The People Behind the 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.

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What I wanted to be when I grew up: software entrepreneur -- I'm a geek :)

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Two truths, one lie: Taught myself to code from a book in 8th grade, after Pardot was sold I bought an island, and I named one of my first companies after my hometown street.

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.

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What I wanted to be when I grew up: A player-owner of the Atlanta Hawks

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Two truths, one lie: I ran a marathon on a bet; One of my first forays into entrepreneurship was a line of super punny greeting cards; Someone once set my hair on fire at a house party.

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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.

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What I wanted to be when I grew up: An architect. (Turns out, you need decent math skills for that. Womp womp.)

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Two truths, one lie: My mother taught me how to throw knives when I was 8; I won the Southeast regional spelling bee when I was in fifth grade; I was born on an island near Fiji.

Hilton Thompson (she/her) is an Atlanta native and community builder who currently serves as Head of Programming at Atlanta Tech Village, where she leads programs and events that support founders and strengthen Atlanta’s startup ecosystem. Her work includes initiatives like the monthly Women + Tech Meetup, which she launched in 2018, along with a range of programs designed to connect and support the region’s growing tech community. Hilton is also the founder of Folks Events, where she has led the planning and execution of more than 6,000 events over the past decade—from corporate gatherings to morale-boosting experiences and the occasional wedding. She has also worked as an early startup employee at Zinnia, giving her a unique perspective on supporting founders and growing teams. Passionate about building community, Hilton volunteers with The Period Project, mentors with the Girl Scouts of Atlanta’s Camp CEO, and serves as President of Georgia Women’s Fly Fishers. She lives in Canton with her husband and a small pack of beloved pets. When she’s not organizing events, you’ll likely find her fly fishing, painting, reading, or gardening.

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What I wanted to be when I grew up: a veterinarian or a cowgirl.

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Two truths, one lie: I went to college on a rodeo scholarship. I have never been to Europe. I own over 100 house plants.

Durantae is a charismatic number jumper from Ellenwood, GA and earned a bachelor's degree in Accountancy from Georgia State University. He works in partnership with our Finance Director to help manage the books and finances for the Village and several Atlanta Venture startups. Durantae is currently working on his CPA and is a karaoke superstar. When not slinging lyrics or numbers, he can be found playing ping pong, and laughing... usually at other people's serves.

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What I wanted to be when I grew up: Travel Agent (because I thought they got to travel a lot)

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Two truths, one lie: I dunked once when I was 16, I'm related to Ludacris, I was born in Dubai.

Justin Vanorsby grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago, where he enjoyed a life colored by family traditions and sports pursuits. He moved to Atlanta to earn a degree in Kinesiology from Morehouse College, and decided to stay upon finding that he could avoid the harsh northern winters. He was introduced to the world of coffee after becoming close friends with the baristas at a local coffee shop. He’s been hooked ever since. If he’s not behind the bar crafting the weirdest drink you’ll love, he’s probably still somewhere in the shop with headphones on. You might also be able to find him biking or rollerskating on the Beltline and he’ll probably have headphones on. You might also soon find him in front of a camera or on a stage. They probably won’t let him bring his headphones there though. Once you do find him, you should ask him to create a drink or a playlist for you.

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What I wanted to be when I grew up: A professional baseball player or an English professor

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Two truths, one lie: I am a third generational JB Skater, my grandfather was a welterweight contender, I am afraid of birds

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.

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What I wanted to be when I grew up: An artist

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Two truths, one lie: My favorite food is meatloaf, I spent 3 weeks in Morocco on a retreat, I can memorize a good song after two plays.

Latesha was the first-born American out of her 5 siblings from Jamaica and is the true definition of a Florida Girl (Southwest Florida to be exact). A Jane of many trades, Latesha has a unique background within many fields. She has experience in Restaurant & Hospitality, Social Work & Case Management, and she’s even a Lifeguard (just to name a FEW). Latesha moved to Atlanta in 2020 to expand on her passion for music-entertainment. She’s a brand ambassador for Suntian Naziyon and owns the website Ladymprez.com (Lady Mprez is also her stage name) which is a website that encompasses Suntian culture, but also features some of the hottest underground & independent music artists internationally. Even though she’s currently a Security Officer, she also works behind the scenes doing music promotions and management. Basically, she gets to enjoy concerts, create music projects, and attend events as part of her lifestyle. When she’s not working (which seems like a rarity), Latesha enjoys traveling and is a big foodie.

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What I wanted to be when I grew up: Radio (Personality) Host

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Two truths, one lie: I used to swim in waters with gators, I love to dance, My cousin was the first woman Prime Minister of Jamaica.