Andre Dickens is the 61st Mayor of Atlanta.
Prior to becoming mayor, he served as an at-large City Council member for two terms. In addition to serving in public office, Mayor Dickens has been a businessman and nonprofit executive and is an engineer, deacon, father and native Atlantan. His career follows his passions and his impact follows his commitment.
As the Post 3 At-Large Council member, Andre Dickens was a vocal legislative leader on public safety, transportation, affordable housing, workforce development, educational opportunities for Atlanta Public Schools students, and seasoned citizens programming. He served as the chairman of the Transportation Committee, providing oversight to city streets, bridges, sidewalks, paths, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest airport. In 2017, he chaired the Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee, during which time homicides went down 33% and all violent crimes decreased 12%.
Some of his legislative highlights include: creating the Department of Transportation, sponsoring legislation increasing annual salaries for Senior Patrol Officers, implementing a $15 per hour minimum wage for city employees, establishing BeltLine Inclusionary Zoning for affordable housing, establishing the Atlanta Youth Commission, setting aside a $40 million Housing Opportunity Bond, creating a joint commission between City Council and APS board, and establishing a BeltLine senior housing rehab program. In 2017, he sponsored and helped launch the Teen “Midnight” Basketball League, a program which includes workshops that help young men develop life skills and further their education.
Mayor Dickens is also the Chief Development Officer for TechBridge, a nonprofit that drives community impact by bringing affordable technology and business expertise to other nonprofit organizations. In 2018, he co-founded the Technology Career Program, a free program designed to prepare unemployed and individuals experiencing disadvantage in the work field for a career in the growing technology job market. The program teaches high demand technology skills while helping participants land jobs in IT departments across Atlanta.
Mayor Dickens previously served as the Assistant Director of Outreach Initiatives for Georgia Tech’s Office of Institute Diversity. He spearheaded Tech’s African-American Male Institute, which resulted in a significant increase in the GPA and graduation rate among black males. He also managed the Focus graduate school recruitment program and the Challenge Program that helped hundreds of students successfully transition into college life each year.
Early in his career, Mayor Dickens worked as a sales engineer for DSM Engineering Plastics and became the youngest and first Black salesman of the year. At the age of 28, he co-founded City Living Home Furnishings, which grew into a multi-million dollar retail business with two locations. Mayor Dickens ran the company for nine years until 2011.
Mayor Dickens also serves as a member of the Georgia Tech Alumni Board of Directors, an Alumnus of Leadership Atlanta, Diversity Leadership Atlanta, United Way VIP; Regional Leadership Institute, member of Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity, Inc.; deacon of New Horizon Baptist Church; and several other organizations and affiliations.