Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has announced two key appointments to her Administration. Nina Hickson has been permanently named City Attorney and Joshua Williams will serve as the City’s newest Deputy Chief Operating Officer.

Nina Hickson joined the Bottoms Administration as interim City Attorney in May after having served as General Counsel for the Atlanta BeltLine since 2016.  Her career of public service spans nearly two decades and includes serving as Ethics Officer for the City of Atlanta, City Attorney for the City of East Point and Presiding Judge for the Juvenile Court of Fulton County. She has been recognized by numerous organizations for her advocacy on behalf of children and human rights as well as for her community service.

“Nina Hickson has a well-earned reputation as an extraordinary attorney and outstanding public servant,” said Mayor Bottoms. “Her expertise and commitment to ethics and transparency will help the City of Atlanta navigate through critical issues and her counsel has already been of great value to this Administration.”

Williams joins the city after having served four years as Chief Operations Officer for DeKalb County Schools, a district with nearly 14,000 employees, a $150 million general operating budget and a $1.2 billion capital improvement program.  He joined the school system in 2008 and held previous positions including Executive Director of Facilities Management and Director of Facility Planning and Construction. Williams began his career in the private sector construction industry.  

“As we strive for excellence across all aspects of City operations, Joshua Williams will play a pivotal role in ensuring we are operating not only in an efficient and transparent manner, but in a way that has a tangible impact on the quality of life for all Atlantans. We are fortunate to have someone with his experience and commitment to public service join our leadership team,” Mayor Bottoms concluded.

Hickson’s appointment is effective immediately and Williams will begin his new role on August 6.