Hutchins succeeds Tim McKinley in leadership role
Georgia Conservancy is proud to announce the appointment of John Hutchins of Atlanta as the new Chair of Georgia Conservancy’s Board of Trustees.
Hutchins is an experienced non-profit board leader, a passionate outdoorsman, and a retired attorney who enjoyed a distinguished 33-year career, based in Atlanta.
“John Hutchins brings a depth of nonprofit leadership experience to the Board Chair role,” says Georgia Conservancy President Katherine Moore. “His leadership is particularly timely as Georgia Conservancy has just launched an ambitious new strategic plan at a time when development pressure across Georgia is arguably at one of its highest levels. John’s appreciation for investing in the mission to advance its outcomes—and the hard work of raising necessary funds—puts further wind in the sails of a staff eager to achieve even more impact as Georgia Conservancy celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2027. Welcome, John, and thank you for launching us into our next decade of conservation!”
During his career as an attorney, Hutchins was a partner in three of the nation’s largest law firms, focusing on commercial issues including intellectual property, technology, information management, and privacy. He litigated nationwide while also maintaining a steady transactional and consulting practice. He was recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® in six practice areas and was named Best Lawyer in Atlanta twice, in technology and information technology.
In 2025, Hutchins retired early to focus on his true passion, the outdoors. He is an avid hiker, backpacker, skier, boater, and canoeist. Hutchins has segment hiked 1200 miles of the Appalachian Trail and hopes to finish the remaining 982 miles before he turns 70. Hutchins is an active supporter of the National Park system, having visited 19 National Parks and aiming to visit all 63, camping and hiking wherever permitted.
Hutchins’ non-profit experience includes service on the boards of Techbridge, Youth Villages, and Inner Harbor, with a focus on development and fundraising for these organizations. He served on Techbridge’s board for ten years, including the last three as Board Chair, and helped lead Inner Harbor’s merger with Youth Villages. Hutchins is the son of a United Methodist minister who spent nearly 70 years as a nonprofit executive director and prolific fundraiser, directly responsible for raising at least $150 million during his long tenure.
“Everything that I know about non-profit development, I learned from my father,” says Hutchins.
At Georgia Conservancy, Hutchins has chaired the Development Committee since his first full fiscal year in 2022, through June 30, 2026, championing fundraising and expanding our impact. He advocated for rebuilding Georgia Conservancy’s development staff, including hiring its first full-time development officer since 2021. The staff continues to grow, and Georgia Conservancy is fiscally stronger than at any time this decade.
As Board Chair, John Hutchins aims to help the staff and the Board become even more effective in advancing Georgia Conservancy’s mission and achieving the goals of its new strategic plan.
“I am so impressed by the Conservancy’s long history of conservation of Georgia’s land, water, and coastline, while always maintaining a practical understanding that development, which may impact natural resources, is a part of what drives the engine of commerce,” says Hutchins. “Working with conservationists, business leaders, and government, Georgia Conservancy has a reputation as an honest broker in discussions on these topics and is an effective leader in helping all parties work together for the best outcome for Georgia. As someone who spends a lot of time in the Georgia outdoors, I’m proud to be part of an organization that is helping to responsibly conserve the natural resources I use and love.”
Hutchins is also active in the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. He is married to Lisa Matrundola, an artist who paints and creates mixed media sculpture. Lisa also teaches at SCAD and Spruill Center for the Arts. They have four children in their 20s, and they are active in Virginia Highland Church.
John Hutchins succeeds Tim McKinley as Board Chair, a position McKinley held for the last two years. McKinley has been a trusted advisor to President Katherine Moore, consistently providing her and Georgia Conservancy staff with clear, calm insight, even at the height of complex, time-sensitive conservation endeavors. His leadership will have a perpetual impact on Georgia’s natural resources.
“Georgia Conservancy owes a debt of gratitude to Tim McKinley,” says Moore. “Tim has graced us with his unwavering passion for Georgia’s wild and working lands and his ability to appreciate the long arc of conservation success.”