The UDA’s committed, voluntary group of County-appointed experts and critical stakeholders work with a plane of flexibility that efficiently expedites government process.

Alex Morrison has served as the Executive Director of the Urban Development Authority since 2011. His role is to work directly with the UDA board to collectively and creatively solve issues that rise with urban revitalization and move ideas into transformation projects for Downtown Macon.

Alex is a 2007 graduate of Mercer University, where he majored in journalism and philosophy. He was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi fraternity and earned the distinction of the Mercerian Award during his senior year. He also assisted in the founding of the College Hill Corridor before moving to the University of Georgia to receive his Master of Public Administration degree in 2010. He has previously served as the Main Street Manager for the City of Macon, Chair of the Historic Macon Foundation Board of Directors and as one of Macon Magazine’s “5 Under 40”. He is currently the Program Chair for Macon Rotary Club, Chair-Elect for Ocmulgee National Park Review and Preserve Initiative and Economic Restructuring Chair for Main Street Macon. Additionally, Alex is a member of the Bragg Jam Board of Directors, Bike Walk Macon Board of Directors and the Connections Art Festival Board of Directors.

Alex volunteers with Bike Walk Macon’s initiative Open Streets Macon. He enjoys cooking, traveling, bicycling, fantasy sports, playing tennis and going to rock concerts. Native to Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, Alex currently lives in Macon, Georgia with his two cats, Patterson and Cooley. His favorite Macon experiences include seeing shows at the Capitol Theatre, eating all of the great food, drinking at the brewpubs and working with his friends to make Downtown Macon the best it can be.

Jim Crisp is the retired founding Artistic Director of Theatre Macon, which he founded with the help of other community members thirty five years ago. He grew up in Ohio with deep family roots in the rubber industry and professional football. His family relocated to Florida in 1967 where his father was a real estate developer and a board member of the Barnett Banks of Florida. Jim earned an undergraduate degree in Theatre from Western Illinois University and an M.F.A. in acting from Florida State University and the Asolo State Theatre in Sarasota, Florida. After working professionally as an actor in New York and Los Angeles, Jim arrived in Macon in 1982 to become the Director of Macon Little Theatre. Jim and MLT parted company in 1986, setting him on the path of founding the theatre company that would change theatre in Middle Georgia, directing over three hundred productions, many of them Macon and Georgia premieres , featuring local artists on stage, back stage, in the orchestra pit, and Gallery. Building a community based, professionally staffed theatre with the vision of being an inclusive, regional force, was the driving intent. Jim is proud to have taught adjunct at both Wesleyan College and Mercer University, finding great hope and inspiration in those students. He serves on the boards of the Macon Film Festival, Macon Pride, Alzheimer’s Dancing stars of Middle Georgia, Middle Georgia Opera Guild, and Theatre Macon. Jim is a current member of the Macon Rotary club and has co-produced and directed the Macon Civic Club Show for thirty three years. Jim has received The Roslyn Elkan Lifetime Achievement Award from the Macon Arts Alliance, the Governor’s Award for the Arts and Humanities, The McDuffie Center for Strings Award for Community service in the Arts, and The Otis Hughes Award for Tourism.

Having been told many times not to locate Theatre Macon downtown because “downtown was dead and never coming back”, when they made the move to Cherry Street in 1987, he is thrilled to see how far our beautiful urban center has come. Jim has been a “Macon Believer “ since arriving in this unique and beautiful community thirty nine years ago . Jim is very happy and proud to call Macon home along with his partner of twenty six years , Roben Weitz, also a retired community arts professional, and a steadying source of support and inspiration.

Jonathan Barton, a proud native of Macon, Georgia, has always been deeply rooted in his community. Raised in a family connected to the Grants of Grants Lounge, Jonathan learned the importance of relationships and community engagement from an early age. His passion for baseball took him on an exciting journey to Savannah, where he honed his athletic skills and graduated from Groves High School.

After high school, Jonathan continued to pursue his love for the game at Brewton-Parker College. His hard work and dedication paid off when he signed a professional baseball contract to play Independent baseball in Colorado. This chapter of his life was not just about the game; it was about discipline, teamwork, and the pursuit of excellence.

However, as all athletes must eventually do, Jonathan faced the end of his baseball career. Returning to Macon, he sought to leverage his skills and passions in a new direction. He embarked on a career in banking, where he developed a keen understanding of financial services and customer relations. Yet, it was his intrinsic love for community and relationship-building that guided him to his true calling in economic development.

Through his work as a community liaison, Jonathan has made a significant impact in Macon, focusing on fostering growth and collaboration among local businesses and organizations. His commitment to enhancing the economic landscape of his hometown is evident in his efforts to connect people, ideas, and resources, creating a thriving environment for all.

Today, Jonathan Barton embodies the spirit of Macon, combining his experiences in sports, banking, and community development to inspire others and drive positive change in his beloved hometown. He remains dedicated to building relationships and empowering those around him, proving that success is not only measured by personal achievements but also by the impact one has on their community.

In addition to his professional achievements, Jonathan is a devoted family man. He is married to Kimberly Barton, and together they are proud parents of two sons, Easton and Jersey. The family is excitedly anticipating the arrival of their newest addition, adding even more joy to their lives.

Charles E. Richardson joined the Urban Development Authority in 2018.

After 24 years at the Telegraph, Richardson retired from the position of Editorial Page Editor in January 2018. He is now the Artist in Residence at Middle Georgia State University. Richardson is a McClatchy Journalism Fellow at Duke University and a Fellow at the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism at the University of Maryland. He has attended Harvard University workshops in narrative journalism and not-for-profit governance. In addition to the Urban Development Authority, Richardson has held several positions on several civic organization boards including State Chairman of Kids Voting Georgia, President of the Board for the Museum of Arts and Sciences, President of the Board of Trustees for the Professional Association of Georgia Educators Foundation, President of the Downtown Macon Rotary Club, President of the Board for the Macon Arts Alliance and Board of Governors at the Grand Opera House.

Richardson received the Liberty Bell Award from the Macon Bar Association and was the 2014 Rotarian of the Year for the Downtown Macon Rotary Club. He also was co-host of “NewsTalk Central,” a talk radio program that was broadcast on ABC and Fox affiliates, NewsTalk 940 and Macon.com.

Richardson served as stadium announcer for Northeast High School's football program for more than 30 years. He is now the stadium voice of the Fort Valley State University Wildcats. He and his wife, Pamela, are members at Fellowship Bible Baptist Church in Warner Robins and have two sons, eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Jan Beeland currently serves as the Authority's vice chair.

Beeland is the former of executive director of the Macon Arts Alliance, where she created the neighborhood revitalization project, Mill Hill East Macon Arts Village, in collaboration with community partners. Under her leadership, the Macon Arts Alliance also was named a 2016 honoree for the Governor's Awards for the Arts and Humanities. A former marketing executive, Beeland has also served as director of marketing for HCA Healthcare.

In addition to the Urban Development Authority, Beeland is a volunteer leader for several organizations. Highly regarded as an expert in historic preservation, she is chair of the Hay House and serves as ex officio member of the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation's Board of Trustees.

Beeland is a Mercer University graduate, having received both a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor's in Business Administration from the university. Beeland and her husband Robbie both play an active role in lending their expertise to the preservation and protection of Macon's treasured historical structures.

Lisa Berrian joined the Urban Development Authority in 2023.

Born and raised in Eastman, Georgia, Lisa has lived in Macon for over 30 years. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, with a minor in Business and Communicative Arts, from the University of Georgia in 1988. Lisa began her career at The Telegraph, where she earned numerous awards and recognitions, including being named the 2011 United Way Loaned Executive (where she doubled contributions at The Ledger-Enquirer), winning first place in the 2010 Reach Contest for revenue performance in her tier group with McClatchy, and ranking in the top 3 for revenue performance at McClatchy in 2008. Other accolades include 2007 Ledger's Best - People Development, 2006 Ledger's Best and Brightest, the 2005 Presstime “20 Under 40,” and being nominated for the 2005 Knight Ridder Excellence Award for Operational Excellence. After her time at The Telegraph, Lisa transitioned into fundraising to support community growth. She served as Vice President of Development for United Way of Central Georgia for five years and is now the Development Director for Middle Georgia Justice.

Ryan Griffin joined the Urban Development Authority in 2020.

Griffin is president of RDG Ventures, a luxury residential and light commercial construction company. Having worked in the construction industry for nearly 20 years, Griffin also serves as president of New Atlantic Realty Group, Inc. In addition to his executive roles in construction and real estate, Griffin is a general contractor, restauranteur and active investor in Downtown Macon. He has served on a number of organizations, including the Board of Directors at Macon Area Habitat for Humanity. A native of Macon, Griffin is an advocate of community, preservation and growth. “We love Macon, we are excited about the progress Macon continues to make and I am excited to be a part of the UDA to help further that progress,” said Griffin. Griffin graduated from the University of Georgia and now lives near Mercer University with his wife Ashley and their two children.

Kaitlynn Kressin is a Macon native and graduate of Mercer University. During her time at Mercer she was a psychology and sociology major, Service Scholar, and worked at the College Hill Alliance, which sparked her passion for local community and downtown development. Currently she owns and operates four businesses in the downtown area including Fall Line Brewing Company, a craft beer production facility and taproom located on Plum St. Outside of her work, Kaitlynn has a love for Macon like no other and she works diligently to facilitate its growth through service on various boards and committees. She currently sits on the International Cherry Blossom Festival board of directors, is Vice President of Bragg Jam Inc., is Vice Chair of the Macon-Bibb Business Improvement District, Vice President of the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild, past President of the Downtown Macon Community Association and serves on the Knight Foundation Reimagining Civic Commons Committee, Main Street Macon Marketing Committee, Macon Attractions Council, Leadership Macon Advisory Board, Historic Macon Board of Directors, and is a member of the Macon Rotary Club. She is a graduate of the Leadership Macon class of 2021 and was recently named as an Emerging Leader by Newtown Macon in 2016, the Macon Chamber of Commerce Young Business Leader of the Year in 2019, Macon Magazine's 5 under 40 in 2021, the Steven Fulbright Soul of Macon Award by Visit Macon in 2022, Mercer University's Young Alumna of the Year in 2022, and Georgia Trend 40 Under 40 in 2024. Her favorite pastime is Sunday afternoons with family and friends gathered at her house enjoying time together and planning their next family adventure.