Piedmont Park Conservancy names new CEO for nonprofit – WSB-TV Channel 2
ATLANTA — The Piedmont Park Conservancy Board of Directors announced a new Chief Executive Officer for the nonprofit organization.
According to their announcement, the new leader will be Doug Widener, who most recently was the executive director of the Lincoln Park Conservancy in Chicago.
Officials from the board said Widener brings nearly 30 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, community building and sustainable practice.
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During his time in Chicago, Widener is said to have performed transformative work and revitalized the iconic Chicago landmark that is Lincoln Park, according to Piedmont Park Conservancy.
He was said to have left lasting impacts on the field of sustainability as a leader of the U.S. Green Building Council, where he pushed for environmentally conscious practices across state, regional, and national positions.
“I’m thrilled to join the Piedmont Park Conservancy. I believe that parks and open spaces are vital to help us connect with each other, disconnect from the hustle of urban life and recharge our bodies and our beings,” Widener said in a statement. “The Piedmont Park Conservancy plays a vital role in stewarding this wonderful resource for all Atlantans. I look forward to working with our great Board, donors, partners, staff and community in charting a vision for the Park as a world-class destination…for now and generations to come.”
With the Piedmont Park Conservancy, Widener hopes to expand his dedication to nurturing deep appreciation for the natural environment, which he said was a passion born from his background in educational programming at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and his time spent as co-chairman of education and communication at the Chicago Wilderness Alliance.
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“We are at an exciting juncture in our partnership with the City of Atlanta. Doug’s joy for his work, combined with his talent for connecting and collaborating strategically with others, inspires our confidence in his ability to continue leading our beloved Piedmont Park into a promising future,” Ellen Sacchi, Piedmont Park Conservancy’s Board Chair, said in the announcement. “His leadership and commitment to community engagement make him a perfect fit to drive our organization’s mission forward.”
The Piedmont Park Conservancy started searching for a new leader, ending with their choice of Widener, after then-CEO Mark Banta announced his retirement in July 2022.
Banta served as CEO for nine years. The conservancy said they started searching for his replacement across more than 20 states.
Widener will begin his new role in October, with Banta staying on to help transition leadership to him in the fall.
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