“Unleash Atlanta’s Ambition: Economy, Talent, and Community”
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Katie Kirkpatrick is the president and CEO of the 165-year-old Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC). Kirkpatrick is known for her public policy prowess, courageous leadership, and more than seventeen years of purpose-driven impact through her work at MAC.
As president and CEO, she led the adoption of a new framework for the Chamber, focusing on the three strategic imperatives of economy, talent, and community. She also catalyzed the Chamber’s historic ATL Action for Racial Equity initiative – a long-term effort that leverages the power of the region’s business community to advance racial equity. Most recently, she leads the organization’s efforts to reimagine Downtown Atlanta, convening the region’s leaders and stakeholders to rally around a strategy to transform it into neighborhood that supports a world-class entertainment scene, a vibrant living environment, and a bustling business community.
Previously MAC’s chief policy officer, Kirkpatrick served as the link between the metro Atlanta business community and local, state, and national governments. She also galvanized the Public Policy team’s priorities in business climate, talent development and education, infrastructure, and thriving community.
Kirkpatrick joined MAC in 2007 as vice president of environmental affairs, previously serving in numerous roles directly related to environmental policy and water-related issues. Kirkpatrick later served as MAC’s senior vice president for business higher education and before joining MAC, she served as director of environmental engineering for Gold Kist, Inc.
Kirkpatrick currently serves on the GRACE Commission, comprised of public officials, law enforcement, businesses, and nonprofit organizations committed to ending human trafficking in Georgia and the City of Atlanta. She sits on the boards of Atlanta Committee for Progress and Central Atlanta Progress and is an executive committee member of Learn4Life – an initiative working to advance educational outcomes for students in metro Atlanta. Kirkpatrick is also Chair of the Atlanta Track Club Foundation and a current member of the Rotary Club of Atlanta, the Buckhead Coalition, and the International Women’s Forum.
Each year since 2021, Kirkpatrick has been named one of Georgia Trend magazine’s 100 Most Influential Georgians as well as Atlanta Magazine’s Atlanta 500, which ranks the top leaders in the region. In 2024, she joined an advisory group coordinated by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens to help guide resiliency planning for the City of Atlanta’s water infrastructure.
A proud graduate of Auburn University, Kirkpatrick is a registered professional engineer in several states and a member of the school’s 100+ Women Strong group of successful female engineering alumnae as well as the Auburn Alumni Engineering Council. Kirkpatrick is an alumna of Leadership Atlanta, a program designed to propel established leaders to further serve their communities. She is also a member of the Momentum Advisory Collective, which is working to expand Café Momentum’s transformative internship program for justice-involved youth.
Kirkpatrick lives in Atlanta with her husband, Dow, and has two sons, one currently a student at the University of Georgia and the youngest at The Lovett School, where she can be found with her camera or working the concession stand at a baseball game.