Get to Know: Kristy Rachal

Kristy Rachal: Building Stronger Communities, One Partnership at a Time

There’s a theme that defines the bulk of Kristy Rachal’s journey.

"Community—that's the throughline," she says. "And this role feels like a full-circle moment and a combination of the favorite parts of everything I've done."

Today, Kristy serves as Georgia Power's Executive Director of Community Resilience where she builds creative partnerships that grow energy affordable, resilient communities and help our most vulnerable customers thrive across the state.

At Home in Georgia

Kristy grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, but it didn't take long for Georgia to become home.

"I moved to Atlanta to go to Spelman College,” she says, “and as soon as I got here, I knew I was never leaving,"

After earning her undergraduate degree at Spelman, Kristy attended the University of Georgia School of Law. It was while she was working towards her law degree that she began the volunteer work that ultimately shaped her career path.

"I volunteered for the Legal Clinic for the Homeless, and there were these incredible, passionate lawyers there. I said, 'That's what I want to do.'"

She began her legal career helping women and children through the clinic's federally funded advocacy program before joining the Consumers' Utility Counsel Division of the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs as an energy attorney, then as division director, representing all of Georgia's residential and small business customers in gas, electric, and telecommunication matters before the Georgia Public Service Commission.

Finding Community at Georgia Power

Kristy landed at Georgia Power in 2004 as an in-house attorney in the legal department, where she began to combine her legal background with her passion for serving communities through projects that helped shape Georgia's growth.

Over the next two decades, Kristy would serve in a variety of leadership roles across legal, land sales, community development, statewide economic development, statewide strategic engagement, and regional external affairs. Along the way, she helped oversee once in a generation opportunities like the sale and redevelopment of Savannah's Plant Riverside, a transformative project along Savannah’s riverfront that has become a destination all on its own and whose bustling energy and intact smokestacks still bring a smile to Kristy’s face.

Meeting the Moment

Kristy’s current work is focused on helping communities address challenges that extend beyond their monthly power bill.

"This is an exciting time because Georgia Power is meeting the moment," she says. "We're seeing where our customers are having issues, seeing that it goes beyond the power bill, and we are coming up with creative solutions to impact them in different ways."

She believes the company's mission extends beyond keeping the lights on – that Georgia Power is a catalyst for sustainable, responsible growth.

"We are working to help our customers beyond energy affordability, although that’s certainly a part of it,” she says. “We're impacting housing stability, housing retention, and  economic mobility.  Growing energy affordable, resilient communities across Georgia."

Beyond the Office

Outside of work, Kristy enjoys spending time with her husband and teenage daughter.

"We're big travelers, always looking for the next trip. We go to a lot of movies, and I always have a book or two going."

When it comes time to pick up a book, Kristy gravitates toward sweeping historical fiction and multi-generational stories, with contemporary fiction mixed in here and there. Recent favorites include The Covenant of Water and Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, with Mark Sullivan’s All the Glimmering Stars and Allen Levi's Theo of Golden currently on her nightstand.

As a traveler, Kristy is always eager to experience new cultures and venture beyond the typical tourist destinations and immerse herself in the local community. A recent family trip to Japan quickly became one of her all-time favorites.

"It was amazing," she says. "I would go back in a heartbeat."

Whether in or out of the office, it's easy to connect the dots between Kristy's passion for people and the work she does today. Throughout it all, Kristy’s purpose has remained consistent: creating opportunities for people and communities to thrive.