BOARD MEMBERS

Peter Coffman, President and Board Chair 

Peter is a partner in the law firm of Demetry, DeCarlo & Coffman where he specializes in commercial contracts and lending. Previously he practiced constitutional law at the US Department of Justice and commercial litigation at the Atlanta office of the Dow Lohnes law firm which he also co-managed. He served for many years as the chairman of the Chip Allen Chapter of Ducks Unlimited, raising money to conserve and rehabilitate wetlands. He also served as a board member and general counsel of Georgia Shakespeare, and on a fundraising board for the PATH 400 Greenway. Peter is an outdoorsman who enjoys the rivers, lakes and trails around Atlanta and North Georgia. His hobbies include fly fishing, waterskiing, canoe trips, hiking, biking and guitar, all of which he shares with (or inflicts upon) his wife and four daughters.

Ray Steed, Vice President

Ray is retired from The Coca-Cola Company where he led the quality, environmental sustainability, and safety functions for North America. He has been an active hiker and paddler since his teenage years and has enjoyed sharing his love for the outdoors with his sons and other youth through Scouting. Ray is currently a trip leader for The Atlanta Outdoor Club and can frequently be found hiking in the CRNRA or leading kayakers down the river. Ray is excited to contribute to the sustainability of this magnificent resource.

Michele Reale, Treasurer

Michele has been with The Shopping Center Group since 1988.  As a Partner and EVP, she primarily engages in Tenant Representation, working to satisfy client goals related to their real estate needs in Georgia. In addition to her commitment to her clients, Michele is focused on giving back to her community. She hires and mentors young real estate professionals and has a proven track record of helping them succeed. She has been actively involved with her sons’ schools, serving as a Board Member, Treasurer of the Walton Marching Raider Band and actively involved in Boy Scouts of America.  Michele began her CNPC work as a TrailBlazer, volunteering at weekend work events. In addition to her involvement with CNPC, she serves as Advisory Board Member with the Trust for Public Land (TPL) in Georgia.

Steve Spiegel, Secretary

Steve is a Development Partner with Hendon Properties, a commercial real estate company focusing on retail real estate in the southeast. Steve has previously served on the board of the Dekalb Convention and Visitors Bureau. Growing up in Columbus, GA and living in metro Atlanta, Steve has enjoyed the Chattahoochee River and trails of the CRNRA for many years and looks forward to giving back.

Graham Dorian, Past Chair

Graham is the former owner of Valpak of Atlanta, which he managed for Cox Communications prior to acquiring the company. An active outdoorsman, Graham lives on the Chattahoochee River with his family and uses the CRNRA several times a week to hike and mountain bike; his other hobbies include fly fishing, scuba diving, archery and piloting his Cessna 185 bush plane.

Greg Esslinger, Board Member

Greg has almost 30 years of professional experience that includes global executive leadership, risk management consulting, law and international government service. He has led projects, teams and businesses in more than 40 countries across the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. A native Atlantan and avid fly fisherman (both cold and warm water), Greg is passionate about conservation and addressing climate change, and is a champion of inclusion, equity and organizational governance. He is an active member of the Private Directors Association and also serves on the board of The Village, Ltd., a Denver-based nonprofit organization that delivers inclusion, belonging and equity educational materials to children in kindergarten, primary and secondary schools. Greg lives in Sandy Springs near Powers Island/Cochran Shoals and visits the trails of the CRNRA multiple times per week with his wife and two dogs.

Dom Guerrero, Board Member

Dom is the Founder and CEO of Alliance Construction Group, a commercial and industrial general contracting firm based out of Atlanta, GA. Having been born and raised in Marietta, GA, Dom has enjoyed the Chattahoochee National Park and its surrounding parks since a young age. Dom is an advocate and person in long-term recovery which allowed her the opportunity to previously serve on boards with The Georgia Council for Recovery and The Zone, DDF. You can frequently find her at the East Palisades/Whitewater Creek park with her wife and two Labradors, Ace and Seeka. When she’s not working or volunteering as the Whitewater Creek's site steward for the NPS she also enjoys flying helicopters, riding motorcycles, hiking, hunting, cooking, and yoga.

Alex Hinerfeld, Board Member

Alex is an Atlanta native who grew up in Dunwoody and currently lives in Roswell with easy access to the Chattahoochee. He is an active member of the CRNRA Volunteers in  Parks (VIP) program and regularly participates in trail work days. When Alex is not managing his sales and marketing firm, he enjoys hiking in the local park units, fly fishing near Island Ford or mountain biking the trails at Sope Creek.

Neha Khanna, Board Member

Neha is passionate about advancing public health innovation in children’s healthcare within local and global communities. As Director of Strategy and Operations for Resilient Georgia, she advances the organization’s mission to lead a state-wide coalition to develop a closely aligned and trauma-informed public and private network working towards creating a birth through 26-year-old integrated behavioral health system. Her expertise builds on over a decade of management consulting experience across corporate and social sectors in the U.S. and abroad. She lives in Marietta with her husband and two children. In her free time, she enjoys family hikes, swimming, yoga, reading and volunteering in the community to support the well-being of children and families. Neha and her family cherish their hikes by the Chattahoochee River every weekend, and she is excited to help promote and preserve the CRNRA for generations to come.

Omotunde Oguntoyinbo, Board Member

Omotunde is a senior account executive in Atlanta where she collaborates with stakeholders at enterprise companies. She has built her career creating strategic and consultative solutions for her clients. She has always had a passion for civics and earned a Presidential Service Award for her work with AmeriCorps and City Year. In the past, she has worked with Rock The Vote, fundraised for Darfur, drafted bills for legislation and advocated for children with asthma in Southern California and was recognized in the New York Times for mobilizing a team to cure ballots around Georgia. Omotunde has been a resident of Atlanta since 2013 and currently lives in Old 4th Ward. She enjoys hiking the CRNRA with her dog Molly, reading the New York Times, travel and pilates.

 

Mark Sauer, Board Member

Mark works for UPS, specializing in the areas of technology marketing, product management, and rate strategy. Outside of work, Mark enjoys a variety of sports, including cycling, running, tennis and just being outside. As an Atlanta native, Mark has enjoyed CRNRA since he was a teenager and is interested in preserving the park for future generations and promoting this wonderful treasure we have in our backyards.

Matt Josey, Board Member

Matt Josey is a Public Affairs Specialist for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where he manages media and PR for domestic HIV and tuberculosis prevention programs. Prior to his time at CDC, he spent 8 years with the National Park Service, most recently as the Park Planner and Partnership Coordinator at the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Matt is an avid hiker, traveler, coffee enthusiast, cook, and amateur pianist. He is a metro Atlanta native and a proud Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket. Matt and his husband Ben live in northwest Atlanta’s Riverside/Whittier Mill neighborhood with the Chattahoochee in their backyard.

STAFF

Brittany Jones, Executive Director

Brittany is a South Florida native and enjoys spending her time on the water and in nature. She has been in the public sector for over a decade, working at sites that carry many definitions including parks, museums and gardens, such as Deering Estate, The Grove Museum, and Filoli. Her experience ranges from visitor services, events, programs, education, operations, and executive leadership. She approaches her work with a passion for diversity, equity and inclusion, striving for these beautiful spaces to be welcoming for everyone. Brittany and her wife moved to the Atlanta area from California in 2022. In her spare time she's exploring Georgia, enjoying quality time with family, baking, and hanging out with her two pups, Sage and Roux.

Erin Tallent, Marketing and Membership Coordinator

Erin not only finds joy in her personal connection to nature, but she also has a passion for helping others forge their own meaningful connections with the outdoors. Having cherished the Chattahoochee River since childhood, she actively engages with the CRNRA through fly fishing, hiking, kayaking, and trail running throughout its units. Immersed in the nonprofit sector since 2011 with experience from direct support roles, program direction, community outreach, and marketing, Erin is committed to supporting meaningful causes and encouraging others to join the mission. At the CNPC, her role not only includes managing creative marketing initiatives, but also expanding membership with strategic community engagement. Beyond her role, she enjoys creating art, distance running, backpacking, and exploring new fishing spots throughout the United States.

Amy Nicholas, Corporate & Community Engagement Coordinator

Amy, a native Floridian, has a deep-rooted passion for conserving green spaces growing up along the Atlantic coast. Her extensive experience with various conservation non-profits includes lobbying, land management, environmental education, fundraising, and outreach. Amy's career highlights include working with the US Forest Service at Sequoia National Forest and gaining a love for Chattahoochee National Recreation Area while previously serving as an AmeriCorps Resource Educator member at CRNRA. At CNPC, her role is dedicated to corporate and community engagement, programming in the park and fundraising. Amy has a strong commitment to increasing and diversifying visitor access to the National Parks and carries those values in her position here at CNPC for parks to be appreciated by all. In her free time, Amy enjoys exploring the Metro-Atlanta green spaces, playing music, and spending time with her cat, Betty White.