Historic Oakland Foundation Announces New Trustees
Historic Oakland Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of four directors to its board of trustees beginning January 1, 2024. “As Historic Oakland Foundation completes our first-ever capital campaign and is expanding its ability to deliver on its mission we are thrilled to add such dynamic civic leaders to our board of trustees,” said Dr. Richard Harker, executive director of Historic Oakland Foundation.
Rabbi Peter Berg, Senior Rabbi, The Temple
Prior to serving as senior rabbi of The Temple, a position he has held since 2008, Peter Berg served as rabbi of Temple Beth Or in Washington Township, New Jersey, and as the Associate Rabbi of Temple Emanuel-El in Dallas, Texas. He has also served on numerous communal and advisory boards, including The American Jewish Congress, The Faith Alliance of Metro Atlanta (FAMA), The American Jewish Committee, and The Jewish Family and Career Services (JFCS). Berg serves on the advisory boards of The American Jewish Archives (Vice-Chair), The Jewish Fertility Foundation, JumpSpark Teen Initiative, The Islamic Speakers Bureau, and the Grady Hospital Foundation. He lives in Atlanta with his wife Karen, a teacher and tutor, and their three children.
Bem Joiner, Co-Founder, Atlanta Influences Everything
An Atlanta native, Bem Joiner is culture curator and co-founder of the creative consultancy/brand, Atlanta Influences Everything. Joiner has managed and consulted a variety of lifestyle brands and designed meaningful programs for clients including Sprite, the Mississippi Department of Education, truth.com, Jack Daniels, Nissan, and the National Black Arts Festival. Joiner is also one of the founders of CreativeCall.org which is a community service effort/collaboration between Atlanta and Stockholm creatives. Most recently Joiner served as community engagement coordinator for the Center for Civic Innovation in South Downtown Atlanta. He has served on the board of the Wren’s Nest and was recently awarded the Warner Bros. Discovery and Community Leadership Award from Central Atlanta Progress (CAP).
Barrett Coker Krise, Partner, Bell Oaks Executive Search
Prior to joining Bell Oaks as a Partner in 2022, Barrett Coker Krise spent 19 years at the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta as a Senior Philanthropic Officer. A fourth-generation Atlanta native with both sides of her family residing permanently at Oakland Cemetery, Krise is a committed community volunteer. She is a member of the governing board of the Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School, a board member of the National Center for Race Amity, and a sustaining member of the Junior League of Atlanta. Krise is an alumna of Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio and is a graduate of LEAD Atlanta, as well as a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy, CAP. Krise, her husband Eddie, and their daughter are longtime residents of the historic Cabbagetown neighborhood in Atlanta.
Samantha McDonald, Program Manager, Global Sustainability, Delta Air Lines
Samantha McDonald is a Program Manager at Delta Air Lines with a master’s degree in economics from Georgia State University. McDonald oversees Delta’s domestic and international emissions. With over five years of experience in clean energy consulting, McDonald brings valuable insights to sustainable aviation. McDonald has numerous publications highlighting the benefits of clean and renewable energy for low-income households in cities across the United States.
“Historic Oakland Foundation is doing amazing work in expanding the idea of what a cemetery can be through our incredible programming and community service. We are delighted to add these four new Trustees to help us continue to expand our reach and impact,” said Kavin Manickaraj, board chair for Historic Oakland Foundation.
