Council Members
Dr. James Beeks, Council Member
Academic Background Ph.D. Public Policy, Walden University, Minneapolis, MN, Concentration/U.S. Constitution
Areas of Specialization: Administration of Justice; The U.S. Constitution (Constitutional Law); Public Policy Administration, & Governance; Application of U.S. Conspiracy, 18 USC Chapter 96—Racketeer Influenced & Corrupt Organizations; Asset Forfeiture Law; Criminal Investigations Organizational Behavior; Intelligence Analysis/Intelligence-Led Policing
Chief Kydra Finn, Council Member
Kydra Finn has worked in Clayton County, Georgia for over 15 years. Currently, she is the Chief of Staff for the Office of the Solicitor-General of the State Court of Clayton County in Jonesboro, Georgia. Prior to serving in this capacity, Ms. Finn worked in the office as the Administrative Manager. She was the office’s lead Subject Matter Expert in workflow processes and a part of the transition team to upgrade the County’s case management and information system.
Ms. Finn is a native Floridian who earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science/Public Administration and a Labor Relations Certificate in Human Resource Management from Florida A&M University and worked in Staff Development and Training for the Florida Department of Corrections before moving to the Metro-Atlanta area. Since moving to Georgia, she earned a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Human Resource Management from Troy University. Ms. Finn worked as Senior Probation Officer and Office Manager for Detention Management Services and Sentinel Services Inc. of Georgia before coming to Clayton County government.
Ms. Finn has several years of training experience in the criminal justice/legal field and the areas of professional and administrative development. She has written office policies and procedures, developed performance improvement plans, and created training modules. She has served on the training faculty of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Council of Georgia as a guest presenter in their training webinar series. Ms. Finn is a 2019 Clayton County Grassroots Leadership graduate and a current member of the American Society of Public Administrators. She enjoys community activities, traveling, and a good murder mystery.
Linkedin link; https://www.linkedin.com/in/kydra-f-232b535
Dr. Catherine Foster-Rowell, Council Member
Dr. Catherine Foster Rowell served as the city’s first mayor pro tem. Since taking office in 2017, she has authored and passed more than 75 pieces of legislation and earned four Georgia Municipal Association professional development certificate at the Recognition, Achievement, Excellence and Distinction levels. She also has completed the prestigious Robert Knox Leadership Program and the Georgia Academy of Economic Development.
Dr. Rowell possesses more than 15 years of executive non-profit experience as Executive Director of Operation PEACE; Senior Government Grants Manager for Families First; and Senior Program Director with Enterprise Community Partners. Additionally, she has held leadership roles in several consulting firms: Beacon Analytics, The Bronner Group and MAXIMUS in addition to working for Fulton County Schools.
Dr. Rowell is published and has served on numerous volunteer boards which include but are not limited to the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter, and the National Church Residences Southeast Advisory Board. She currently serves on the board of directors of the Conference of Minority Public Administrators and the American Society of Public Administrators Georgia Chapter.
Dr. Rowell is the recipient of the Georgia Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration’s (ASPA) Distinguished Practitioner Award (2019), Fortitude Educational and Cultural Development Center Pinnacle Leadership Award and the 2022 Fulton County District 6 Environmental Award (2022). She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in social work and sociology from Cleveland State University, and a Masters of Public Administration in Urban Management and a doctorate in Political Science from Clark Atlanta University
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