Fulton Commissioner Selected for Leadership Institute

Staff Report

Fulton County District 4 Commissioner Joan P. Garner has been named one of a select group of leaders in county government from across the country to participate in 12th Annual County Leadership Institute (CLI), a rigorous program developed by the National Association of Counties (NACo) and Cambridge Leadership Associates.

The institute, held May 31 – June 4 in Washington, D.C., will press county officials to consider innovative approaches to address key issues facing their counties and constituents.

“The County Leadership Institute will provide a hands-on professional development experience that will help us gain new insight to accomplish our goals in Fulton County,” said Commissioner Garner. “This is a unique opportunity to learn from experts and work with other county leaders from across the United States as we share best practices to tackle some of our greatest challenges.”

The CLI program is designed to help county leaders further develop their approaches toward solving complex challenges. It provides tools to encourage innovation and creativity; resources for invigorating organizational culture; and best practices in effective communication, collaboration and decision-making.

Commissioner Garner is currently in her second term with the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. She represents a dynamic and energetic district that includes portions of the City of Atlanta, including Midtown, and neighborhoods west of downtown Atlanta to Fulton Industrial Boulevard.

In addition to her work with Fulton County, Commissioner Garner is active with the National Association Counties (NACo) and the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG). She serves on as Chair of the Healthy Counties Initiative Advisory Board, as a member of the Health Steering Committee Member, and as Chair of the Chair of the Medicaid and Indigent Care Subcommittee. She serves on the ACCG Board of Managers, and is a member of the Health and Human Services Committee and Chair of the Community Healthcare-Integrated Approaches Subcommittee.

Commissioner Garner earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from the University of the District of Columbia. Commissioner Garner received a Master’s Degree in Organizational Communication from Howard University.

Since its inception, the County Leadership Institute has graduated nearly 300 leaders from 172 counties across 45 states. Known for enhancing the capacity of county officials to identify and implement innovative solutions to the complex challenges, this year’s program will focus closely on the demands of personal leadership in the modern era of government, one characterized as a “permanent crisis” by Cambridge Leadership co-founder Marty Linsky.

The program is made possible with the support of IBM, NACo’s Financial Services Center and the National Council of County Association Executives.