A native Atlantan, Cynthia K. Johnson, is an attorney with over 20 years of legal, business and management experience. After twelve years as an Assistant District Attorney she put on her entrepreneurial hat and opened a specialty boutique in Buckhead called HIPPS. Through HIPPS, she was able to fulfill her personal goal of helping other large-sized women overcome the narrow-mindedness of American clothiers who "equate beauty with bones," by offering them a retreat where they could indulge their love of self and their love of beautiful clothing. Atlanta Magazine voted it the BEST PLUS STORE for three years that the store was open. Johnson retains the entrepreneurial spirit and continues to pursue her passion for fashion as the Executive Director and Founder of the Atlanta Fashion Incubator. Johnson has been honored by the Atlanta Business League and as a volunteer for Dress for Success-Atlanta. The Atlanta Fashion Incubator is a resource center working to ensure emerging entrepreneurial fashion design companies grow into self-sustaining businesses. Our goals are to support and retain talent in the fashion capital of the south and to encourage size diversity in the fashion industry. While searching for a home, AFi will offer seminars and workshops toward the benefit and edification of designers, retail buyers and industry professionals. We are also planning an international conference in 2009.