Staff & Board
The Georgia Watch team is a dedicated group of advocates who are committed to realizing the goals of Georgia Watch. We work closely with elected officials, government services and agencies, members of the media, and other advocacy groups as we strive to provide a voice for consumers across Georgia.
Liz Coyle
Executive Director
lcoyle@georgiawatch.org
Liz Coyle joined the team at Georgia Watch in February 2012. Founded in 2002, Georgia Watch is the State’s leading nonprofit consumer advocacy organization working to ensure that Georgians are informed and protected on matters that impact their quality of life. Georgia Watch advocates for policies that open doors to the financial mainstream, increase individual and family financial security, improve access to affordable healthcare and lower the energy burden on struggling families. As Executive Director, Liz manages the organization’s operations and staff and oversees all Georgia Watch programs in the areas of Healthcare Access, Consumer Energy, Civil Justice and Financial Protection.
Read more about Liz Coyle
In addition to her role with Georgia Watch, Liz recently accepted an appointment to the Consumer Advisory Board of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Liz has more than 25 years of experience as a non-profit manager, communications professional and grassroots advocate. She has worked with a broad spectrum of organizations including multi-national consumer products companies, public utilities, non-profit associations, and local governments. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Comparative Literature. Liz also is on the board of the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative and is board chairman of the Historic Fourth Ward Park Conservancy and the BeltLine Network.
Berneta L. Haynes
Director of Equity and Access
bhaynes@georgiawatch.org
Berneta L. Haynes is the Director of Equity and Access at Georgia Watch, where she works to make quality healthcare, financial literacy, energy programs and civil justice more equitable and accessible for all.
Read more about Berneta L. Haynes
An attorney and champion of energy equity and healthcare access in particular, Berneta brings a unique mix of legal advocacy work, writing expertise and innovative use of digital journalism to impact pressing consumer issues. Her work centers on ensuring access to healthcare for all Georgians and increasing access to clean energy to improve the health and financial well-being of low-income families and communities.
Prior to joining the Georgia Watch team, Berneta spent years working on environmental and public health issues from diesel pollution reduction and energy efficiency to solar energy access. She has engaged in environmental justice, energy equity, and public health work as an attorney at Environmental Law and Policy Center in Chicago, Southern Environmental Law Center in Atlanta, and worked on consumer energy issues at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia. She currently serves on the South Atlantic Market Leadership Advisory Board at U.S. Green Building Council. Berneta also brings to Georgia Watch significant writing and editing experience, as a published author and previous editor of a nonprofit website.
Berneta received a J.D. from University of Iowa College of Law, a B.A. in English, Psychology, and Writing from Drury University, and a Master’s in English from University of Iowa. Her interest in energy equity, public health, and healthcare access stems from her liberal arts background and research around intersections of race, class, and gender in American culture.
Nia Brown
Manager of Education and Advocacy
nbrown@georgiawatch.org
Civil rights attorney Nia Brown is the Manager of Education and Advocacy. In this role, she develops and supports Georgia Watch’s consumer education and advocacy work in the Health Access, Consumer Energy, Financial Protection and Access to Civil Justice Programs.
Read more about Nia Brown
A graduate of Emory University School of Law and Spelman College, Nia has a background in social justice, with a focus on civil rights. Prior to joining Georgia Watch, she served as the Policy and Advocacy Manager for YWCA Evanston-North Shore where she led organizational advocacy focused on gender and racial equity.
Nia was drawn to Georgia Watch because of the organization’s long history leading the fight for consumer rights, civil justice and financial protections for all Georgians. She is excited to use her talents to advocate for equity in the areas of housing, health care and energy.