Our Team

Meet Our Amazing Team Of Experts At ATL Airport CIDs

Six Incredible Experts and Leaders

The ATL Airport Community Improvement Districts are committed to creating an economically strong, safe, attractive and vibrant community surrounding the world’s most-traveled passenger airport. We are a catalyst for infrastructure enhancement through new investments, project planning, resource management and partnership development.

We seek to raise the collective value of our community’s commercial properties while making the AACIDs a destination for new businesses, residents and visitors.

Gerald McDowell

Gerald McDowell

Executive Director

Krystal Harris

Krystal Harris

Program Director


(404) 349-2211

kharris@aacids.com

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Our dynamic Program Director, Krystal Harris, brings a wealth of strategic planning and high level project management skills to our team. She worked at GDOT for 12 years in various roles, with her most recent being Asset Program Manager. While at GDOT, she focused on working in the most feasible way while meeting the goals and objectives of the Department. “This means that sometimes change is good. What once worked before may not be the case today,” Krystal shares. She is versatile and goal-oriented and strives to achieve overall company goals and exceed customer expectations. She has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Franklin Allen, Jr.

Franklin Allen, Jr.

Public Safety Director


(404) 349-2211

fallen@aacids.com

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With 38 years of law enforcement professional experience and 4,800 hours of certified training from the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, Franklin Allen, Jr. brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise as our new Public Safety Director.  Franklin is a graduate of the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College class 5, and Class 123 of the Southern Police Institute Administrative Officers Course, FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development and the International Chiefs of Police Organizational Leadership.  Franklin has also received training as an Active Shooter Instructor, ASP Weapons System Instructor, Georgia POST Departmental Training Officer, as well as an instructor in Defensive Tactics, Firearms, Speed Detection, and TASER Electrical Control Device.

Andrea Riggs

Andrea Riggs

Marketing Comm. Manager


(404) 349-2211

ariggs@aacids.com

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With 20 years of marketing, real estate and business development experience and success as an entrepreneur, Andrea brings a fresh perspective and success working with large and small entities in media, mass communications and brand development. Andrea hails from St Louis and graduated from the University of Missouri, Columbia with a degree in Business focusing on Marketing & Management. Andrea is also a public figure who is passionate about health and wellness. She has developed national media campaigns reaching millions of stakeholders via TV, Radio and Print.

Kyana Cannon

Kyana Cannon

Executive Administrative Assistant


(404) 349-2211

kcannon@aacids.com

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Kyana supports the Executive Director with administrative assistance including scheduling meetings, appointments, and specific tasks that directly impact the team. 

Matt Risher

Matt Risher

Project Manager


(404) 349-2211

mrisher@aacids.com

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Matt recently joined our team after spending the last three years with the Georgia Department of Transportation as their Transportation Planner.  Matt has his Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of South Carolina as well as his Masters in City & Regional Planning from Georgia Institute of Technology.