Atlanta Habitat for Humanity announced Rosalyn Merrick’s appointment as President and CEO, effective immediately. The board of directors unanimously approved Merrick, who joined the organization as chief development officer in November 2020.
Merrick’s appointment comes as former Atlanta Habitat CEO Alan Ferguson announces his departure to join another organization where he can continue his passion for driving affordable housing opportunities in Atlanta. Due to a confidentiality agreement, details about Ferguson’s next full-time position will be announced at a later date.
“We’re grateful for Alan’s leadership and strategic direction for the past two years. Among other achievements, he helped Atlanta Habitat secure $8.4 million in funding commitments and positioned the organization to receive millions more,” said Board Vice Chair Jeremy Silverman, a partner at Alston & Bird LLP.
A native Atlantan and a graduate of Georgia State University, Merrick’s 24-year career includes previous leadership roles at Georgia Community Foundation, Mount Vernon School, The Ron Clark Academy, and United Way of Greater Atlanta.
“From helping Atlanta Habitat navigate the pandemic to leading strategic growth across numerous departments, we have seen Rosalyn lead with skill, tenacity, and passion throughout her tenure,” continued Silverman. “The Board has complete confidence in her ability to advance our mission and goals, and we’re enthusiastic about the positive impact she’ll have on the organization as we expand our approach to affordable housing.”
Journey to Leadership
As the Chief Development Officer, Merrick successfully generated diverse, record-breaking funds. This helped the organization emerge from the pandemic with ample resources to ramp up production and expand its programs.
Merrick led the fundraising efforts when Atlanta Habitat received a $13.5 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott in March 2022. The unrestricted funds helped speed up plans to diversify the organization’s construction portfolio and serve even more families.
In January 2023, Merrick was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer. This multifaceted role empowered her to lead the organization’s extensive daily operations, including oversight of eight departments: Family Services, IT, ReStore, Construction, Real Estate, Site Planning & Design, Warehouse, and Facilities. Under her leadership, Atlanta Habitat scaled its production, programming, and preservation efforts, serving 221 families in 2023. The organization is on track to serve more than 230 families this year.
“We recognize the urgent need to deliver housing alternatives for working families who have traditionally been squeezed out of homeownership opportunities,” said Merrick. “I believe the varied experience I’ve had here at Atlanta Habitat uniquely positions me to further guide our mission to help make homeownership affordable for generations of families.”
Future Forward
Atlanta Habitat, a prominent nonprofit affordable housing developer in Georgia, is dedicated to its current strategic plan. This plan includes expanding at Browns Mill Village, the organization’s first mixed-income community situated on 31 acres south of downtown Atlanta.
“We’re committed to our vision to build homes, people, and communities — even as we face the rising costs of land and building materials,” said Merrick. “I grew up in this city, and I’m honored to put my talents to work as we empower families to break poverty cycles by providing quality, affordable homes in safe, vibrant neighborhoods.”
