Shirley Clarke Franklin is the former mayor of the City of Atlanta (2002-2010). She held key executive positions in the administrations of Mayor Maynard Jackson and Mayor Andrew Young (1978-1991). Franklin’s experience includes 5 years with the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games and 10 years as Executive Chairman of Purpose Built Communities. In these positions, Franklin developed and led day to day operations, policy, government and community relations functions from serving as City of Atlanta Chief Officer for Operations and Chief Administrative Officer and Commissioner for Cultural Affairs and ACOG Vice President for State and Local Affairs among other positions. Franklin started her public service career in Washington, D.C. as an intern and later served as an analyst in the US Labor Department of Office of Federal Contract Compliance in the late 1960’s.

Franklin’s business and civic engagement spans 5 decades, primarily in Atlanta and Georgia. Her civic experience includes current service on the board of directors of Mueller Water Products and former service on Delta Air Lines board of directors. Currently, Franklin serves on the boards of the CDC Foundation, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights and the Volcker Alliance.

Since her youth, Franklin has been involved in non-partisan and Democratic politics from community organizing to fundraising and political strategy. She served as the deputy campaign manager for the Andrew Young for Mayor Campaign and as the chair or as a member of the transition teams of Mayor Maynard Jackson, Mayor Andrew Young and Governor Roy Barnes. Franklin held numerous Democratic National Committee positions including as one of four Vice Chairs of the historic 2008 Democratic Party Convention and the Co-Chair of the DNC Platform Committee in 2016.

During her term as mayor, Franklin was known for her willingness to reach across the aisle to partner for the advancement of public policy to serve of all Georgians and Americans.