City Manager Recruitment

City Manager Interviews

The City Commission will interview two candidates for the City of Fort Lauderdale's City Manager. The interviews will be held on February 4, 2025 beginning at 1:30 p.m. at the Broward Center of Performing Arts in the Mary N. Porter Riverview Ballroom. Both candidates will also attend a public Meet and Greet on February 3, 2025 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Fort Lauderdale Woman's Club located at 20 South Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Meet and Greet is a great opportunity for our neighbors to learn more about the candidates.

City Manager Candidates

Jason Davis

Jason Davis is currently a Deputy County Administrator for St. Lucie County, Florida. He spent the first 12 years of his professional career designing security and loss prevention programs for facilities of mass public assembly. He transitioned to public sector senior leadership in 2007, spending the next 17 years managing a diverse workforce responsible for overseeing major projects and programs for the County, analyzing operational effectiveness and efficiency, and contributing to a robust financial status for the County. His teams have been recognized internationally and by the State of Florida Governor’s Office for excellence in operations. Jason serves as liaison between County Administration, citizens, advisory boards and committees, civic groups, and other governmental agencies.

Davis earned a Bachelor’s from Florida State University, a Master’s from Nova Southeastern University, and a doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University. He is a champion for first responders--his father was a pilot and firefighter for the State of Florida, and his brother is a Deputy Sheriff for Palm Beach County. He has three children ages 7, 13, and 23. Davis volunteers hundreds of hours annually with Habitat for Humanity, the United Way, the American Red Cross, and he is a volunteer baseball coach for high school and college student athletes.

Rickelle Williams

Rickelle Williams is an effective administrator, strategic thinker, and team builder currently serving as Assistant City Manager (ACM) at the City of Miami Beach, Florida. As ACM, Williams has overseen a portfolio of various administrative and operational departments including Economic Development, Housing & Community Services, Parking, Planning & Zoning, Transportation & Mobility, and Tourism & Culture. She is responsible for oversight of the City’s two community redevelopment agencies, Miami Beach Convention Center operations, and the City’s partnership with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. During her tenure with the City of Miami Beach, Williams has also served as Economic Development Director and Interim City Manager with oversight of up to 2,200 employees and a budget of $952 million.

Williams previously served as Executive Director at the Dania Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA); Economic Development Manager at the Miami-Dade Economic Advocacy Trust, an agency of Miami-Dade County; Capital Improvement Projects Coordinator at the City of Miami Gardens; and Project Development Analyst at the Housing Finance Authority of Miami-Dade County. Williams has experience in various areas including homeless services, public safety, infrastructure/capital projects, growth management, affordable housing, and public private partnerships. Williams earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA) and graduate certificate in Community Development from Florida International University and a Master of Arts in Mass Communication from the University of Florida. Williams has the distinction of holding the International City/County Manager Association (ICMA) Credentialed Manager Candidate status. She is also an International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Certified Economic Developer (CEcD), a certified LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP®), and a Florida Redevelopment Association Redevelopment Administrator (FRA-RA).

City Manager Search Committee

The City of Fort Lauderdale is beginning a recruitment effort for a new City Manager to lead the day-to-day operations of the City of Fort Lauderdale. As part of this process, a search committee has been formed. To help inform the committee and City officials, we want to hear your desires and expectations for the next City Manager.

We ask that you please take our survey (click the button below). Your responses will remain anonymous.

Powers and Duties of the City Manager Search Committee

1. To advise the City Commission on all matters with respect to the hiring of a City Manager for the City of Fort Lauderdale;

2. To hear citizen, neighborhood and community concerns and recommendations about the hiring of a City Manager and recommend appropriate action to the City Commission;

3. To review resumes provided by an outside consultant, conduct interviews of candidates recommended by the consultant and prepare a short list of candidates for review by the City Commission; and

4. To perform such duties as may from time to time be requested by the City Commission.

Committee Members

• Melinda Bowker, appointed by Mayor Trantalis
• Dan Lindblade, appointed by Commissioner Herbst
• Burnadette Norris-Weeks, appointed by consensus
• Mary Peloquin, appointed by consensus
• Ronald Perkins, appointed by Vice Mayor Glassman
• Earl Prizlee, appointed by Commissioner Sturman
• Roosevelt Walters, appointed by Commissioner Beasley-Pittman

Search Firm

MGT of America Consulting, LLC (MGT) began operations in 1974 as a public sector research firm. Since then, they have significantly expanded their consulting capabilities and client offerings. Today, they are a national consulting firm specializing in assisting clients to operate more efficiently and effectively.

MGT has successfully worked with clients on more than 30,000 projects to help them adapt to change while maintaining the vision and direction toward their short- and long-term goals. With the recent combination of GovHR, MGT includes more than 600 professionals and administrative staff to support their clients needs.

This survey will inform City officials about your desires and expectations for the next City Manager. Your responses will be anonymous.