Get educated on board candidates.
Members will receive an email notification when voting opens on September 8.
State of Affairs
Board of Directors Candidates (choose 11 of 15)
Miguel Barrios (incumbent)
I'm originally from Venezuela and moved to Kansas City in 2002 and received his BS and MS from Kansas State University. In 2012, I moved to Georgia and received my PhD from The University of Georgia in Poultry Science. I currently works as a Business Manager for a feed ingredients company. I joined the Virginia-Highland community in the Fall of 2022 and became part of the board in 2024. I'd be glad to continue as part of the board and maintain the VHCA character that we love!
Arpita Chadha
Having lived in several cities in Europe and Asia, I have seen how connected neighborhoods can transform lives. Virginia-Highland is where I've chosen to put down roots, and it has given me more than a home—it has given me a sense of belonging.
I am a Computer Science Engineer with an MBA in International Affairs, and my journey has not been a straight line. I’ve experienced homelessness and uncertainty in this city, but today I am proud to say I am living the American Dream: a homeowner, a business owner , and a professional in IT consulting. These experiences have taught me resilience, gratitude, and the importance of community support.
When elected, I will bring perspective and energy to strengthen our community. I will champion open communication with neighbors, support vibrant local events, and advocate for the changes we all care about—from improving safety and beautification to ensuring our neighborhood remains welcoming, inclusive, and strong.
Virginia-Highland gave me a home, and I want to give back by helping it thrive.
Melissa Clark (incumbent)
I have been a Virginia-Highland resident for about 13 years, residing on Virginia Circle with my husband and three daughters. My girls attend Virginia-Highland Elementary (3rd grade) and Midtown High School (9th and 11th grade). I love our neighborhood and all it has to offer— the people, the schools, the restaurants, and the parks.
I have served on the VHCA Board for three years and helped to reinstate the education committee. Over the past two years, I have focused on providing major education related updates effecting our neighborhood schools and maintaining open communication channels with APS and our Board of Education representatives. Additionally, I have organized three open community forums with two APS superintendents and Board of Education representatives as a forum for neighbors to bring concerns and priorities directly to APS leadership.
I’m extremely invested in making sure all four of our neighborhood schools continue to thrive. I have previously served as the PTO president at Virginia-Highland Elementary, where I dedicated a great deal of time and love to getting our newest neighborhood school on its feet. I am currently a GoTeam member for VHE and serve on the Cluster Advisory Team and the Facilities Task Force.
If I am re-elected to VHCA, I would love to continue to develop the VHCA’s focus on education and make sure that Virginia-Highland neighborhood is both informed and well-represented with respect to APS issues, including conversations around potential changes to Midtown High School.
Also on VHCA I have been able to be a part of many family friendly social events — including the children’s section of the Fire Station opening, our annual egg hunt, and VaHi-loween— and fundraising efforts including Tour of Homes. Next year I would love to continue to explore family programming opportunities for our neighborhood.
Abby Closs
Hi! I’m Abby, and I am a Virginia-Highland enthusiast. Our neighborhood is such a special place — from our walkable streets and vibrant downtown to the incredible sense of community. My husband and I are raising our three daughters here (two current VHE Owls and one future Owl!), and I’m passionate about giving back to the place where we live, learn, and play. Here’s what I bring to the VHCA Board: 1. Proven Leadership & Volunteerism : I previously served as Director of Operations for the Virginia-Highland Elementary PTO and served as Community Service Chair at the Suzuki School. I’ve been a committee member of the Virginia-Highland District Association’s 3-1-1 Committee and was honored as “Volunteer of the Year” by LiftUp Atlanta for the holiday toy drives I held. 2. Fundraising & Community Projects : I led the grant initiative for the new Virginia-Highland Elementary playground, securing over $300,000 in grant funding (look out for more exciting renovations coming very soon)! I would love to apply that same experience to help improve John Howell Park and other neighborhood spaces so they can serve as thriving gathering places for the neighborhood. 3. Advocacy for Safer Streets & Stronger Community: As a mom who walks my children to school and bikes to work in Midtown, I’m deeply committed to making Virginia-Highland safer and more enjoyable for pedestrians and cyclists. I worked hard to have speed tables installed on my street and I’m excited to help bring more ideas from the Virginia-Highland Master Plan to life, ensuring our neighborhood continues to be welcoming and accessible. I would be honored to serve on the VHCA Board and continue working to strengthen our community together.
Kevin Cronin (incumbent)
Kevin J. Cronin has been a resident of Virginia-Highland since 1991 and is currently engaged in consulting work. He also serves on the Provincetown Part Timers Tax Payers Association. After retiring from Bank of America following a 24-year career, Kevin continued his work in the Employee Engagement field for several years. He has served on the Recognition Professionals International (RPI) board for 10 years, including a term as president. Additionally, Kevin has been actively involved with the Virginia-Highland Civic Association for many years, including serving as its president for 2 terms and co-chairing the Summefest event in addition to working on the planning committee.
Kevin lives on Rupley Dr with his Husband Glenn and their dog Atticus.
Adam Faust (incumbent)
I’ve been a VaHi resident and homeowner since 2010. In that time my wife and I have seen and been a part of a lot of positive changes in the neighborhood, and I want to help it continue to thrive. I’ve been involved with SPARK, VHE, and now Howard Middle School as my son has grown over the years. I’ve been serving on the VHCA Planning Committee for the past year and plan to continue in that role. I've also personally been through the Atlanta building permit and variance process, and I want to help everyone understand and navigate the process smoothly. I recently assumed a Board position in August 2025, replacing a member who moved out of the area, and I’m looking forward to continue serving our community for the 2025-2026 term. I bring a strong background working with local governments in planning, zoning, and construction as I’m the co-owner of a commercial real estate development and construction company. We operate across the Southeast and Texas focused on building C-stores, fast casual/quick serve restaurants, coffee shops, and car washes. I particularly want to help ensure our local restaurants and shops have a neighborhood where they can thrive (specifically, right now, the area on N. Highland between Greenwood and St. Charles). Over the years I’ve volunteered my time with Hands on Atlanta, Piedmont Park Conservancy, Junior Achievement, Trees of Atlanta, and have attended and contributed to numerous local and national charity functions/funds, and I’m looking forward to devoting more of my time and effort to our community. I appreciate your support! Adam Faust.
Rob Glancy
I have been a resident of Virginia-Highland since 1998. My wife and I are proud parents of two boys, 13 and 16, who attend APS schools, and we share our home with an assortment of furry family members. I first discovered Virginia-Highland in the summer of 1998 during grad school. Soon after, I moved here from Ann Arbor, Michigan, and spurred by frustrations with a variance application led me to run for the Board. I threw myself into the organization, immersing myself in the Parks Committee and serving as Parks Chair and Co-Chair for several years. I'm proud to have spearheaded the redevelopment of the 'Triangle' at the corner of Highland and Virginia, and served on the steering committees that led to the purchase of North Highland Park and the creation of the Cunard memorial playground at John Howell Park.
In 2003–2004, I co-led the team that revived the Virginia-Highland Tour of Homes, a tradition that has continued annually since then. Following my board service and years as a committee chair on NPU-F, I launched and managed the Intown Ten 10K and 5K Road Races for eight years. My professional background includes marketing experience with Ford Motor Company, start-up roles, and small business management experience, having run a residential mortgage company since 2002.
If elected, I will focus on enhancing our neighborhood parks and supporting key fundraising efforts, including Summerfest. I also believe in thinking outside the box, collaborating with neighboring communities and listening to VAHI residents in order to come up with new ideas and a long range strategic plan for VAHI that will help the organization and neighborhood thrive over the next decades. Part of this vision will require effectively engaging residents and encouraging their participation. IE.... Engage, LISTEN, work together, and execute. Thank you.
Jennifer Hardwick
I have lived in the neighborhood since the summer of 2013. We specifically chose to live in VaHi for its diversity, its walkability, its small-town feel, and its beautiful historic homes. For the first few years of living here, I was heavily involved in SPARK's PTO, including being the Vice President for one year and the President for two years. We did all the normal things a PTO does, but I also brought the bees to the rooftop, we got money back from a scam artist for the FunRun, we added laptops and carts, we raised money for teacher funds, we got crossing guards and ESL classes for the community, and we built a terrific community. I was also a room parent for both of my kids' classes every year, quite intentionally creating targeted newsletters for the (busy/working) parents and building bridges between educators and families. Concurrently, I have always been a working parent. I am a senior threat intelligence analyst in the physical security field, so efforts/projects involving safety and security are dear to my heart. I have spent much of my career working on crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and global health issues impacting Americans globally, giving presentations to large audiences, writing analytic briefings, or informally talking through individual's concerns. I have spent this year participating in Atlanta's Citizens Academy programs to learn first-hand about APD, GBI, FEMA, and now Watershed Mgmt to learn first-hand their function and to be an advocate for them within our community. We have always tried to be good neighbors and participate how and when we could with neighborhood events. I have not always been heavily involved because life throws curve balls, but now (with one child off to college), I've found myself with a little more free time that I would like to dedicate to my community.
Amy Harward (incumbent)
I have been a proud resident of Virginia-Highland for over a decade, and serving on the VHCA Board for the past three years has been a true privilege. We live in a special place! But that didn't happen by accident- VAHI is shaped by the dedication of past neighbors, and I am grateful for my chance to give back.
My work on the Communications, Tour of Homes, Education, and Safety & Transportation Committees has kept me focused on issues that matter deeply to our community—safer streets, a strong voice in important education decisions shaping the Midtown Cluster, and creating ways for neighbors to connect, listen, and work together on the challenges and opportunities we face.
In my fourth term, I would focus my energy on:
- Working on the 2025 Tour of Homes- building synergy with Winterfest and returning to our winter roots
- Advocating for Virginia-Highland students in APS rezoning and capacity discussions
- Advancing the bike lane pilot program linking the BeltLine to our neighborhood
It would be an honor to continue serving our community for another year!
Josh Hersko
Hello, My wife and I have proudly called the Virginia Highland neighborhood home for nearly 15 years. In fact, our story began right here—we first met at Atkins Park many years ago! Today, we are raising our one-year-old son, Sammy, who will be attending Virginia Highlands Elementary School in just a few short years. I am a graduate of Georgia Tech with a degree in Business Management and also hold a Master’s in Education. As a former varsity swimmer for Georgia Tech, I earned All-ACC honors and broke multiple school records—experiences that instilled in me a lifelong dedication to teamwork, discipline, hard work and community. After my athletic career, I spent nearly 10 years in the classroom as an 8th-grade math teacher, where I discovered a true passion for working with children and families. Around the neighborhood, I’m affectionately known as “Coach Josh,” and I currently serve as the Aquatics Manager and Head Coach at the Piedmont Driving Club. Virginia Highland is more than just where we live—it’s where we’ve built our lives and plan to raise our family. I’m running for the VHCA Board because I love this community deeply and want to help it thrive. I’m excited to bring my energy, enthusiasm, and collaborative spirit to support and strengthen the place we all call home.
Karri Hobson-Pape (incumbent)
Virginia-Highland has been a wonderful village for our family and we are very thankful for this community. We have lived in VAHI for 3 decades and have served in a variety of ways to support the neighborhood.
Both of our kids enjoyed their time at SPARK (when the school opened) - and our youngest daughter recently graduated from Midtown High School. John Howell Park, Summerfest parades, Halloween festivities, 5Ks, Open Mics at SFCH, Christmas tree lightings and much more have added so much to our family life.
This past year on the VHCA I served as Secretary and jumped into a variety of areas that needed additional volunteer support. Previously, I led the efforts to launch formal history tours of the neighborhood, develop the new logo and visual identity for VHCA, created a new VAHI merchandise program, reimagined the Friends of VAHI fundraising program, structured the filming in VAHI to generate funds for the neighborhood and more.
Education is a topic I care deeply about and I served on the SPARK PTO for several years and as PTO Co-President. Beyond that, one of my fondest personal experiences was doing research for about 10 years about the history of our community and co-authoring two Arcadia Publishing books - 'Images of America: Virginia-Highland' (2011) and 'Images of Modern America: Virginia-Highland' (2018). At the 40th anniversary of the VHCA we invited all of the prior VHCA board members we could reach to celebrate their involvement. Through the journey, I have been fortunate to interview hundreds of residents, business owners, political officials, teachers, religious leaders and descendants of pioneers that helped to create this special place in Atlanta.
Professionally, after receiving my MBA at Emory, for 25 years I served in a variety of roles in marketing communications at higher education institutions and on the boards of a variety of nonprofits and colleges. For five years our family moved to Athens when I served as VP of Marketing & Communications at University of Georgia. Currently, I head up a national healthcare non-profit based in DC.
I would be honored to continue to serve our neighborhood and build upon our great community. Serving on the VHCA, I would intend to bring my non-profit experience to support the areas of governance, marketing, fundraising, and history/preservation. I love the activist heritage of this community and appreciate the constant efforts to maintain a healthy balance of residential life, business activity, parks & recreations and festivals & entertainment in an urban environment.
Alex Bevel Jones (incumbent)
I am the current VHCA President and would be honored to continue serving on the board. It has been an extreme privilege to serve the Virginia Highland neighborhood and I would love to build off the historic year we’ve had and ensure that our neighborhood is welcoming, safe and thriving.
Mary Frances Jones (incumbent)
After decades living intown and enjoying all Virginia-Highland has to offer, I’m glad to now call this neighborhood home. My partner and I moved here in 2023 with our dog Lucy, and I recently completed my first term on the VHCA board. Over the past year, I worked with fellow members to secure a $100,000 Park Pride grant for the renovation of John Howell Park and worked on the plan to consolidate VHCA and VHCL into a single nonprofit—making fundraising easier and better focusing our volunteers’ time and talent.
I spent the last decade of my career at an alternative transportation startup, which fueled my passion for sustainable transit and livable cities. I serve on the board of Propel ATL (formerly the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition and PEDS), working toward an Atlanta where everyone has easy access to safe, affordable and sustainable transit options.
If elected for a second term, I look forward to continuing working alongside other neighborhood volunteers to preserve what makes Virginia-Highland special while advocating for sustainable, people-centered growth—density built at a pedestrian scale that strengthens our urban core. I’m excited to keep building on the energy and spirit that make VaHi such a great place to call home!
Tim Langan (incumbent)
As a seventeen year homeowner and resident of Virginia-Highland (raising five kids here), I am excited to run for the VHCA Board of Directors for a second one-year term for the next year (Board Year 2025-2026). I would appreciate your support. I have served on the Planning Committee of VHCA for the past year and would like to continue in that role. I bring a strong land use / zoning background as prior NPU-B Board Member and prior Ridgedale Park Civic Association President. I have been heavily involved in our neighborhood schools including Springdale Park Elementary (Governance Team, Playground Committee); Inman Middle School (Local School Council Chair) and Midtown High School (Athletic Booster Club). I co-founded Keep-Virginia Highland Beautiful that organized a dozen major cleanups in Virginia-Highland and I have served as Ridgedale Park Block Captain for over a decade. I'd like to see Virginia-Highland continue to flourish, including supporting our parks, safety programs and schools. I'd like to focus and encourage improvements to our Atkins Park commercial node along North Highland. Thanks for your support!
Doug Miller
I am passionate about our neighborhood and would welcome the opportunity to serve it. I am a Georgia native and have lived in Virginia-Highland for 18 years with my wife, two daughters (9 and 11), and Siberian Husky. I am a lawyer by trade and enjoy all things about our community. But, we need continued leadership and thoughtful progress. I hope you will allow me this opportunity to work for you.