Board of Commissioners

The following members comprise the AH Board of Commissioners:

Joel Alvarado

Joel Alvarado currently serves as VP of Strategy and Engagement for the Partnership for Southern Equity. He spent most of his career in the government sector lobbying for private, public, and nonprofit interests. Previously, he served as Executive Vice President of External Affairs at Ohio River South. He also represented Gwinnett County at the State Capitol, served as Policy Director for the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power and Potential and was Policy Analyst/Lobbyist for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund in the Southeast.

Alvarado earned a B.A. in History at Morehouse College and an M.P.A. in Public Policy at Clark Atlanta University. Commissioner Alvarado can be reached at
commissioner.alvarado@atlantahousing.org.

Rosalind Elliott

Ms. Rosalind Elliott has been a resident of Peachtree Road Highrise since 2014 and currently serves as resident association president and current Jurisdiction Wide Council (JWC) President. She attended Washington High School and is a graduate of Spelman College. Ms. Elliott is a former employee of Atlanta Housing, is very involved in the community and has served on various boards throughout the city. Commissioner Elliott can be reached at commissioner.elliott@atlantahousing.org.

Duriya Farooqui

Duriya Farooqui is a corporate and civic leader who serves on multiple boards. She has served in a variety of leadership roles, including as Chief Operating Officer for the City of Atlanta and President of Supply Chain Innovation at Georgia Pacific. Farooqui currently serves as Board Director of Intercontinental Hotels Group and Intercontinental Exchange, as well as on the boards of New York Stock Exchange and ICE NGX. She also co-chairs the NYSE Board Advisory Council which includes 20 CEOs of public companies advancing diversity on boards. Farooqui previously served as Executive Director Atlanta Committee for Progress.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economic and Mathematics from Hampshire College and a Master of Public Administration and International Development from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Commissioner Farooqui can be reached at commissioner.farooqui@atlantahousing.org.

Douglas Hooker

Douglas Hooker has served as a government and corporate leader throughout his career, most recently retiring as Executive Director of the Atlanta Regional Commission in March. He has also worked at Georgia Power Co., the City of Atlanta, the State Road & Tollway Authority, and Atkins Global. He recently stepped down as the President of the Executive Directors’ Council and as a member of the board of the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC), where he was a co-founder of NARC’s Major Metros forum. The recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, Hooker has also served on the boards or as an advisor to multiple organizations in Atlanta. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Science in Technology & Science Policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Emory University’s Goizueta School of Business. Commissioner Hooker can be reached at commissioner.hooker@atlantahousing.org.

Sarah Kirsch

Sarah Kirsch is a mission-driven leader who has a passion for community development and public policy. She served as Executive Director of the Urban Land Institute, Atlanta, supporting the 1,400+ member leaders in advancing the ULI mission at the regional level. In that role, she co-led HouseATL, an initiative with over 80 partner organizations that developed a shared and comprehensive housing affordability strategy. She previously held leadership roles at BlueGround Consulting and RCLCO. She also serves as a Board Member of the Atlanta Affordable Housing Fund. A graduate of Atlanta Public Schools, Kirsch holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy Studies from Duke University. Commissioner Kirsch can be reached at commissioner.kirsch@atlantahousing.org.

Tony Martin

Tony Martin currently serves as resident association president at Cosby Spear Highrise. Mr. Martin was an operations leader in the food and beverage industry for ten years before shifting into the building maintenance field for over a decade. He holds an Associate of Arts in Hotel Restaurant Management from Bishop State Community College, Mobile, AL. Commissioner Martin can be reached at commissioner.martin@atlantahousing.org

Larry Stewart

Larry Stewart is an entrepreneur, tech visionary, digital marketing guru, marketing strategist, and civic leader. He is currently Senior Principal focused on Client Leadership for Public Sector at Slalom Consulting.

His past work experience has been centered in consulting and strategizing for technology startups. A resident of the City of Atlanta for over 25 years, Stewart works with community leaders and startups on solutions for housing affordability, civic engagement, and virtual education. He was an instrumental member of the team that led inclusionary zoning legislation. He has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Commissioner Stewart can be reached at commissioner.stewart@atlantahousing.org.