Georgia Gwinnett College announces December commencement speaker

Before the Class of 2024 celebrates their graduation from Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) on December 14, they will be inspired by words of wisdom from their keynote speaker, Nicole Love Hendrickson, chairwoman of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners.

"I'm honored to address Georgia Gwinnett College's December Class of 2024," said Hendrickson. "These graduates have completed an important part of their journey, and I'm looking forward to sharing that joy with them. Their dedication and hard work will play a key role in the continued growth and vitality of Gwinnett County, the state of Georgia, and beyond."

Hendrickson was elected chairwoman of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners in 2020, making her the first African American to hold this position in Georgia's second-most populous and most diverse county. This month she won re-election to a second term, which starts in January 2025. As chairwoman, she leads the Board in setting direction and formulating policies for Gwinnett County Government and oversees the creation and adoption of a more than $2.5 billion budget.

Since taking office, Hendrickson has led efforts to build a stronger, more inclusive Gwinnett by prioritizing transportation and enhancing mobility for all through the creation of a new transit development plan; advancing housing affordability through the creation of the affordable housing development fund; restoring and reinvigorating a thriving economy that delivers economic security for small and minority businesses; and directly engaging with residents to make local government more responsive, transparent, and accountable.

She was instrumental in rewriting Gwinnett County's mission, vision, and values statements to emphasize the principles of accountability, transparency, equity, inclusivity and innovation. In practice, she has championed the development of plans that focus on equity, such as the County's Equity Action Plan and the Gwinnett Place Mall Equitable Redevelopment Plan. In a nod to inclusivity and innovation, she oversaw the investment in and launch of the Gwinnett Entrepreneur Center as well as the inception and expansion of the Police Mental Health Collaboration pilot program.

She is active on several local, regional, and statewide boards, including the Atlanta Regional Commission, Metropolitan North Georgia Water District Board, Gwinnett Board of Health, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia's Policy Steering Committee. In her role with the ARC, she chaired the Local Leaders Housing Action Committee, a group charged with developing a regional plan to address metropolitan Atlanta's housing affordability challenges. Hendrickson also represents Gwinnett County on the national level as vice-chair of the Large Urban County Caucus and vice-chair of the workforce development subcommittee of the Community, Economic and Workforce Development Steering Committee.

She is an alumna of numerous leadership development programs, including Leadership Gwinnett and the Atlanta Regional Commission's Regional Leadership Institute, and is a proud member of the Rotary Club of Gwinnett County.

A purpose-driven leader, Chairwoman Hendrickson has been recognized as one of Engineering Georgia's 100 Most Influential Women in Georgia, the Atlanta Business Chronicle's Power 100 Most Influential Atlantans, and Georgia Trend's 100 most influential Georgians. She received Congressman Hank Johnson's Trailblazer Award and the Gwinnett Chamber's Public Service Award.

GGC's December 14 commencement is at the new Convocation Center on campus. There will be two ceremonies, with the first at 10 a.m. and the second at 2 p.m.