Laura Richards

Background and expertise: A Doctor of Humane Letters, Laura is Founder and Chair of the Friends of Carrollton GreenBelt, an 18-mile concrete, recreational, circular trail within the City of Carrollton, Georgia. She currently serves as a national board member for the Trust for Public Land (since 2014.) Past board service includes: Carroll County Board of Health (2015-18), Georgia and Alabama Land Trust (2009-14,) the PATH Foundation in Atlanta (2013-18 and as Secretary,) Tanner Medical Foundation in Carrollton (2010-17.) Laura received the following awards for the GreenBelt: the 2016 Steinen Award for Service to Anthropology from the University of West Georgia (UWG); 2017 Award for Environmental Excellence from Keep Carroll Beautiful; 2017 Georgia Recreation and Parks Association Volunteer of the Year award; 2018 Honorary Doctorate from UWG for Social Science research on the GreenBelt.