Zoe Rinker is proud to be back in her hometown serving as Executive Director of the Savannah Tree Foundation. A graduate of Chatham County public schools, she went on to earn a dual degree from Yale University in Anthropology and International Studies, with a focus on political and economic analysis. After college, Zoe moved to the Washington, DC area, where she fell in love with urban policy and planning.

For several years, Zoe worked to improve communities and the environment through jobs at Neighborworks America, the City of Baltimore as head of the deconstruction and demolition division, and at an urban planning start-up as Research Director. In these roles, she tackled issues such as access to green space, affordable housing, and smart growth–all issues at the forefront of Savannah’s growing pains.

She moved back to Savannah in 2019 to take on her current role as head of Savannah Tree Foundation. Under her leadership, the Foundation has tripled its full-time staff members, doubled its annual budget, doubled the number of trees planted each year, diversified programming, and grown its community outreach efforts.

Most importantly, Zoe’s work with the Savannah Tree Foundation has given her the opportunity to collaborate and partner with a diverse group of Savannahians striving to make Savannah the best place to live, work and play. Zoe is a member of the Rotary Club of Savannah, the Chatham Commerce Club, 100 Women Who Care Savannah, and the League of Women Voters of Coastal Georgia. Georgia Tree Council named her a Rising STAR in 2020, and she was included in Savannah Magazine’s 2021 New Guard honorees. 

Zoe lives on Talahi Island with her husband, Rob, and son, Asa.