National Center for Civil and Human Rights Welcomes New Board Members
May 6, 2025 (ATLANTA) – The National Center for Civil and Human Rights (the Center) welcomed three new members to its board of directors. The new directors add operational, marketing, and communications expertise, and expand the board’s thought leadership.
The new members are:
· Nikki Tinsley Harland, Chief Operating Officer of Paradies Lagardère
· Verónica Maldonado-Torres, President and CEO of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
· Ivan Shammas, Founder and CEO of Hispanic Plug
“These new members add to the skills and expertise of our already outstanding Board of Directors,” said Jill Savitt, the Center’s President and CEO. “As the Center prepares to reopen its expanded space and reimagined galleries, our Board of Directors provides leadership that supports NCCHR’s mission and impact.”
The museum is currently closed to visitors as the Center adds two new wings that will house additional exhibit galleries, meeting spaces, classrooms, and a café. The museum will reopen in Fall 2025. The Center recently announced that the East wing will be named the Shirley Clarke Franklin Pavilion after Atlanta’s former Mayor and the Center’s former Board of Directors Chair and current board member.
Egbert Perry, Chairman and CEO of The Integral Group, LLC is the Center’s board chair, and AJ Robinson, President of Central Atlanta Progress and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, is the board’s vice chair. Board members serve two three-year terms. Full biographies and photos for all board members can be accessed at civilandhumanrights.org/about-the-center/staff-board/.
Nikki Tinsley Harland is the Chief Operating Officer of Paradies Lagardère. She has held leadership positions in organizations such as Old Navy, the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, Turner Broadcasting, and Babies “R” Us/Toys “R” Us. An Atlanta native, Harland graduated from Benjamin E. Mays High School, received her BA in Psychology from Spelman College, and holds an MBA in Marketing from Clark Atlanta University. She is a member of Leadership Atlanta’s Class of 2023, a Foundation Board Trustee for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, a member of the Board of Directors for The Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta, and the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC.) Nikki has consistently been recognized as one of Atlanta’s Top 100 Women of Influence and was recently named as a Georgia TITAN 100 (2025,) Airport Experience News (AX) Outstanding Woman In Leadership-Operations (2024) and Clark Atlanta University’s Pathways to Excellence Award (2024.)
Verónica Maldonado-Torres is President and CEO of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GHCC). Since taking the position in 2021, Maldonado-Torres has presided over a period of substantial growth for GHCC, extending its reach and enhancing its support for businesses, particularly in Georgia’s rural and coastal regions. Maldonado-Torres was recognized by Georgia Trend as one of the 100 Most Influential Georgians of 2024 and was listed among the 50 Most Influential by Georgia Magazine that same year. She is the recipient of several business leadership awards from organizations such as Expo Latina, US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce, and the Caribbean American Cultural Arts Foundation, and serves on the boards of the American Heart Association, “The Assembly” Community Improvement District (CID) in DeKalb County, and the Hispanic Corporate Council of Atlanta.
Ivan Shammas is the Founder and CEO of Hispanic Plug, a multimedia marketing agency dedicated to integrating businesses into the Hispanic market. Prior to founding Hispanic Plug, Shammas served as President and General Manager for Univision Atlanta and Univision North Carolina and later as Regional Chief Revenue Officer with responsibilities for the Mid-Atlantic Region encompassing six states. With over 25 years of experience in business management and relationship building, Shammas’ expertise includes operations, revenue management, and marketing. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for The Same House, Fox Theatre, Cristo Rey Atlanta, and others.
About the National Center for Civil and Human Rights
The National Center for Civil and Human Rights is a museum and cultural organization that inspires the changemaker in each of us. Founded in 2014, NCCHR connects the US civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s to global human rights movements around the world. Its immersive and empathy-building experiences highlight people who have worked to protect rights and model how individuals create positive change.
Contact:
Tenisha Griggs, Sr. Director of Marketing & Communications | [email protected]