Debi Starnes, owner of Sugar Magnolia Bed and Breakfast for more than two decades, formerly served as a policy advisor to Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin. In this role, Debi Starnes advised the mayor on human services issues and helped accelerate the city’s response to homelessness. As the first African American woman to serve as mayor of a major southern United States city, Shirley Franklin led Atlanta to achieve unprecedented growth throughout her two terms in office.
During her eight years in leadership, Shirley Franklin launched executed major infrastructure projects and advocated for reform in government operations and ethics. She also initiated the Regional Commission on Homelessness and developed key public-sector and business partnerships. Since leaving office, she has co-chaired the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta’s Regional Commission on Homelessness, which helps the area’s homeless population of more than 2,100.
Today, Shirley Franklin is active in many endeavors, including presiding over a consulting company and serving on corporate and nonprofit boards. She is also a visiting professor at the University of Texas at Austin.
During her eight years in leadership, Shirley Franklin launched executed major infrastructure projects and advocated for reform in government operations and ethics. She also initiated the Regional Commission on Homelessness and developed key public-sector and business partnerships. Since leaving office, she has co-chaired the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta’s Regional Commission on Homelessness, which helps the area’s homeless population of more than 2,100.
Today, Shirley Franklin is active in many endeavors, including presiding over a consulting company and serving on corporate and nonprofit boards. She is also a visiting professor at the University of Texas at Austin.