Keisha Lance Bottoms: Former Mayor of Atlanta

    Leadership keynote speaker Keisha Lance Bottoms shares insights on equitable leadership, crisis management, and public policy, helping organizations navigate change and drive inclusive growth.

    Keisha Lance Bottoms - Image 02 (October 6, 2026)

    Quick Facts:

      • Former Mayor of Atlanta (2018–2022)
      • Served in all three branches of government
      • Led Atlanta through COVID-19 and major social challenges
      • Established Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
    • Formats:
    • Keynote Speaker, Political Leader, Leadership Expert

    • Audiences:
    • Corporate leaders, policymakers, civic organizations, and audiences focused on leadership, equity, and navigating complex change.

    • Outcomes:
      1. Practical insights on leading through crisis and uncertainty
      2. Strategies for advancing equity and inclusive leadership
      3. Real-world lessons in governance, decision-making, and resilience
    Reading time: 6 min
    Reviews: (0 reviews)
    • Travels from: Atlanta, GA
    • **Fee range: On Request

    Keynote Topics

    Lessons from a Former Mayor and Mother of Four

    As the 60th mayor of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms quickly became known for her refreshingly authentic approach to leadership. She led through a term that began with the city experiencing a cyberattack and went on to include the COVID-19 pandemic, the murder of George Floyd and the racial justice movement that followed, and the most contentious elections in recent history.

    In this conversation, Keisha will share insights from her leadership journey, recounting not only how she achieved the many accomplishments but also how she overcame the obstacles, including the bias she faced as a Black woman. Based on her own experiences as a professional and a mom of four, Keisha will teach audiences how to tap into what it means to be a leader – with a handbook of hard-earned lessons that can be applied across all aspects of work and life.

    Talent Short Bio

    Keisha Lance Bottoms is a nationally recognized leader, former Mayor of Atlanta, and keynote speaker known for her work advancing equity, resilience, and effective governance. With a career spanning all three branches of government—as a judge, city councilmember, and mayor—she brings a comprehensive and practical perspective on leadership and public service.

    During her tenure as Atlanta’s 60th mayor from 2018 to 2022, Keisha led the city through some of its most challenging moments, including the COVID-19 pandemic and a period of heightened national focus on racial justice. Her administration implemented impactful initiatives such as establishing Atlanta’s first Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, launching financial transparency tools like the Open Checkbook platform, and advancing reforms in areas such as bail policy and community investment.

    Known for her “One Atlanta” vision, she focused on building a more inclusive, affordable, and resilient city while maintaining strong fiscal management, delivering balanced budgets without layoffs or tax increases during a global economic downturn.

    Keisha Lance Bottoms is the former Mayor of Atlanta and a leader whose career spans public service, law and political commentary. She speaks on leadership, equity, resilience and navigating change, drawing on her experience guiding a major American city through the COVID-19 pandemic and a nationwide movement for racial justice.

    As Atlanta’s 60th Mayor, serving from 2018 to 2022, Bottoms championed the vision of “One Atlanta”: an affordable, resilient and equitable city. Having previously served as a judge and city councilmember, she became the first mayor in Atlanta’s history to have served in all three branches of government.

    Her administration placed equity and accountability at the centre of its work. Initiatives included establishing Atlanta’s first fully staffed Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, appointing an LGBTQ Affairs Coordinator and a Human Trafficking Fellow, and introducing reforms to cash bail. The administration also launched Atlanta’s Open Checkbook, expanding public access to information about city spending.

    Bottoms led Atlanta during a period of extraordinary social and economic pressure. While responding to the pandemic, her administration delivered four years of balanced budgets without property tax increases, layoffs or furloughs of city employees. At the conclusion of her term, the city held approximately $181 million in reserves.

    Her administration also negotiated and closed a major real estate transaction that delivered millions of dollars in community benefits. These efforts reflected her focus on connecting economic development with opportunities for the people and communities affected by it.

    Beyond City Hall, Bottoms has worked as a CNN political commentator and served in the White House. Her experience across local and federal government gives her a perspective on how policy, communication and leadership influence public trust.

    As a speaker, Keisha Lance Bottoms shares lessons on making difficult decisions, maintaining financial discipline and keeping long-term priorities in view during a crisis. She brings firsthand insight into the responsibilities of leadership and the work of turning a vision for equity and resilience into action.

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