John Eaves career is a demonstration of leadership in action. Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, John Eaves came to Georgia as a Freshman at Morehouse College as a walk-on to the football team and rose to be a 4-year letterman and team captain by his Senior Year. While at Morehouse, John received local and national recognition for his volunteerism in Atlanta Public Schools. At Morehouse, John got his first experience in politics while volunteering with his Uncle Reginald Eaves campaign for Mayor of Atlanta. Following his graduation, John served as National Director of the NCAA Volunteer for Youth Program and the Southeast Regional Director of the Peace Corps. At the Peace Corps he helped bring educational and healthcare assistance to the people of South Africa, Sierra Leone, Paraguay, Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.

As Chairman of Fulton County, Georgia’s most populous county for 11 years, John established a reputation as staunch advocate on Transportation, Housing and Healthcare – key areas of investment and innovation for bolstering metro Atlanta’s bright future. A prudent steward of county resources, John championed the Budget Commission, applying efficient operations and fiduciary accountability to grow the county’s reserves. John concentrated on business growth and the economic recovery, re-instating the Economic Development Division to create jobs, retain and attract business. In 2014, John established the SMART Justice Advisory Council and joined President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Task Force. In 2015, he spearheaded the county’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative and became a leading partner in the White House Data Driven Justice (DDJ) communities.

An international specialist, John has visited and met with citizens of more than 50 nations around the globe. He received the American Marshall Plan Memorial Fellowship-German Marshall Fund and two Fulbright scholarships. John Eaves holds a Master’s Degree in Religion from Yale University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from the University of South Carolina. John currently serves as Executive Director of the Global Youth Ambassadors program and Senior Instructor at Spelman College. John is a devoted father of two adult children and they live in Atlanta.