Our Staff

McKenzie Wren, Executive Director
director@clarkstoncommunitycenter.org

McKenzie Wren brings a wide range of experience in community building to the Clarkston Community Center. Prior to joining CCC in 2010, she ran a successful Health Promoters Program with refugee women, and has worked with various non-profits throughout her career. She brings a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of running a non-profit including fund-raising and management, as well as experience working with international popuations, including women’s and children’s health initiatives in Kenya and with Hispanic women and children in El Paso, Texas. Involved in a community land trust in Atlanta for more than ten years, she understands the many challenges of unifying diverse perspectives and the importance of balancing the public role of a community center with the private needs of the community in which it is located. McKenzie holds a BA in International Studies from American University in Washington DC and an MS in Public Health from Emory University in Atlanta.

Linda Tyson, Program and Event Manager
info@clarkstoncommunitycenter.org

Linda Tyson has extensive experience and expertise in program and event management as a result of her career in the hospitality industry with such notable companies as Marriott and Hilton. Prior to making Atlanta her home and joining CCC in 2010, she was Travel Club Manager at a resort booking agency in San Diego, California. During the time Linda has been with Clarkston Community Center, she has been instrumental in building CCC’s exposure and reputation as an excellent venue for special events of all kinds: weddings, receptions, anniversary, graduation and birthday parties, concerts, film screenings, stage plays, international festivals and many other large gatherings. She is a Clarkston resident and shares her home with four rescued cats.

Cynthia Bourke, Office Manager
office@clarkstoncommunitycenter.org

New to Atlanta, Cynthia comes most recently from DeLand, FL. With extensive experience in office management, Cynthia brings a wealth of experience  in bookkeeping, office and volunteer management and overall organization. Most recently she served on the Board of Director’s for the DeLand Fall Festival of the Arts as Volunteer Chair and Krewe de Courer (a local DeLand organization who supports the local food pantry and Neighborhood Center).

Janice Giddens, Food Security Coordinator

janice@clarkstoncommunitycenter.org

A registered dietitian, Janice Giddens is committed to helping alleviate food insecurity (hunger, poor nutrition and lack of access to fresh food) within communities. Her focus is on the role of local food systems in this effort and how they can be developed and restructured to provide communities with access to healthy, affordable food. Since joining CCC early in 2012, she has expanded the Center’s Food Security Initiative, has coordinated the successful monthly Clarkston Farmers Market and formed alliances with metro Atlanta area food initiative organizations.  Janice knows about food from the ground up. She has worked on farms, both nationally and internationally, and knows the impact of sustainable agricultural practices on both people and the environment. As a former clinical dietitian, she is keenly aware of the importance that good nutrition has on the prevention of chronic disease and on the overall health of the community.