Our Team
Kayla Altland: Executive Director
Kayla joined South Fork Conservancy (SFC) in March of 2025. As executive director, Altland will spearhead the nonprofit’s efforts to conserve the South Fork of Peachtree Creek and better connect local residents to this important waterway.
Altland is a graduate of Cornell University, with a masters degree from Agnes Scott College. She worked for the National Park Service in youth and community outreach programs, and with the D&H Canal Historical Society in High Falls, NY in development and communications. Prior to joining SFC, Altland played a pivotal role in enhancing Atlanta’s green spaces by directing the grantmaking programs at Atlanta’s Park Pride organization.
Kayla lives with her husband, two sons, and mother-in-law. Her toddlers keep her busy and active. Together with her family, Kayla loves exploring new restaurants, museums, and national parks.
JEFF RADER: Chair
Jeff Rader served as a staff planner at Cobb and Fayette Counties, and in leadership at the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, Regional Business Coalition and Greater Atlanta Homebuilders, and as a consultant. He served 16 years on the DeKalb County Commission until retirement in 2022.
ANDREW KRAFT: Vice Chair
Since 2018, Andrew Kraft has been paddling and supporting Georgia waterways, working to expand recreation and connect communities to waterways, to nature, and to each other. He is a Level II River Kayaking Instructor, Programs Coordinator for Georgia Rivers, and trip organizer for watershed groups. Andrew brings experience in operations, logistics, and nonprofit volunteer coordination, community groups, and youth organizations. He is passionate about growing water trails awareness across Atlanta and Georgia with tools like the Georgia River Guide app.
MARY LEIGHT: Secretary
Mary Leight has spent her career as an educator and business owner. As president of LeightWorks, she facilitated leadership development workshops and worked with clients to develop curricula, mentoring programs, and internships. Mary enjoys gardening, cooking, reading, hiking, and traveling. She lives in Briarwood Hills with her husband Bart Engram.
PATRICK DEAN
Patrick Dean is a Geoscientist and a project manager at GeoWave Solutions, a company that focuses on identifying underground geologic features using high-tech methods. He also enjoys hiking, flat-water kayaking, and competing in triathalons. Patrick joined the South Fork Conservancy board in 2022. He has helped lead major SFC projects including the installation of litter traps along the waterway.
WARNER MCCONAUGHEY
Warner McConaughey is founder and president of HammerSmith, Inc, one of Atlanta’s premier residential design and renovation firms. His company has been a pioneer in the residential green building movement. Warner’s hobbies include running, trail and bridge building and organic gardening. He lives in Druid Hills with his wife Allison and their three children. He is an Atlanta native who grew up on Peavine Creek, a tributary to the South Fork of Peachtree Creek.
JULIE RALSTON
Julie Ralston served for more than 30 years in key roles at the Atlanta Regional Commission. As director of ARC’s Center for Strategic Relations, she focused on building stronger networks for action and progress around key regional issues through community engagement, communications/marketing and governmental affairs. Prior to ARC, Julie worked as a journalist and a nonprofit communications professional. She retired in 2017 to pursue other life and community-building ventures.
JOHN SPANGLER: Past Chair
John Spangler is a Partner in the Atlanta office of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP. John has more than 35 years of experience handling construction disputes and negotiating and drafting design and construction contracts. John is featured as one of the leading Georgia lawyers for construction in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America© since 2004. He was named the Construction Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Atlanta in 2016 by Best Lawyers®. John received his J.D. in 1980 from Washington University in St. Louis and received his A.B. in economics in 1977 from the University of Illinois. He also received an Amicus Curiae Award from the Georgia Supreme Court in 1986.
DAN CHAPMAN: Treasurer
Dan Chapman spent 17 years of his journalism career with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He has reported from Atlanta, the South, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Dan started his journalistic career at Congressional Quarterly before moving on to the Winston-Salem Journal, and then the Charlotte Observer. He recently published A Road Running Southward (Island Press) which documents environmental issues bedeviling the South. He lives in Decatur with wife Bita and sons Sammy and Naveed.
BILLY HALL
Profile coming soon!
REBECCA RACIBORSKI
Rebecca is a research health scientist at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Mental Health Outcomes Research. She is keenly interested in issues of access to mental health-care, substance use disorders, and the role poverty and other disadvantages play in health-care. She and her husband Rafal live in Druid Hills, where she is a founding member of the Friends of Peavine Trail.
MICHAEL ST. LOUIS
Mike St. Louis is a pediatric physician at the Centers for Disease Control. He has lived in Druid Hills for about 40 years. He also worked all over the world as a field physician addressing improving health care delivery for children. For many years he has actively engaged is teaching kids from Padeia agriculture in his large backyard garden and orchard.
ANDREW WADDELL
Andrew Waddell is the Senior Director of Operational Services in Delivery Enablement at Cox Communications. With over 25 years of experience in Finance and Technology, Andrew has a proven track record of improving operational efficiencies, managing P&L, and providing Executive Support for Technology and Services companies. Having lived in Druid Hills / Decatur for 35 years, Andrew attended Emory University, where he met his wife, Angie. Together, they have two children. Outside of his professional life, Andrew enjoys running, biking, and hiking.
…AND WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MEMBERS:
Lisa Perras Gordon
Fran Putney
Larry Kaiser
PROFILES COMING SOON!