Meet NBFJA's New Co-Executive Director, Cicely Garrett

image by Melissa Alexander of Phyllis Iller

Cicely is a Creative Strategist and Social Entrepreneur adept at providing thought leadership and consulting on strategy, design thinking, racial equity, environmental justice, food sovereignty, and community wealth building. Cicely has been the Grants Manager for the Alliance since January 2021. She is a highly sought after facilitator, trainer, and strategic thought leader. Some of her previous and current consulting clients include: Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative, Common Market SE, EcoWomanist Institute, Georgia Tech, National Black Food and Justice Alliance, New GA Project’s Black + Green Agenda, Southface Institute, Partnership for Southern Equity, and United Way of Greater Atlanta. Cicely spearheaded the production of RESILIENT ATLANTA and the transition of the Mayor's Office of Sustainability to Office of Resilience under the 100 Resilient Cities program pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation to address challenges and opportunities arising in Metro cities as a result of urbanization, globalization, and climate change.

Cicely served as a community builder, facilitator, and program manager for 8.5 years at the Atlanta Community Food Bank. There she led the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program and in 2013 she transitioned to Food Systems Innovation Manager working to improve fresh and healthy food access in Atlanta's inner-city neighborhoods via GA Food Oasis-Atlanta initiative.

A lifelong volunteer and servant leader, Cicely is involved with the local community and beyond as a Lead Facilitator with Out of Hand Theater’s Equitable Dinners/Institute for Equity Activism Design Team, Dad’s Garage Board Member, Georgetown University Alumni Board of Governors, LEAD Atlanta Alumna, and former Common Market Georgia Board Chair. She was awarded the Outstanding Atlanta Community Service Award in 2014 and Creative Loafing's Neighborhood MVP in 2015.  Cicely holds a B.S.B.A. degree with a concentration in Finance and New & Small Business Management from Georgetown University and a Master of Public Policy degree with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from The George Washington University.