/meet-the-former-pop-stars-on-a-mission-to-delouse-heads-across-atlanta/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/wellness/2025/07/meet-the-former-pop-stars-on-a-mission-to-delouse-heads-across-atlanta/\">Meet the former pop stars on a mission to delouse heads across Atlanta</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"FHS5LVLRNZDXJHNTKWMLS3JVMU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Startup success","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"MPAEMLSJSI7ZZ3GE2USUAZZAMQ","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/MPAEMLSJSI7ZZ3GE2USUAZZAMQ.JPG?auth=fbcd888da8e634ff1658285a2cdfc6f3c6b25ddc0900b3c112956b31d322d87e","galleries":[{"headlines":{"basic":"AJC Her+Story: Startup Success"},"_id":"UKYFZFULRVEW5PZJJ5R6QXAY2Q"}],"iptc_job_identifier":"6862f0c0919e6475549d0801","keywords":["AJC Freelancer"],"mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"s3://ajc-arc-photo-integration/Freelancer/070925 ECOSLAY 11.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/MPAEMLSJSI7ZZ3GE2USUAZZAMQ.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/MPAEMLSJSI7ZZ3GE2USUAZZAMQ.JPG?auth=fbcd888da8e634ff1658285a2cdfc6f3c6b25ddc0900b3c112956b31d322d87e","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/MPAEMLSJSI7ZZ3GE2USUAZZAMQ.JPG?auth=fbcd888da8e634ff1658285a2cdfc6f3c6b25ddc0900b3c112956b31d322d87e","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2025-07-09T15:48:54Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/MPAEMLSJSI7ZZ3GE2USUAZZAMQ.JPG?auth=fbcd888da8e634ff1658285a2cdfc6f3c6b25ddc0900b3c112956b31d322d87e&width=300","version":2,"alt_text":"","link":""},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"fbcd888da8e634ff1658285a2cdfc6f3c6b25ddc0900b3c112956b31d322d87e"},"caption":"Adria Marshall, founder of Ecoslay, poses for a photo at her operations headquarters in Clarkston on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. 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href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/07/how-a-first-time-entrepreneur-creates-a-multimillion-dollar-business/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/07/how-a-first-time-entrepreneur-creates-a-multimillion-dollar-business/\">How a first-time entrepreneur creates a multimillion-dollar business</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"KGFQCMA3HZESLMCASR23GHJJLY","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/2025/07/meet-the-georgia-manufacturers-who-stand-to-benefit-from-tariffs/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/2025/07/meet-the-georgia-manufacturers-who-stand-to-benefit-from-tariffs/\">Meet the Georgia manufacturers who stand to benefit from tariffs</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"XWEXJB2SD5GSRMKKJFW7AHCCFI","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/business/jasmine-crowe-houstons-journey-from-cupcake-truck-to-founding-goodr/QYNXC5ME2BDVFDFG5JRXZZPFIM/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/business/jasmine-crowe-houstons-journey-from-cupcake-truck-to-founding-goodr/QYNXC5ME2BDVFDFG5JRXZZPFIM/\">Jasmine Crowe-Houston went from running a cupcake truck to helping the hungry</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"OWWWVNJLCZGXZIBXD4HSSPFTGE","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/arts-entertainment/2025/12/elf-on-the-shelf-brainchild-of-marietta-family-celebrates-20-years/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/arts-entertainment/2025/12/elf-on-the-shelf-brainchild-of-marietta-family-celebrates-20-years/\">From Marietta to millions, ‘The Elf on the Shelf’ turns 20</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"7YLFV7GMDVDPZPTEAJRJCOHHOI","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/06/for-women-by-women-atlantas-female-led-startups-get-female-led-funding-source/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/06/for-women-by-women-atlantas-female-led-startups-get-female-led-funding-source/\">For women, by women: Atlanta’s female-led startups get female-led funding source</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"M7U3WCXQ4RGGZMRFJRUBPDOO3A","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/business/lys-beauty-gets-eight-figure-investment-plans-big-expansion/U3VVNYH7KFAUBDXOHTIACGXVCA/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/business/lys-beauty-gets-eight-figure-investment-plans-big-expansion/U3VVNYH7KFAUBDXOHTIACGXVCA/\">Metro Atlanta beauty brand gets eight-figure investment, plans major expansion</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"6NT2SWOOFFBT7CTXJ7MK54ROGU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Tech industry 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href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/11/tech-gurus-with-atlanta-ties-hit-it-big-what-they-wish-theyd-learned-sooner/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/11/tech-gurus-with-atlanta-ties-hit-it-big-what-they-wish-theyd-learned-sooner/\">Tech gurus with Atlanta ties hit it big. What they wish they’d learned sooner.</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"SB72VQQDAFG4PI2RG3VWJAAJJI","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/02/atlanta-tech-entrepreneur-went-from-young-founder-to-leading-team-of-nearly-50/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/02/atlanta-tech-entrepreneur-went-from-young-founder-to-leading-team-of-nearly-50/\">Atlanta tech entrepreneur went from young founder to leading team of nearly 50</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"NPGKYDCCKZCTPLJWTHOEDFXQTA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/10/meet-allyson-eman-one-of-the-shapers-of-atlantas-technology-ecosystem/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/10/meet-allyson-eman-one-of-the-shapers-of-atlantas-technology-ecosystem/\">Meet Allyson Eman, one of the shapers of Atlanta’s technology ecosystem</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"DSJBNS5IYBHPVL4VK2OQYRD4VY","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/2026/01/she-took-her-atlanta-it-firm-from-basement-digs-to-multimillion-dollar-company/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/2026/01/she-took-her-atlanta-it-firm-from-basement-digs-to-multimillion-dollar-company/\">She took her Atlanta IT firm from basement digs to multimillion-dollar company</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"HTQRAZ5GI5BWBMQQ2ENV3FOBKU","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/business/this-nonprofit-is-working-to-get-more-underrepresented-women-into-tech/QFI62M6EMZH6HJ2SLAEIMGR3KE/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/business/this-nonprofit-is-working-to-get-more-underrepresented-women-into-tech/QFI62M6EMZH6HJ2SLAEIMGR3KE/\">Meet the nonprofit working to get more underrepresented women into tech</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"4RNRN5IKWVEPZFKW3DKBM2MN3Y","additional_properties":{},"content":"Nonprofit leaders","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"3EFQAMVZQNFH5NPVU6M3557O7I","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/3EFQAMVZQNFH5NPVU6M3557O7I.JPG?auth=8b8f2d3ffe566cee8111af4d9ca717a5e0d52c6cb3645e7933908b4c6d25e73d","galleries":[{"headlines":{"basic":"AJC Her+Story: Nonprofit leaders"},"_id":"GI2LORHT3NBZDEMPUCYNDYFRII"}],"iptc_job_identifier":"692e0a5a3db791775183fd95","mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"12082025 HERSTORY HIGH CFO 02.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/3EFQAMVZQNFH5NPVU6M3557O7I.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/3EFQAMVZQNFH5NPVU6M3557O7I.JPG?auth=8b8f2d3ffe566cee8111af4d9ca717a5e0d52c6cb3645e7933908b4c6d25e73d","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/3EFQAMVZQNFH5NPVU6M3557O7I.JPG?auth=8b8f2d3ffe566cee8111af4d9ca717a5e0d52c6cb3645e7933908b4c6d25e73d","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2025-12-08T19:06:20Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/3EFQAMVZQNFH5NPVU6M3557O7I.JPG?auth=8b8f2d3ffe566cee8111af4d9ca717a5e0d52c6cb3645e7933908b4c6d25e73d&width=300","version":1},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"8b8f2d3ffe566cee8111af4d9ca717a5e0d52c6cb3645e7933908b4c6d25e73d"},"caption":"High Museum CFO Bergan Burnett poses for a portrait on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. 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title=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/01/mercedes-benz-usa-exec-ai-is-changing-the-way-that-we-do-everything/\">Mercedes-Benz USA exec: AI is ‘changing the way that we do everything’</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"IAR6GM7EIVAVFB7RIFFU7SDVRQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/01/how-one-marketing-expert-rose-to-the-c-suite-of-a-major-atlanta-hotel-firm/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2026/01/how-one-marketing-expert-rose-to-the-c-suite-of-a-major-atlanta-hotel-firm/\">How one marketing expert rose to the C-suite of a major Atlanta hotel firm</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"MYQAWATCNVGO7DWYWS4TVXTTR4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Arts and 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href=\"https://www.ajc.com/arts-entertainment/2026/01/georgia-tech-professor-headed-to-the-grammys-for-black-poetry-inspired-works/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/arts-entertainment/2026/01/georgia-tech-professor-headed-to-the-grammys-for-black-poetry-inspired-works/\">Georgia Tech professor headed to the Grammys for Black poetry-inspired works</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"U3R5YEWOX5BKRB5RGL4X3AEFWM","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/arts-entertainment/2026/02/these-black-georgia-women-are-blues-legends-you-may-not-know-but-should/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/arts-entertainment/2026/02/these-black-georgia-women-are-blues-legends-you-may-not-know-but-should/\">These Black Georgia women are blues legends you may not know, but should</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"DYAGBRQBCFGYZO4GPRRSHNXBUI","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a 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This Delta pilot has been trying to change that.</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"V5O6JMAY5FGBFM5ARNMQN4LP5A","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/09/on-anniversary-of-first-woman-joining-us-supreme-court-watch-and-read-this/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/09/on-anniversary-of-first-woman-joining-us-supreme-court-watch-and-read-this/\">On anniversary of first woman joining U.S. Supreme Court, watch and read this</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"L7CCYZHNTVE6HEWOPJNPYYPVKE","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/09/hotel-leaders-advice-for-young-professionals-find-people-that-challenge-you/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/09/hotel-leaders-advice-for-young-professionals-find-people-that-challenge-you/\">Hotel leader’s advice for young professionals: ‘Find people that challenge you’</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"UZJKCBSWTJEQNNQLHKJ2GL56MQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Public service","level":2,"type":"header"},{"_id":"IB5M4UKHRFEFVOZLK25V4SVCKM","additional_properties":{"fullSizeResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/IB5M4UKHRFEFVOZLK25V4SVCKM.JPG?auth=62f8d225540abe9e93a5b0e890fe0b00d734ab242ffb4763aa66e54325e1c1c3","galleries":[],"iptc_job_identifier":"6969485068bd8f5c3ebce612","mime_type":"image/jpeg","originalName":"01202026 BHM DISTRICT ATTORNEY 05.JPG","originalUrl":"https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/ajc/IB5M4UKHRFEFVOZLK25V4SVCKM.JPG","proxyUrl":"/resizer/v2/IB5M4UKHRFEFVOZLK25V4SVCKM.JPG?auth=62f8d225540abe9e93a5b0e890fe0b00d734ab242ffb4763aa66e54325e1c1c3","published":true,"resizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/IB5M4UKHRFEFVOZLK25V4SVCKM.JPG?auth=62f8d225540abe9e93a5b0e890fe0b00d734ab242ffb4763aa66e54325e1c1c3","restricted":false,"takenOn":"2026-01-20T18:01:02Z","thumbnailResizeUrl":"/resizer/v2/IB5M4UKHRFEFVOZLK25V4SVCKM.JPG?auth=62f8d225540abe9e93a5b0e890fe0b00d734ab242ffb4763aa66e54325e1c1c3&width=300","version":1},"address":{},"auth":{"1":"62f8d225540abe9e93a5b0e890fe0b00d734ab242ffb4763aa66e54325e1c1c3"},"caption":"Metro Atlanta district attorneys pose for a photo outside Atlanta Journal-Constitution offices on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. 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These Atlanta women have advice for managing it.</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"TGODCXTXNNHZJPLL6LLB3NDS3I","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/10/3-tips-on-building-your-personal-brand-from-marketing-experts/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/10/3-tips-on-building-your-personal-brand-from-marketing-experts/\">3 tips on building your personal brand, from marketing experts</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"HZNSBAVLZ5C3PFIORNZTKDUHYQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/12/packed-schedule-atlanta-career-coach-offers-tips-to-avoid-holiday-burnout/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/12/packed-schedule-atlanta-career-coach-offers-tips-to-avoid-holiday-burnout/\">Packed schedule? 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Meet MomForce.</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"QJDTO2VLNZGFPFKWA4JYTEN5II","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2025/11/ceos-in-atlanta-and-beyond-dont-regress-on-supporting-working-mothers/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/opinion/2025/11/ceos-in-atlanta-and-beyond-dont-regress-on-supporting-working-mothers/\">CEOs in Atlanta and beyond: Don’t regress on supporting working mothers.</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZSCVX4O4ZNHVNCF3UUYHCOAMPY","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/wellness/2025/05/the-mental-load-of-motherhood-is-real-moms-need-our-support/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/wellness/2025/05/the-mental-load-of-motherhood-is-real-moms-need-our-support/\">The ‘mental load’ of motherhood is real. 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title=\"https://www.ajc.com/wellness/2026/01/her-kidney-transplant-became-the-subject-of-her-research-at-georgia-tech/\">Her kidney transplant became the subject of her research at Georgia Tech</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"L4GPL5B7WZCZLOH7YDUDV374SQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/08/support-for-every-stage-how-one-woman-is-tackling-gaps-in-maternal-care/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/08/support-for-every-stage-how-one-woman-is-tackling-gaps-in-maternal-care/\">‘Support for every stage’: How one woman is tackling gaps in maternal care</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"2DGATGTY4RAI3II3BSX3KTWORU","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/wellness/2025/05/still-tired-after-8-hours-in-bed-two-former-spanx-execs-could-have-your-fix/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/wellness/2025/05/still-tired-after-8-hours-in-bed-two-former-spanx-execs-could-have-your-fix/\">Still tired after 8 hours in bed? 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Women’s group aims to help.</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"RZFOMQCYDREGZLKKG2XDANVMUA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/2025/10/she-worked-on-many-well-known-atlanta-projects-buckhead-is-her-next-focus/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/business/2025/10/she-worked-on-many-well-known-atlanta-projects-buckhead-is-her-next-focus/\">She worked on many well-known Atlanta projects. Buckhead is her next focus.</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"2P7IYHJGSNCSREPMLYJXRDOVAA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/09/skills-of-the-future-key-for-early-education-says-atlanta-based-primrose-ceo/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/09/skills-of-the-future-key-for-early-education-says-atlanta-based-primrose-ceo/\">‘Skills of the future’ key for early education, says Atlanta-based Primrose CEO</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"3ISF6NQIF5GJDASUNWB4336BBA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/08/meet-2-atlanta-women-who-have-been-fighting-for-womens-equality-for-decades/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/herstory/2025/08/meet-2-atlanta-women-who-have-been-fighting-for-womens-equality-for-decades/\">Meet 2 Atlanta women who have been fighting for women’s equality for decades</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"GOWSCRQC7RCCJGQJ3CVEZB6FBQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/business/pittsburgh-yards-gives-chantell-glenn-hope-for-community-driven-development/KPK6JQW35FDFTEY7MS5HKPB5KE/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.ajc.com/news/business/pittsburgh-yards-gives-chantell-glenn-hope-for-community-driven-development/KPK6JQW35FDFTEY7MS5HKPB5KE/\">People, not profit, inspire Chantell Glenn to redevelop south Atlanta</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z5WIBF3XT5GA3BYI3DBGEIJE7I","additional_properties":{},"content":"AJC Her+Story videos","level":2,"type":"header"},{"type":"video","_id":"e0a4654b-55a1-4383-ae11-d3cca61d4fe3","version":"0.8.0","subtype":"vod","language":"en","canonical_url":"/video/news/2025/12/how-remote-work-and-culture-clashes-broke-the-office-etiquette-rulebook/","canonical_website":"ajc","short_url":"/video/news/2025/12/how-remote-work-and-culture-clashes-broke-the-office-etiquette-rulebook/","created_date":"2025-11-04T19:03:50Z","last_updated_date":"2025-12-29T14:01:56Z","publish_date":"2025-12-29T14:02:06Z","first_publish_date":"2025-12-29T14:02:05Z","display_date":"2025-12-29T14:02:05Z","headlines":{"basic":"How remote work and culture clashes broke the office etiquette rulebook","meta_title":"How remote work and culture clashes broke the office etiquette rulebook"},"subheadlines":{"basic":"Remote work didn’t kill office culture — it just made it weird. 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