Atlanta BeltLine Partnership Names Chuck Meadows as Executive Director

Staff Report

The Atlanta BeltLine Partnership today announced the appointment of Chuck Meadows as the organization’s new Executive Director. Meadows grew up in Washington Park, an Atlanta BeltLine Westside neighborhood before graduating from Morehouse College and Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He will step down from his post as President of Jim Adams LLC, an urban agriculture social enterprise, and become chairman of the board. Prior to the Jim Adams launch, Meadows served at the Metro Atlanta Chamber as Vice President Public Policy.

The Atlanta BeltLine Partnership is a privately funded non-profit organization that works with neighborhoods, businesses and community partners to raise awareness and support to help realize the Atlanta BeltLine vision. Meadows will assume leadership of the Partnership on December 1.

“We are so fortunate to have identified someone equally familiar with Atlanta’s neighborhoods and the policy issues impacting them,” said chairman of the Partnership board Charles Shufeldt. “Chuck’s experiences in government and his work in transportation and economic development will be a powerful addition to the team that has been so instrumental in the Atlanta BeltLine’s success to date.”

Meadows will succeed Valarie Wilson, who served as the organization’s Executive Director from the founding of the Partnership until she left earlier this year to run for State School Superintendent. Partnership Program Director Rob Brawner has served as Interim Executive Director since.

“Valarie helped chart the course that we’re on today, and Rob has been a steady hand on the rudder since,” said Shufeldt. “Chuck arrives at a critical time to work with Rob and the team to help ensure the Atlanta BeltLine lives up to the community’s expectations and is delivered equitably around Atlanta.”

Meadows, whose experience includes stints in the Governor’s office, Ernst and Young and at Atlanta City Hall, served the Metro Chamber in leadership positions focused on transportation, economic development and other areas critical to the Atlanta BeltLine.

The Atlanta BeltLine recently broke ground on the Westside Trail, marking an unprecedented $43 million investment in multi-use trails, greenspace and preparation for future transit on Atlanta’s Westside. The Partnership reached an important milestone in its $12.5 million capital campaign to support the building of the Westside Trail, raising $10 million to secure an $18 million federal grant for the project.