It Takes A Village
A proud Duke graduate and accomplished entrepreneur, David is the reason Atlanta Tech Village exists. After an extraordinary bootstrapped exit at Pardot, David invested in Atlanta and the startup community by purchasing our 100,000 square foot building and creating the vision for the Village. Addicted to startups, David is CEO of Atlanta Ventures and an avid investor - having invested in over 25 startups. You also might have seen him in the news - it happens so often that ABC (Atlanta Business Chronicle) is now short for All ‘Bout Cummings.
The "other" David leads our team, setting the culture while communicating and implementing the Village's vision, mission, and strategic goals. As Co-founder and President, David has been intimately involved with the creation and growth of Atlanta Tech Village - from the closing table in December 2012 through concept, design, and construction to facilities and programming - transforming a run-down 1980s office building into Atlanta's startup hub. David's also the Founder of Clickscape|Village Realty, but his most important startups are his 3 kids who are seeing some real traction lately. Oh and chances are he's taller than you.
Aly Merritt is currently the President of Atlanta Tech Village, and formerly the Head of Community at SalesLoft, where she did everything from mopping floors to meeting investors. In past lives, she’s been Chief of Staff, customer experience, graphic design, technical support, copy editing, newspaper page layout, and product management. She has spent the last decade of her career working with the Atlanta startup community to advance both local startups and Atlanta itself on the national stage, with a special focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. She previously organized and emceed the ATL Startup Village, a monthly meetup hosted at Atlanta Tech Village to generate publicity, visibility and potential investment for startups; and is one of the founders of ATL Unlocked, an ecosystem coalition to drive connection and collaboration between startup hubs in Atlanta. She sporadically spends time writing about tech and the startup community on her blog, AlyintheATL.com, between cage matches over the “right” blue sippy cup with her toddler.
Irina grew up in Saint Petersburg, Russia. She moved to Atlanta in 2004. Irina graduated with a major in Political Science and minor in philosophy. After graduating college, she opened a yoga studio in Alpharetta and couple of year later opened yoga & barre studio in Atlanta. She is a pro at handstands and paying attention to the details. Irina loves the beach, her cat Buddha, and The Office.
Richard Hatcher was born in Akron, Ohio, but ended up being raised in one of the greatest cities - Atlanta. LeBron James may or may not be his cousin, but lean on the latter. In his early years, he traveled a lot with his family living in multiple cities across the country cultivating the colors of his life. Richard attended a performing arts high school here in Atlanta, which started his journey as an actor. After graduation, Richard continued his training in Chicago, in which he obtained a BFA in Acting from Roosevelt University. During his tenure in Chicago, he balanced his love for the arts and his love for start-ups. Richard has a diverse background in leadership, customer success, technical support, and product management roles. Richard is a people fan with a creative edge, who is excited by the opportunity to increase community satisfaction on behalf of the village. If you don’t see him in the halls - you definitely can see him on TV networks like Apple TV, NBC, Paramount +, and many more.
Naiya Nixon is a passionate storyteller and soulful marketer with a heart for building brands that truly resonate. A proud graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, she holds a degree in Mass Communications with a concentration in Public Relations and a minor in General Business — a combination that fuels both her creative edge and strategic mindset. Naiya brings a rich background in content creation, having developed compelling content for small businesses across the United States and around the world. Whether she’s crafting brand narratives or mapping out full-scale marketing strategies, her goal is always the same: to create meaningful connections that move people. Raised throughout Hampton Roads, Virginia, Naiya’s approach to marketing is deeply rooted in authenticity, culture, and heart. Outside of work, you’ll find her enjoying beach sunsets, enjoying music in all its forms, exploring new cities, indulging in good food, or getting lost in a great book.