Executive Director Rebecca Serna has a Master’s degree from Georgia State's Andrew Young School of Policy Studies in Urban Policy in Planning and Nonprofit Management. Serna was a bike/ped intern with the Georgia DOT and draws on her experience as a Fulbright in Bogotá, Colombia, where she studied participatory planning practices and innovative public transportation projects.

Awards include the 2020 Advocate of the Year from the League of American Bicyclists, 2015 Woman of the Year from the Women in Transportation Seminar, 2013 Advocate of the Year from the Alliance for Biking and Walking, and the 2013 Longleaf Award from the Georgia Conservancy. She currently sits on the for Moving Atlanta Forward Stakeholder Oversight Committee and Atlanta's Fatal Crash Review Commission.

Serna lives in Southeast Atlanta with her family and loves to read, dance, and grow food. She looks forward to the day when biking to get places is unremarkable and everyone can move safely, easily, and sustainably throughout the city. 

Program Director Sagirah Jones has a passion for serving others and creating positive change. She is especially committed to strengthening communities by connecting them to resources that can propel them towards their collective goals.

Sagirah joined Propel ATL as the Community Engagement Coordinator for Atlanta Streets Alive. She built on that experience and her background in developing community-based organizations to now manage engagement programs that are innovative in the way they connect people, interests, and action. She champions children being able to safely bicycle through the city and is an avid proponent of active transportation, equitable transit-oriented development, and democratic streets.

Sagirah was appointed to represent Atlanta on the MARTA Board of Directors in 2023 and serves on the Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals' national task force on equity, diversity, and inclusion. When she does not have a book in her hands, Sagirah enjoys outdoor adventures and exploring the city via active transportation with her family.

Advocacy Manager Jeremiah Jones desires to improve communities by altering policy and infrastructure to create better outcomes for people across the socioeconomic spectrum. Equity and justice-centered practices are at the core of his work. It is his belief that communities are built best by listening, partnering, and liberating the capacities of its residents. Jeremiah is a 2022-2023 NACTO Transportation Justice Fellow.

Jeremiah is a military veteran with a background in urban studies and holds a Master of Divinity with a concentration in Community Development. His experience in various settings, from federal to nonprofit to ministry in urban cities, has developed him into a well-rounded professional. You can often find him at a park near you, experiencing the outdoors, or at a sporting event with family and friends.

Development Director Hannah Velcoff joins Propel ATL with a Master’s degree from Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies in Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from New York University where she majored in Media, Culture, and Communication with focuses in Interaction & Social Processes and Persuasion & Politics. Hannah’s nonprofit and communications experience has helped her to hone her skills for connecting with communities while driving change for good.

After growing up in a driving-centric community and moving to Manhattan before landing in Atlanta, she is inspired and driven to champion safe and inclusive transportation for the city. She enjoys exploring the city by foot and on bike, listening to her favorite public radio podcasts, and challenging her friends and family to a round of any game - tennis, trivia, scrabble, you name it!

Finance & Operations Manager Brian Desarro has over a decade of experience as a passionate team leader and LGBTQ+ community advocate. Brian leverages his multi-faceted professional and personal background to successfully drive initiatives, champion diversity, and lead with accountability. Through his work in economic development strategy and fundraising, union organizing, and digital media project management, he understands the nuances of guiding stakeholders at every level on how to effectively and efficiently cross the finish line. His personal motto – “To go far, go together.”

His career has garnered him several major wins over the years, from a primetime Emmy Award for his work on the Game of Thrones website to nationally-recognized and historic gains through contract negotiations with major orchestras in Georgia. Be it digital project management, organizing freelance musicians in a right-to-work state, or collaborating with businesses and community leaders to develop a holistic economic strategy, Brian listens and collaborates with people on all sides of the table.

Personally, Brian has been a life-long volunteer starting with his high school’s Junior Civitan club before moving on to more in-depth work with homeless LGBTQ+ youth through Lost-n-Found Youth and StandUp For Kids Atlanta. giving out street packs to homeless youth, as well as serving as a bi-weekly in-school mentor for at-risk youth with the Atlanta chapter of StandUp For Kids. Currently, Brian continues his service in multiple capacities, including serving as Board Chair of Atlanta Pride, a Board Director and Diversity Committee member of Atlanta Federation of Musicians Local 148-462, and a member of the Georgia AFL-CIO Organizing and Advocacy Table. Brian holds a degree in Journalism from Auburn University. In his spare time, he enjoys time with his husband and pug, making stained glass, and enjoying everything the “city in a forest” has to offer. 

Israel’s professional experiences in educational programming for Atlanta nonprofits serving refugee and immigrant communities shaped his commitment to fostering equitable opportunities and inclusive communities. His time studying in Austria and visiting family in Mexico deepened his understanding of how public transit supports accessible, sustainable cities and inspired his interest in improving mobility and transit options in Atlanta. Outside work, Israel enjoys running through Atlanta’s neighborhoods, hiking scenic trails, traveling, and discovering the city’s vibrant culinary scene.