Phyllis Dickerson has served as an authority on government administration for nearly two decades, lending her expertise to mayors, U.S. presidents, and those they represent.

As the CEO of the African American Mayors Association (AAMA), the only organization exclusively representing African American mayors in the United States, Dickerson works to empower local leaders for the benefit of their citizens. Under her leadership, AAMA advocates for public policies that improve the vitality of cities, while offering mayors the leadership and management tools required to turn those policies into action. The organization also functions as a forum for member mayors to share best practices related to municipal management and operational excellence. Dickerson provides crucial leadership to AAMA staff, acts as its most prominent spokesperson, and oversees a multi-million budget and fundraising strategy—all in service of meeting the diverse needs of the association’s members.

Before leading AAMA, Dickerson worked as the lead advance staffer for the Clinton and Obama administration, as well as the Regional Mayoral Director for Mike Bloomberg’s 2020 Presidential Campaign. In 2015, she became the first woman to ever be appointed as chief of staff to the mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas. In this role, she coordinated daily operations within Mayor Mark Stodola’s office, conducted research and analyses on constituent issues, and provided support for the implementation of special programs and initiatives. Additionally, she served as the Special Events & Program Coordinator for the City of Little Rock. In that capacity, she was responsible for planning the historic Central High Integration 50th Anniversary.

Dickerson is also the CEO & President of Red Ink, LLC, which assists organizations with business development and government relations. Throughout her career, Dickerson has proudly served on the boards of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA), the Delta Research & Education Foundation, and the Cross World Africa Foundation. She is a member of the Little Rock Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and is a staunch advocate for children with Sickle Cell Anemia Disease.

Dickerson holds a Master of Arts degree in Human Resource Development from Webster University, as well as a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Business Management from the University of Central Arkansas. She currently resides in Washington D.C. and Little Rock, AR, where she enjoys traveling, reading, and watching Western films.

Contact Phyllis Dickerson at Aama@ourmayors.org
for more information about our organization.

Karlos Nichols (he/him/his) currently serves as the Managing Director and Chief of Staff for the African American Mayors Association (AAMA). Prior to joining AAMA, Karlos served as an experienced non–profit administrator, educator, community organizer, and advocate with a decade-long commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. As an elementary educator at Shelby County Schools, he launched the state of Tennessee’s largest public elementary school dance and theatre program which continues to serve over 600 students weekly. During his time at The Children’s Defense Fund, NY, Karlos served as the Youth Leadership and Advocacy Associate overseeing the organization’s youth and young adult leadership development and movement-building programs. As an advocate and movement builder, he has organized rallies and protests in response to racial inequity, gun violence, educational inequity, police brutality, and youth justice issues across the United States.  During his tenure as the Director of the iROCK Young Adult Collective of The National Baptist Convention USA, Inc., Karlos engaged the over 3 million members of the organization, in diversity, equity, and inclusion practices that provide members with resources to implement new strategies and initiatives. He facilitates young adult leaders and partners in a monthly think tank, pioneering innovative methods for radically inclusive spaces. As an experiential fundraiser, who consistently exceeds fundraising goals, Karlos has led and consulted multi-million dollar campaigns that contribute to the design and development of community centers and arts programming in the nation’s most underserved communities. 

Karlos holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Musical Theatre and Urban Studies from The New School University, a Master’s Degree in Education from Walden University, a Master’s Degree in Homiletics and Worship from Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University in the City of New York, and is a Doctoral Candidate in Educational Leadership at Delaware State University. He is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Contact Karlos Nichols at Karlos@ourmayors.org
for more information about our organization.

Landon Bailey is the Senior Policy Advisor and Strategist at the African American Mayors Association (AAMA), where he works to support mayors on policy initiatives, community and local engagement, and fulfilling AAMA’s goals. Before AAMA, he served as the Advisor for Intergovernmental Affairs at the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) under the leadership of Secretary Pete Buttigieg. In that role, he assisted state and local government officials, municipalities, MPOs, and non-profits with understanding and utilizing the funds provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Landon’s career began in 2017 after graduating from Delaware State University working for his hometown United States Senator, Thomas R. Carper of Delaware. He later transitioned to the House of Representatives to work for Congresswoman Lauren Underwood of Illinois, 14th District. In both offices, he played a pivotal part taking on several roles related to government relations, community advocacy, public affairs, and operations.

Contact Landon Bailey at Landon@ourmayors.org
for more information about our organization.

Victoria Thompson serves as the Director of Grants and Senior Program Manager for the African American Mayors Association (AAMA). Prior to joining AAMA, she worked at the national American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) as the Lead Civil Rights Program Specialist. Throughout her career she has worked in communications, event planning and marketing to further the reach of social justice in the areas of entertainment, government, nonprofits, education, labor and faith. Victoria graduated from Howard University earning her B.A. in Journalism (2017) and recently completing a Master’s of Divinity (M. Div) at the Howard University School of Divinity (2022). Victoria is a proud native of Birmingham, AL where her family still resides.

Contact Victoria Thompson at Victoria@ourmayors.org
for more information about our organization.

James Jackson brings over 18 years of corporate leadership experience spanning healthcare, banking, media, and construction. As a strategic leader at McCarthy Building Company, he drove diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, fostering community partnerships and strengthening supplier diversity. James previously served as a consultant at Efficacy Consulting & Development, where he helped expand opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses in the construction industry. His background includes senior roles at JP Morgan Chase and MicroPort Cardiac Rhythm Management, where he led North American operations, client engagement, and logistics. James holds a degree in Marketing Management from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.