Shelby County Mayor-elect Lee Harris on Tuesday appointed Patrice Williamson-Thomas as chief administrative officer for the county. Williamson-Thomas will assume the role of CAO on Sept. 1.
In a written statement, Harris said Williamson-Thomas is the best possible leader to serve as the county’s next CAO.
“Our next chief administrative officer must be nimble, progressive and capable of translating our vision for A New Era into the day-to-day execution of county government,” Harris said. “Patrice proved to be the most qualified candidate and I am confident that she will make a lasting impact on the residents of Shelby County.”
Williamson-Thomas began her career in finance and quickly accelerated in the field, serving as a senior financial analyst at Smith & Nephew Richards and manager at First Tennessee’s Corporate Controller’s Division.
In 2004, she joined the City of Memphis, where she served as comptroller for nearly 10 years. She went on to become the deputy director of Public Works – Neighborhood Improvement for the City of Memphis. She now serves as the deputy chief operating officer of the Executive Division of the City of Memphis, where she has supported COO Doug McGowan and Mayor Jim Strickland.
In the release, Strickland said Williamson-Thomas has been a key member of the team in just about every initiative the city has taken on in the past two and a half years.
“She is a major reason why we’ve been able to successfully tackle so many challenges,” Strickland said. “She is a spectacular public servant and an even better person. Mayor-elect Harris just hit a home run.”
Williamson-Thomas is a graduate of Central High School, Christian Brothers University and the University of Memphis. She is recognized by the State of Tennessee as a Certified Public Accountant.
Williamson-Thomas is married to Jonathan Thomas and is mother to three children, Myles (10), Madison (9), and Jackson (4).
(Candidates may apply for other mayoral appointment opportunities at www.transitionshelby.com.)
