Trailblazing wasn’t her goal, but service always was.
Now, as Fort Lauderdale’s first Black woman city manager, Rickelle Williams is not only putting a new face on local leadership, she’s putting ingrained personal principles into practice.
“I grew up understanding the honor that comes with public service,” Williams said.
The product of a Miami-Dade transit operator dad and a Miami high school teacher mom, Williams saw commitment to others displayed when her parents left home for work every day. The native Jamaicans relocated to Miami Gardens when Williams was 6 years old.
As she grew in the community that would eventually develop into a Black-led municipality, she became inspired. By the time she finished high school, Williams began a summer job that let her work in an administrative role for the Parks and Recreation Department.
“It was, for me, an opportunity where I could give back and do something meaningful,” she said, “to give back in the way that was modeled by my parents, but it became something more.”
As the Miami Gardens community began transitioning into a district with official borders she “got to learn from folks about how city administration and operation works.”
“Being part of that was exciting,” Williams recalls.
She “started her path in earnest” after graduating from Florida International University with a master of public administration, and began working in economic development for Miami-Dade County, she says.
In 2014, she went back to her early training ground in Miami Gardens to work as a capital improvements projects coordinator. She rose to greater professional heights when her director soon parted ways with the city.
“There was no replacement and I saw it as an opportunity for growth and a challenge,” Williams recalls.
She administered a $60 million General Obligation Bond program for public safety infrastructure and resources.
Her career later led her to a top post as executive director of the Dania Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, where she reported to the mayor and other elected officials from 2017 to 2020. Then, in Miami Beach, Williams further expanded her public service leadership, first as economic development director, then assistant city manager in 2023 and finally as interim city manager in 2024. She was recognized, in 2023, by Legacy for her influence in business.
When she learned about Fort Lauderdale’s city manager opportunity she threw her name into the ring as a candidate.
“I felt that Fort Lauderdale was the right fit,” Williams said.
Having worked in coastal communities, whose residents can face significant climate issues, and diverse areas where there was “major development activity,” she found the Fort Lauderdale role appealing, she added.
She was appointed to the position in April.
“I’m excited. I’m motivated. I’m eager,” Williams said. “There are so many great projects that I get to lead.”
With direct oversight of the fire, police and other departments, along with managing a $1.2 billion budget and about 3,000 employees, she says she looks forward to leaving a lasting imprint.
“I’ll get to build on Fort Lauderdale’s great legacy,” she adds.
Among the city’s greatest needs is infrastructure improvement. “Trying to invest in our systems is really what is going to build on our city’s longevity,” she said.
Since a 2023 rain event flooded Fort Lauderdale’s City Hall, another priority is re-opening and redeveloping the former site.
“In an ideal world,” adds Williams, “we will have a new city hall in three to five years.”
Having accumulated a range of experiences and credentials including international certifications, her confidence is apparent when she speaks of the to-do list that awaits her just weeks into her newest, most influential position in city government.
Williams’ professional commitment is intended “to honor my parents and their sacrifices,” she says.
“I’m serving as the first Black woman in this capacity and I truly marvel at the vibrancy of Fort Lauderdale as a community,” Williams added. “I have been welcomed warmly and I look forward to shaping its future.”
