Our Staff
Bobbie Paul, Executive Director
Bobbie Paul serves as Executive Director of Georgia Women's Action for New Directions (Georgia WAND), a women's non-profit peace organization that strongly adheres to WAND’s founding mission of nuclear disarmament. Paul has spent almost 25 years supporting the vision of WAND’s founder – Dr. Helen Caldicott – to gradually rid the world of nuclear weapons. She has helped the Georgia chapter define its three areas of concentration across the state and Southeast region: Peace in Action, Environmental Justice and Empowering People to Act Politically.
As a dedicated environmental justice activist, Paul has watch-dogged Savannah River Site (SRS) for over fifteen years and led campaigns to successfully restore Department of Energy (DOE) environmental monitoring of SRS in Georgia. She is currently working on the development of a documentary film script revealing the health consequences suffered by SRS employees during the Cold War and also by those working in nuclear weapons facilities today.
Paul is a former theatre professional and the co-founder of a regional theatre company in St. Petersburg, Florida (now known as American Stage Company). She has worked for the US Department of State as a theatre specialist in Egypt and Jordan before beginning her career as wife and mother in 1981.
Paul has been a strong Atlanta community activist for the past three decades while living in the Metro Atlanta area. She began a lifelong commitment to nuclear disarmament in 1986 after joining the Atlanta chapter of Women’s Action for Nuclear Disarmament, founded by Australian pediatrician Helen Caldicott, five years before in 1981. She became the first Executive Director of Georgia WAND in 2003 and has served in that capacity for the past eight years.
Paul oversees the Peace in Action and Environmental Justice programs at Georgia WAND and has been a steady member of Stand for Peace, a weekly peace vigil in Midtown Atlanta now entering its 9th year. Most recently she has led successful grassroots efforts to gain support for the passage of New START (STrategic Arms Reduction Treaty) in the U.S. Senate, working in partnership with the national disarmament and arms control community.
In addition to her work with WAND, Paul is active in the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability winning the national organization’s Grassroots Activist of the Year Award in 2007. Paul is a frequent speaker on federal spending priorities, nuclear weapons and nuclear power developments around the state. She has spoken at the National Press Club with Arjun Makhijani in support of the International Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER) report on SRS entitled, “Nuclear Dumps by the Riverside,” and participated in IEER training workshops on nuclear weapons and the health effects of radiation. Paul also organizes Georgia and Southeast nuclear disarmament delegations to lobby on Capitol Hill every spring.
In Atlanta, Paul serves on the Steering Committee for the Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda, is a member of Concerned Black Clergy, and is an Advisory Board member of GreenLaw, a non-profit legal team that provides Georgia's environmental community its day in court. She has been an active member of Central Presbyterian Church for the past 23 years and now serves as Vice-Chair of Central’s Community Ministry Program. Paul has served on the boards of the Paideia School, Arbor Montessori School, Theatrical Outfit, CAUTION, Inc., and Dad's Garage Theatre Company. She is also a founding member of Atlanta Grandmothers for Peace and the Georgia Peace & Justice Coalition/Atlanta.
Paul was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, graduated in 1971 from Florida Presbyterian College (now Eckerd College) and was adjunct faculty at that college from 1971-74, toured and performed with Florida Studio Theatre from 1974-1975, co-directed a professional theatre in Washington DC (Palisades Theatre) from 1975 to 1979 and founded what is now American Stage Company in St. Petersburg, Florida in 1980 with Richard Hopkins. Paul moved to Atlanta in 1981. She has been married to filmmaker Rod Paul for 30 years and lives in the Inman Park neighborhood of Atlanta.
Bobbie and Rod Paul are the parents of two sons, David (29) married to Laura McDuffie; and Andy (26).
To contact Bobbie email: bobbie[at]wand.org
Amanda Hill-Attkisson, Managing Director
Amanda Hill-Attkisson serves as the Managing Director of Georgia Women's Action for New Directions (Georgia WAND). Georgia WAND works closely with the residential communities near the Savannah River Site Nuclear Weapons Complex on the Georgia/South Carolina border and the Plant Vogtle nuclear power plant, which are impacted by the nuclear contamination of these facilities. Moreover, women’s empowerment is a key interest and intersection of Georgia WAND’s work. Currently, Ms. Hill-Attkisson oversees and manages Georgia WAND staff operations to provide leadership and maintains a supportive and productive work environment for staff, members, and volunteers.
Among many skills and assets, Amanda brings a strong technical background as a resource to Georgia WAND. She graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1992 with a degree in electrical engineering and also earned a Co-operative Certificate in Electrical Engineering. Amanda worked as a design engineer for five years with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the Electronic Labs Facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Prior to working at Georgia WAND, Amanda owned a local independent bookstore as well as her own residential renovation and consulting business.
Amanda has been a dedicated anti-nuclear and peace activist for over fifteen years in the Atlanta area and overseas. In addition to her efforts at Georgia WAND, Amanda serves on the board of the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability (ANA) and on the Steering Committee for Georgia Peace and Justice. She has also been active in local Atlanta nonprofit organizations such as Food Not Bombs, Atlanta Nippon Myuhoji Dojo, and Camp Horizon.
Amanda lives in East Point, with her partner, Erin, and their daughter, Sahana.
To contact Amanda email: ahill[at]wand.org
Courtney Hanson, Public Outreach Director
Courtney Hanson is responsible for executing Georgia WAND’s public relations and media plan. She is also a lead organizer in environmental justice work and coordinates community and partner organizations.
Courtney earned a B.A. in Journalism and B.S. in Psychology with a focus on Gender Studies from Loyola University Chicago.
Prior to moving to Atlanta, Courtney worked in the editorial department of Today’s Chicago Woman, where she covered education, personalities, community events, women’s issues and global poverty for the magazine. Additionally, she volunteered for Upwardly Global, helping immigrant professionals break into the United States job market and worked four years as a tutor and mentor to youth in Chicago as a program assistant at Immanuel Youth Organization.
To contact Courtney email: courtney[at]wand.org
Emilia Kaiser, Development Associate
Emilia Kaiser began working with Georgia WAND in January of 2011 as a student intern and became a part-time staff member upon graduation in May of 2011. Emilia helps to track membership and coordinate development efforts for Georgia WAND.
Emilia holds a Bachelor’s Degree with Distinction in Women's Studies and a Minor in Sociology. She continues to work part time for REI, a sporting goods cooperative.
In addition to her social justice work with Georgia WAND, Emilia is a proud honorary member of the circus collective KQDA, (Kolectivo Que Da Alegría). KQDA has members from around the world who are dedicated to creating positive learning experiences for and building community with at risk youth in cities across the globe. Most recently, Emilia spent time with KQDA in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, documenting the creation of an experimental street theater piece exploring the theme of borders.
To contact Emilia email: emilia[at]wand.org
Annie Laura Stephens, Community Outreach and Education Coordinator
Annie Laura has been a member of WAND since 2006 and a key figure in the further development of Georgia WAND's environmental justice program. This program focuses on outreach, education and support in communities surrounding Georgia Power's nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle in Burke County, and those affected by the troublesome Cold War legacy of nuclear weapons contamination in the environment. This ongoing national security problem stems from the Savannah River Site, a Department of Energy military industrial complex located near Aiken, South Carolina, and directly across the Savannah River from Annie Laura's family home in the community known as Shell Bluff.
Annie Laura, as Community Outreach and Education Coordinator, has signed on as one of several local residents to provide "standing" for Georgia WAND's legal intervention to stop Vogtle’s expansion. She has successfully recruited other Shell Bluff community members to do the same. She hosts community meetings at her church , providing hospitality, and safe sanctuary for meetings with outsiders who are nervous about just speaking up. She works to organize and educate faith communities, educate key stakeholders in the Vogtle case, and broaden the reach of the community's message, working extensively with local, national and international press.
Ms. Stephens also serves as the President of the Burke County NAACP, is a Daughter of the House at Fairfield Missionary Baptist Church in Shell Bluff and is also active at Ben Hill United Methodist Church in Atlanta.
To contact Annie Laura: call 404.909.7484
Joshua Richeson, Administrative Assistant
Joshua Richeson serves as Administrative Assistant of Georgia Women's Action for New Directions. Monday through Wednesday, he provides support to the Executive Director, working mainly on scheduling and execution of Georgia WAND’s Peace in Action efforts toward a world free of nuclear weapons. He will also focus on aspects of Georgia WAND's Environmental Justice activities including outreach to members in affected areas.
Joshua graduated from The University of Tennessee with two degrees: Honors English Rhetoric and French. While in Knoxville, he served on a sustainability committee designating a budget of over $1 million—and he picked up trash as a student-worker for UT Recycling. He also helped launch composting across UT's campus in an effort to reduce greenwaste, co-edited the campus literary arts magazine, Phoenix, and worked part-time as a tutor for UT's Writing Center.
To contact Joshua email: joshua[at]wand.org
Georgia WAND Office:
Our office is located in the Grant Park neighborhood in Southeast Atlanta.
250 Georgia Avenue
Suite 202
Atlanta, GA 30312
404-524-5999
404-524-7593 (fax)
General Inquiries: 404-524-5999 or
email: georgiawand@wand.org
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