There’s been a leadership shift inside Atlanta City Hall. Courtney English — the City’s Chief Policy Officer and a familiar name in local education and housing circles — is now serving as Interim Chief of Staff for Mayor Andre Dickens.
He’s stepping in after Odie Donald, who held the post for the past year and a half, accepted a new opportunity in Richmond, Virginia. Though the title is new, the work—and the mission—are nothing new for English.
Over the past few years, he’s helped steer some of the Mayor’s most ambitious efforts: from putting more than 11,000 new affordable housing units on track, to launching the “Year of the Youth” campaign that invested over $30 million in programs for young people — and helped drive youth-related crime down by more than 50 percent.
“Since day one of my administration, Courtney has been a trusted advisor, agile leader, and passionate champion of the transformational public policy initiatives that are Moving Atlanta Forward,” Mayor Dickens said. “Courtney brings a depth of experience and commitment to his new responsibilities and motivates his teams to achieve our goals.”
He’s been behind the scenes shaping crime reduction strategies that don’t rely on policing alone, and pushing forward investments in neighborhoods that have long gone without. And he’s done it all with his policy hat on — a hat he’s still wearing even as he takes on the Chief of Staff role.
Born and raised in the West End, English started out as a public school teacher. At 24, he was elected citywide to the Atlanta Board of Education — and later became its youngest-ever chair. His career since then has crossed education, housing, and public service, always with a focus on equity and opportunity.
In this new role, English oversees the Mayor’s Executive Offices and legislative priorities, working alongside the senior leadership team to keep Atlanta moving forward. He says his focus remains on making the city the best place in the country to raise a child.
