Achieve Atlanta Adds New VP, Director, and Manager
Achieve Atlanta is thrilled to welcome three incredible new team members to our growing team! All of them start their new roles today. Their diverse expertise and passion will strengthen our efforts to support Atlanta students on their journey to postsecondary success:
- Dr. Kimberly Walker-Browner is our new Vice President, Strategic Operations.
- Dr. Yarbrah Peeples joins Achieve Atlanta as Director, College Success.
- Brian Graham is our new Manager, Data Analysis.
Dr. Kimberly Walker-Browner: Vice President, Strategic Operations
Kimberly is a proud Atlanta Public Schools graduate of Midtown High School (formerly Grady High School) and a seasoned nonprofit leader with deep cross-functional experience. She has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from UGA, a master’s degree in Urban Policy, and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in Education Policy Studies.Â
As Achieve Atlanta’s Vice President, Strategic Operations, Kimberly will guide the organization’s internal systems, financial processes, human capital, cross-functional project management, and data-informed insights that drive Achieve Atlanta’s success. Additionally, Kimberly’s role is focused on scaling our strong foundational approaches across functional areas to ensure that the processes for strategic planning, budgeting, goal setting, continuous improvement, and human capital are best-in-class and implemented with fidelity.
Dr. Yarbrah Peeples: Director, College Success
Yarbrah brings more than 17 years of experience in higher education and nonprofit leadership, having dedicated her career to expanding access and success for first-generation, economically diverse, and underrepresented students. She has held key roles helping to scale college access initiatives nationwide, including at our partner College Advising Corps and, most recently, Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE). She holds a bachelor’s degree in Management and an MBA from Florida A&M University, a master’s degree in Higher Education from Florida State University, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Georgia.Â
In her role as Director, College Success, Yarbrah will manage the organization’s college persistence and success work, translate and oversee the implementation of our college success strategy into actionable plans and timelines, and drive the effective allocation of resources. She will also engage with postsecondary institutions and nonprofit partners to support Achieve Atlanta Scholars in earning a postsecondary credential.
Brian Graham: Manager, Data Analysis
Brian is a recent graduate of Emory University and most recently worked as a Data Analyst at Thinkable Holdings. As part of Achieve Atlanta’s Data Analytics & Insights team, he will focus on data collection, cleaning, storage, and creating insightful visualizations. His work will help answer critical programmatic questions and track our progress toward organizational goals.Â
These new additions align with our strategic plan, reinforcing our commitment to supporting Atlanta’s students through our scholarship and support services. They will each play a vital role in advancing our mission to ensure that Atlanta students have the opportunities, resources, and support to succeed in college and beyond.
We’re working every day to ensure that more of our students have access to college and succeed once they get there.
