Liz Lapidus

Founder / Board Member

I came to environmentalism straight out of college, as an intern monitoring environmental legislation at Georgia’s state capitol. Getting to know the many elected officials, lobbyists and conservationists who were invested in positive change made me keenly aware that if enough people use their voices, you can make a difference.

 

While my career pivoted to public relations, I remained actively involved in the community. For more than 25 years at the helm of Liz Lapidus PR, my firm promoted some of the most anticipated brands. Yet my passion remains with our nonprofit clients and through board positions I’ve held and committee work I’ve done with the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, The Hambidge Center, Dad’s Garage, the National Center for Civil & Human Rights, the Maynard Jackson Youth Foundation, AID Atlanta, Jerusalem House and Community Farmers Markets.

Butch Whitfield

Founder / Board Member

I have always viewed the planet as our most precious and fragile resource and my path to becoming an active conservationist has developed over time. Through my degree and subsequent first career in horticulture, I have a deep love and appreciation for all things flora. In my current career as a top performer at Harry Norman, I’m passionate about finding ways to make easy lifestyle changes that can have a big impact, like installing solar panels, driving an electric car, using earth-friendly products, and by reducing the use of plastics and consumption of meat.

 

Community connection is also important to me- I am an advisory board member of Open Hand Atlanta, member of Midtown Alliance, former board member of the Decatur Business Association and the Luxury Marketing Council of Atlanta, former president of the Oakhurst Business Association, twice co-chaired the Decatur Beach Party, and – I also channel my years as an Eagle Scout and experience as the auctioneer for the Oakhurst Elementary School live auction for two years.

 

I believe that if you’re not going to roll up your sleeves and be a part of the solution, you’re a part of the problem. To that end, with Johanna and Liz, we founded Root Local to be connectors and conveners in an effort to create long-term and measurable solutions.

Keegan Cross

Board Member

Growing up in Denver, CO, conservation was deeply instilled in my identity from an early age. My first introduction into organized conservation initiatives came in high school when I became very involved in a local nonprofit called Teens4Oceans. Their mission is to empower youth to be stewards of the oceans through experiential education, research, technology, and conservation. I continued my involvement with the organization into my college years and environmentalism has remained a staple value for me ever since.

 

After receiving undergraduate and graduate degrees from Duke University, my professional career took me to New York City. I spent a number of years working in Management Consulting, helping financial institutions on their strategic initiatives and then I transitioned into Commercial Banking for J.P. Morgan Chase. I have since relocated full time to Atlanta, GA and I am thrilled to be part of such an amazing community that is constantly looking for ways to get better each and every day.

Vineeth Loganathan

Board Member

I was born in India and was introduced to environmentalism as a teenager when I joined the National Service Scheme (NSS) of India. Throughout high school and college, as part of the organization, I volunteered regularly to clean up local ecosystems and teach rural students about sustainability. Having spent a considerable amount of time in Asia, Europe, and North America I've seen the disproportionate effect climate change can have on the disadvantaged communities, both urban and rural. Mitigating climate change is going to be the biggest challenge faced by our generation and the ones that come after us.

 

After graduating from college, I moved to Seattle, WA, to work in the tech industry and get my masters in Applied Mathematics from University of Washington. I've spent the last 15 years working in Data Science and Machine Learning in the tech industry with stints in Microsoft, Disney, Amazon, and most recently Airbnb. I relocated to Atlanta in 2021 and have fallen in love with everything the city has to offer. As a lifelong technologist, I'm excited to be a part of Root Local to help make their vision a reality by leveraging the power of technology to make connections and share knowledge.

Kate Del Pozzo

Board Member

With a passion for sustainability and a decade of experience in SaaS software sales, I am currently the Senior Sales Leader at OneTrust, specializing in privacy, security, and data governance solutions. Combining my proven track record of achieving exceptional sales results, with being a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/E), I navigate the intricate realm of privacy regulations and consumer consent, reflecting my commitment to ethical business practices and legal compliance.

 

Beyond my corporate role, I am a certified yoga teacher, bringing a holistic approach into my lifestyle. On the side, I am currently leveraging my expertise to develop a new community-based sharing app called Nabo. Through Nabo, we aim to foster collaboration and resource-sharing, embodying my dedication to positive change and a sustainable future.

Lauren Wiggins

Board Member

Being in a world that has become increasingly focused on the product rather than the process, I approach collective work by taking a few steps back to thoughtfully engage with teams and communities on the how of implementation. Who is included? What is the path to generating vision and reducing harm? My personal passions have been shaped by experiences as a Student Delegate at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in France, Germany, and Egypt; an NSF grantee at the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation in New Hampshire; an intern with the EPA and US Fish and Wildlife Service in Atlanta; and other local career posts with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and various non-profits, ranging from local impact to global reach.

 

My goal is to build upon lessons across the environmental movement and design sustainable equity-oriented communities in a way that determines our relationship within the global ecological framework. After spending years in the Bay Area, New Haven, Denver, and other spaces, I am happy to be back home where I grew up in Atlanta, as a new urban futurist wielding a recent master's in Ecosystem Conservation from the Yale School of the Environment.

 

My day job is as a Climate and Environment Project Manager at a mid-sized consulting firm. In my free time, if I am not biking or hiking or immersing myself in Solarpunk, I serve as a team lead volunteer for the Appalachian Trail’s Co-operative Management Plan update, which coalesces thousands of volunteers, government agencies, and other stakeholders who steward the 2,100-mile trail that extends from Georgia to Maine. To me, nature already has the answers we are seeking, and by using a biomimicry perspective, we can build the resilient infrastructure necessary for connectivity and outsized impact across organizations in Atlanta.