Leadership DeKalb names new board chair, executive director

Marquetta J. Bryan (left) and Indras Whittaker.

Credit: LinkedIn

Credit: LinkedIn

Marquetta J. Bryan (left) and Indras Whittaker.

An organization comprised of DeKalb County’s most prominent and rising leaders is getting new leadership itself.

Leadership DeKalb announced Marquetta J. Bryan, an attorney, will serve as its new board chair, and Indras Whittaker, a marketing and political campaign strategist, will be the organization’s executive director for 2022. The nonprofit, founded in 1986, works to connect county leaders and foster growth in DeKalb.

“I am committed to working in collaboration with our board, staff, alumni, class members, and community partners to exceed our mission in positioning leaders to unite, commit and act to make DeKalb a premier place to live, work and enjoy life,” Whittaker said in a news release. She was previously the marketing director for Jackmont Hospitality.

Leadership DeKalb includes an annual class of well-known and influential people in the county. Its 2022 class, which was announced last summer, included 47 representatives from a wide variety of sectors, including DeKalb County School District Superintendent Cheryl Watson-Harris and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Editor Kevin Riley.

Throughout the program’s year, the members will connect with each other, discover more about DeKalb and assist nonprofit organizations with various projects. Leadership DeKalb has partnered with more than 50 nonprofits since 2014.

“Throughout the two-year pandemic, with the support of our board of directors and alumni network, Leadership DeKalb has continued to recruit outstanding classes and provide an exceptional program experience,” Bryan, who is a partner in Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough’s Atlanta office, said in the release. “I am grateful for the trust placed in me and know we will continue to thrive.”

Leadership DeKalb will begin accepting nominations for its 2023 class in March. For more information, visit leadershipdekalb.org.