Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
The Office of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) provides leadership and oversight for all county operations in DeKalb County.
The CEO sets strategic priorities, manages county departments, and works closely with the Board of Commissioners to ensure efficient, effective, and transparent delivery of services to residents. The office serves as the central point for policy development, intergovernmental relations, and community engagement, guiding the county toward responsive and accountable governance.
Meet CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson
Lorraine Cochran-Johnson serves as Chief Executive Officer of DeKalb County, Georgia. Elected in 2024 with 320,572 votes and carrying 174 of 191 precincts, she made history as the first Black woman elected CEO of DeKalb County.
As CEO, Cochran-Johnson provides executive leadership and oversight for all county operations, working in partnership with the Board of Commissioners to deliver efficient, accountable, and responsive government services to more than 780,000 residents. She sets strategic priorities, advances policy initiatives, and leads cross-departmental efforts to strengthen infrastructure, public safety, economic development, and overall community well-being.
Service to DeKalb County
Making History. Building Tomorrow.
Prior to her election as CEO, Cochran-Johnson served as DeKalb County Commissioner for Super District 7 from 2018 to 2024. As Chair of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, she oversaw more than $1.4 billion in revenue, the largest amount managed by any standing committee chair in County history.
Her leadership accomplishments include:
- Implementing mandatory audits for contracts exceeding $3 million, generating more than $92 million in taxpayer savings
- Allocating more than $1 million in discretionary funding to public education and youth programs
- Securing $250,000 in COVID-19 relief support for families in 2020
A dedicated advocate for youth and education, she served as PTA President at Pine Ridge Elementary, Chapel Hill Middle School, and Martin Luther King, Jr. High School, and as Parent Council President for Agnes Scott College (2021–2022).
Key Achievements
- As CEO, Lorraine oversees a $1.8 billion budget and has prioritized major infrastructure and capital improvements that support safe, sustainable communities. She is leading transformative investments in water and sewer infrastructure, transportation, and public facilities to modernize systems and position DeKalb for long-term growth. She spearheaded DeKalb’s $4.27 billion, 10-year water and sewer capital improvement program, the largest infrastructure investment in County history, to remediate aging infrastructure and unlock equitable economic development.
- Committed to public safety and community trust, CEO Cochran-Johnson founded DeKalb’s $20.9 million Real Time Crime Center and Drone First Responder Program and invested more than $10 million in policing, drones, cameras, and crime prevention technology to enhance emergency response capabilities and strengthen neighborhood safety.
- Her administration has made strategic investments in housing stability, food security, and health equity. She allocated $8 million to the Park 500 rapid housing project, transitioning 60 families from extended-stay motels into stable housing, and committed $1.2 million to fund DeKalb’s first 400-bed homeless shelter equipped with wraparound services. She also founded EMBARC Youth Farm, a $10 million urban agriculture initiative featuring hydroponics, greenhouse growing, bee farming, poultry production, a farmers market, and entrepreneurship training, connecting youth and families to fresh food and economic opportunity.
Recognition
- Lifetime Achievement Award
Presented by President Joe Biden (2024) - Elected Official of the Year
American Public Works Association (2023)
- Champion of Housing
Georgia ACT (2023) - 100 Most Influential Georgians
Georgia Trend Magazine (2026)
Serving 780,000+ residents across DeKalb County with excellence, transparency, and innovation.
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