National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials Elects New Leadership

Mayor Wayne Messam of Miramar, Florida Becomes President of NLC Constituency Group

Washington – December 5, 2017 – At the annual City Summit conference in Charlotte, N.C.  earlier this month, the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials, a constituency group of the National League of Cities (NLC), elected Mayor Wayne M. Messam of Miramar, Fla. to serve as NBC-LEO’s 2018 president.

“The National League of Cities (NLC) relies on the diverse perspective of its constituency to help shape its priorities,” said NLC CEO and Executive Director Clarence E. Anthony. “The National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC-LEO) helps NLC understand and respond to the needs of the African American community by sharing the voice of black leaders and their constituents.”

The National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC-LEO) was created in the 1970 to represent the interests of African American elected officials. NBC-LEO’s objectives include increasing African American participation on NLC’s steering and federal advocacy committees to ensure that policy and program recommendations reflect African American concerns and benefit their communities.

In addition to electing a new president, NBC-LEO also elected a president-elect, first vice president and second vice president, as well as a new Board of Directors.

2018 NBC-LEO Officers: 

• President: Wayne Messam, mayor, Miramar, Fla.
• President-Elect: De’Keither Stamps, councilmember, Jackson, Miss.
• First Vice President: LaWana Mayfield, councilmember, Charlotte, N.C.
• Second Vice President: Cleophus King, city council president, Bessemer, Ala.
• Immediate Past President: Hanifa Shabazz, council president, Wilmington, Del.
• Treasurer: Jacobia Dowell, councilmember, Nashville, Tenn.
• Assistant Treasurer: Ernest Brooks, councilmember, Jackson, Miss.
• Secretary: Sharon W. Hurt, councilmember, Nashville, Tenn.
• Assistant Secretary: Robin Mouton, councilmember, Beaumont, Texas
• Parliamentarian: Jesse Mathews, president pro tem, Bessemer, Ala.
• Chaplain: Samuel Ings, commissioner, Orlando, Fla.
• Historian: Shireka McCarthy, councilmember, Seat Pleasant, Md.

2018 Directors At-Large

• Terry Adams, councilmember, Midfield, Ala.
• Tonya Davis Johnson, councilmember, Riviera Beach, Fla.
• Russel C. Neal, councilmember, Akron, Ohio
• Mark Douglas, commissioner, Sunrise, Fla.
• Ashira Mohammed, mayor, Pembroke Park, Fla.
• Hazelle Rodger, mayor, Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.

Regional Directors:

Region 2 (Pa., N.J., N.Y.)

• Derek Green, councilmember, Philadelphia

Region 3 (Ky., Md., Del., Va., Washington, W. Va.)

• Jasmine Gore, vice mayor, Hopewell, Va.

Region 4 (Ind., Ohio)

• Julius Oliver, councilmember, Youngstown, Ohio

Region 8 (Colo., Iowa, Kan., Mo., Neb.)

• Rod Jennings, councilmember, University City, Mo.

Region 9 (Ark., Idaho, Mont., Wash., Wyo.)

• Greg Evans, councilmember, Eugene, Ore.

Region 11 (Okla., N.M., Texas)

• Carlie Jones, councilmember, Forrest Hill, Texas

Region 12 (Ark., Tenn.)

• Tanaka Vercher, councilmember, Nashville and Davidson County, Tenn.

Region 13 (La.)

• Kenneth Boudreaux, councilmember, Lafayette, La.

Region 14 (Miss.)

• Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis, alderman, Natchez, Miss.

Region 15 (Ala.)

• Bobby Scott, councilmember, Center Point, Ala

Region 16 (Ga.)

• Dr. Estella Edwards Shabazz, alderwoman, Savannah, Ga.

Region 18 (N.C.)

• Kandi Smith, mayor, Greenville, N.C.

Region 19 (Fla.)

• Ken Thurnston, commissioner, Lauderhill, Fla.

Region 20 (Calif.)

• Larry James Moody, mayor, East Palo Alto, Calif.

Press contact: Meri St. Jean (202-626-3167 | stjean@nlc.org)