Suzanne Burnes serves as lead facilitator for the Partnership for Southern Equity's Just Growth Circle, an Atlanta learning community of practice that includes the full Water Equity Learning Team, founded upon the belief that the future of our communities depends upon our ability to realize equitable growth for all. Outside of her work with PSE, Suzanne's firm Collective Wisdom Group serves NGO, local government, higher education, and philanthropic clients in building relationships among diverse voices for community and ecosystem benefit. From her founding of an Atlanta community development corporation 20 years ago, to her leadership in state government creating public-private sustainability partnerships, to serving as executive director of local NGO Sustainable Atlanta, Suzanne’s passions are focused on the pursuit of an equitable, green, and resilient world.

Stacy joined The Conservation Fund in 2012 and works out of the Georgia office. He provides legal counsel for real estate transactions and also works on land conservation efforts in Georgia and Alabama. Stacy provides transactional and legal expertise on complex real estate transactions and works with local, state, and federal agencies on their conservation priorities in Georgia and Alabama. He also serves on the City of Atlanta Green Infrastructure Task Force. Prior to joining The Conservation Fund, Stacy worked as in house securities counsel for Mirant Corporation and as a corporate and securities attorney for Troutman Sanders, LLP. Stacy has a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Georgia and a J.D. from the University of Virginia.

Darryl completed Jacksonville University with a BA in Geography and recently graduated from Georgia State University with a Master’s degree in Geoscience and Applied GIS. Darryl has over 20 years of professional experience as an environmental scientist working for the consulting firm, Dames and Moore, as a principal investigator with USGS on a subsurface mapping project and as Environmental Specialist for the State of Georgia, Environmental Protection Division. Both Environmental Leadership Program and Toyota Together Green/National Audubon Society recognized him as a fellow and emerging leader in the environment and conservation movements. He is also certified as a Project WET Trainer, an Interpretive Guide by the National Association for Interpretation, and is completing an Environmental Education certification program with Advanced Training for Environmental Education in Georgia (ATEEG); a nationally accredited, professional certification program for formal and non-formal educators. Darryl coordinates educational programs, community outreach, and citizen science research activities and participates in WAWA’s day to day operations.

Jenny Hoffner serves as Vice President for Conservation Strategies leading American Rivers’ conservation practice work to protect wild rivers, restore damaged rivers, and conserve clean water for people and nature.  She oversees national practice areas including dam removal, floodplain restoration, urban water management, riverside land protection, and science and economics. As part of American Rivers’ efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) both inside the organization and in its conservation work, Jenny chairs the recently chartered American Rivers’ DEI Committee, leads American Rivers’ urban water justice work, and works with historically marginalized communities in Atlanta, GA to address climate and water management challenges by advancing resilient, equitable, integrated infrastructure. Jenny has a B.A. from Emory University and a M.L.A. in Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia.

Yomi Noibi is the Executive Director of Environmental Community Action Inc. (ECO-Action) in Atlanta, GA, a statewide nonprofit 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to promote a safe and healthy environment by helping Georgia communities organize to address environmental health hazards and to strengthen and facilitate community engagement to prevent harm and resolve such hazards. In this role, he advances ECO-Action’s mission through programs that serve the environmental concerns of the communities its serves. His work to provide Green Infrastructure Advocacy Training and to co-create and run the Atlanta Watershed Learning Network (AWLN) in collaboration with partner organizations are examples of his efforts. These programs serve the environmental concerns of Proctor Creek, Intrenchment Creek, and Flint River watershed residents by providing a learning environment that not only increases their knowledge and skills, but also empowers them to develop sustainable and equitable solutions to stormwater flooding issues in their neighborhoods. Dr. Noibi earned his B.S. from the University of Nebraska, and his M.S. Ph.D. from the University of Iowa, Iowa City.

Dwayne Patterson is a respected southern-based strategist with strong field-tested organizer experience. He is a gifted speaker, activist, and social entrepreneur born in New York with deep ancestral ties to the South. After leading an intense and successful campaign as an undergraduate to secure a mandatory Black Studies program as a scholar-activist at North Carolina A&T State University, Dwayne continued to utilize organizing as his primary tool for supporting collective change at both the organizational and community level. Dwayne’s years of community service includes serving on the boards of the Fund for Southern Communities and the Latin American and Caribbean Community Center. Dwayne holds a B.S. from North Carolina A&T State University.  With his many years of solid authentic community service and activism, Dwayne is considered by his multi-generational peers to be the “living legacy” of the struggle for justice and equity passed down to him by the many of the transformational leaders of the 60’s and 70’s.

Susan Rutherford manages watershed protection planning, projects, and policy for the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management. She previously managed the city’s programs for greenspace and park land acquisition. Susan leads the city’s Green Infrastructure Task Force, and serves on the board of Million Mile Greenway. She is a graduate of New College of Florida and received her master's in City Planning from Georgia Tech.