Rickelle Williams is an effective, intuitive administrator, strategic thinker, and team builder. On April 2, 2025, Williams began service as City Manager of the City of Fort Lauderdale, Broward County’s largest municipality with more than 180,000 permanent residents, over 23,000 businesses and 19 million visitors annually. In her capacity as City Manager, Williams is responsible for managing a budget of approximately $1.2 billion and leading over 3,000 city employees spanning multiple departments, with direct oversight of Fort Lauderdale’s Police and Fire Departments.
Prior to being appointed as Fort Lauderdale’s City Manager, Williams served in multiple executive roles at the City of Miami Beach. Beginning in 2020 as Economic Development Director, Williams initially focused primarily on economic growth and diversification, including, but not limited to, establishing the North Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, overseeing and implementing planning studies; negotiating and shepherding public/private partnerships (P3s) for arts and culture facilities, workforce housing development and the Miami Beach Convention Center Hotel; creating the Job Creation Incentive Program and an Expedited Plan Review and Permitting Program for targeted industries; creating three COVID-19 small business recovery business grant programs; and facilitating streetscape project planning for commercial corridors. She was responsible for strengthening Miami Beach’s commercial character, attracting and retaining businesses, promoting community development, growing the pool of quality talent, catalyzing economic investment and real estate development; and serving as a critical resource to local and regional businesses.
Full bio on the "About the City Manager" page.