The main phone number at Rhodes Hall is 404-881-9980. You can also contact staff members at Rhodes Hall state headquarters directly. The last four digits of the direct line also serve as the staff member’s extension when calling the main phone number. As always, we welcome your phone calls and invite you to stay in touch with us by phone, fax (404-875-2205), or contact us through the website.
President & CEO
Mark C. McDonald has served as President and CEO of The Georgia Trust since June 2008. Since that time, The Georgia Trust has dramatically improved its budget performance and extended its programs and revolving fund activities. Mr. McDonald has over 25 years of professional involvement in historic preservation and a strong business background. He has served as the executive director for three preservation organizations in the Southeast, including the Historic Salisbury Foundation in North Carolina from 1986-1990, the Mobile Historic Development Commission in Mobile, Alabama from 1990-1998 and the Historic Savannah Foundation from 1998-2008.
Senior Director of Communications
Traci Clark is responsible for the Trust’s communications strategies, media relations, marketing materials and promotions. A sixth-generation Georgian and native of coastal Georgia, she holds a master’s degree in historic preservation and a bachelor’s degree in journalism, with a focus in advertising and public relations, from the University of Georgia. Traci has been working in the marketing field for more than 15 years. Her hobbies include running, gardening and visiting historic sites with her husband, Joe, and their son.
Senior Director of Development
Bryn Chanudet moved from West Palm Beach, Florida to Atlanta in 2011 and began her career with the Trust. She received a bachelor’s of science degree from the University of Tennessee and started her nonprofit career in Florida with a children’s healthcare organization. Bryn was promoted from Director of Special Events to the Sr. Director of Development with The Georgia Trust in 2016. Bryn resides in Marietta with her husband, Anthony and their two sons, Knox and Nash. She enjoys cooking for friends and family, being outdoors, cheering on the Tennessee Vols and learning about historic preservation.
Special Events Manager
Brittany has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism with a history minor and a certificate in special event management from Georgia State University. Prior to the Trust, Brittany was a sales associate at Ashton Gardens, a wedding venue in Sugar Hill. While a student, Brittany was an intern in the Development Department where she assisted with special events for several years. Brittany lives in Duluth with her husband, Kendon, and daughter, Avery.
Donor Relations Manager
Nawana Wilkerson is the Trust’s Donor Relations Manager. For more than 10 years, Nawana has worked in nonprofit fundraising for organizations including Families First, the New York City Opera and the Studio Museum in Harlem. A native of Long Branch, New Jersey, Nawana received a bachelor’s degree in communications from St. Peter’s University.
Director of Preservation
Neale Nickels joined The Georgia Trust in 2016 as Director of Preservation. He moved to Atlanta in 2014 and began working as Director of Preservation for Historic Oakland Foundation at Oakland Cemetery. Prior to that, he served as Architectural Conservator for George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Neale has a Master of Science degree from the Clemson/College of Charleston joint historic preservation graduate program in Charleston, SC, and an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia. He and his wife, Courtney, are both from Virginia and now live in the Garden Hills neighborhood of Atlanta with their daughter, Emme, and faithful yellow lab, Huck.
Historic Properties Coordinator
Ben Sutton joined The Georgia Trust in 2016. He works directly with The Georgia Trust’s Revolving Fund and Endangered Properties program. Ben has a master’s degree in heritage preservation from Georgia State University and a bachelor’s degree from Appalachian State University. He is a certified Historic Real Estate Development Finance Professional and has a background in history, education, outdoor leadership and residential remodeling. Ben was drawn to preservation because of its interdisciplinary nature and is motivated by the complex challenges that historic buildings can present. He lives in Atlanta with his wife, Katie, and their young son.
Preservation Communications Coordinator
Danielle Meunier joined The Georgia Trust in 2017 as the Preservation Communications Coordinator. She assists in the Trust’s Preservation Assistance, Preservation Awards and Places in Peril programs, while working with the programs of Endangered Properties and Revolving Fund education. Danielle holds a bachelor’s degree in historic preservation from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Before coming to the Trust, she spent seven years with Historic Savannah Foundation as the preservation & education coordinator. Danielle grew up in Trinidad and Tobago and enjoys traveling, not only home to the Caribbean, but also around the country and the world, learning about new cultures and enjoying local cuisine.
Director of Finance & Administration
Debbie Linton joined the Trust’s accounting department in 2017. A graduate of Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, Debbie holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She brings to the Trust 20 years of accounting experience from various advertising agencies, accounting firms and non-profit organizations, an industry she enjoys most. Originally from New York, Debbie now resides in West Georgia. She enjoys traveling and spending time with her children, family and friends.
Rhodes Hall Director
A graduate of Savannah College of Art & Design, Chrystal Butts holds a bachelor’s degree in historic preservation and architectural history. Before coming to the Trust, she worked for Revival Construction in Atlanta. As the Rhodes Hall Events Director, Chrystal not only manages all wedding and other rentals, but also tours, museum space, gift shop, and all activities and meetings that take place in Rhodes Hall. She strives for customer service, ensuring that each person that enters Rhodes Hall has a wonderful and memorable experience, and she impresses this quality on her event staff and tour docents as well. Originally from Fayetteville, Georgia, she now resides in East Point with her husband, Will, an electrician whose services have been used at Rhodes Hall many times by special request from his wife and their daugter, August.
Sr. Director of Properties and Hay House Director
Poston’s career has included a 24-year stint at Historic Charleston Foundation, where he served in various capacities including director of museums and preservation initiatives; three years as a full-time lecturer for the master of science program in historic preservation at Clemson University School of Architecture and the College of Charleston; and as director of the Southwest Regional Office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. His 1997 book, “The Buildings of Charleston,” is a widely used reference and resource guide on the city’s built environment. Poston holds a graduate degree from the College of William and Mary and a law degree from the University of Richmond.
Curator of Education
William Aultman is the Curator of Education at Hay House. William grew up in upstate New York where he was enrolled at the Albany Academies in Albany, New York. His family is native to Georgia, where he moved to attend Mercer University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history.
Rental and Events Manager
Prior to joining Hay House, Lee Mangum worked for the Macon-Bibb Convention and Visitor’s Bureau as an Information Specialist, educating visitors about Macon and all the area has to offer. Lee also spent 25 years working in corporate training and development for such companies as Coca-Cola, Delta and Wells Fargo and has a background in project management having worked for several consulting firms.