The Buckhead Coalition and Buckhead Community Improvement District (CID) announced that Katharine Kelley, an Atlanta-based urban development and civic leader, will take the helm as CEO of both organizations starting January 2026.
Drawing from her 30-year career in urban development and community leadership, Kelley will oversee collaborative initiatives aimed at strengthening Buckhead’s infrastructure and quality of life, while cultivating strategic relationships with stakeholders across metro Atlanta, according to a press release.
“I am thrilled to step into this leadership role with two organizations so committed to Buckhead’s progress and vitality. As a Buckhead native and resident, my DNA is rooted in this community,” Kelley said in a statement. “Buckhead is poised to play a great role in Atlanta’s future, and I’m excited to work alongside our Coalition members, the Buckhead CID board, civic partners, and residents to drive growth that benefits both our community and the broader metro Atlanta region.”
Kelley, who will step down as President of Green Street Properties, has led the development of more than $2 billion of properties while serving in senior positions at Jamestown, Post Properties, Newport, and Green Street. Her work includes Ponce City Market, South Downtown, Post Riverside (now MAA Riverside), and Glenwood Park. She currently serves on the board of directors of Invesco Mortgage Capital, Inc.
Kelley is a graduate of The Westminster Schools and holds a BA from UNC as a Morehead Scholar, a Masters in Real Estate Development from Columbia – where she wrote her thesis on community improvement districts – and an MBA from Harvard.
Kelley also previously served as President of the Rotary Club of Atlanta, as a member of the City of Atlanta Zoning Review Board, and is the immediate past Chair of the Board of Trustees of The Westminster Schools. She is also the 2023 recipient of the Atlanta Urban Land Institute (ULI) ChangeMakers Award.
Kelley succeeds Jim Durrett, a long-time Atlanta civic and transit leader, who announced his retirement in early 2026.
“I am delighted that Katharine has accepted the call to lead both Buckhead organizations, which I’ve had the privilege of serving for many years,” Durrett said in a statement. “Her appointment signals a promising and exciting trajectory for the Buckhead Coalition and Buckhead CID, and her leadership will bring tremendous benefit to each.”
