JoAnne Taylor
Mayor, City of Dahlonega
After a 32-year career with IBM, JoAnne retired from her position as Vice President in the Global Telecommunications Industry where she had a $1.4 B annual revenue target. Following an extensive career in global executive and line management, executive consulting and working with the utility industry segment Mayor Taylor and her husband Ken moved to Dahlonega in 2004. Known for her passion to give back to her community by serving others, she put her many years of experience to work by volunteering in her new hometown.
Mayor Taylor has been involved with the City of Dahlonega since 2017 and is the current Mayor. All net earnings from her position are donated to local charities. She serves as a trustee on the collective boards at Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) which govern investments made for liability coverage, workmen’s comp coverage, and retirement investments for constituent cities, and on the executive committee for these boards. She is currently the 3rd Vice President for the Northeast Region of GMA representing our region to state-wide interests for purposes of grants, programs, and legislative impact. Along with advocating for cities, Mayor Taylor also serves on the joint ACCG/GMA Housing Policy Group. She has served as a mentor in the Lumpkin County School System since 2015. She is chair of the North Georgia Interfaith Ministry Jeremiah’s Place, on the advisory board for Cyber Security, UNG, and is an individual member of the Dahlonega/Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce.
Mayor Taylor’s previous community service includes volunteering with Lumpkin County Literacy Coalition, being Secretary of the Joint Development Authority of Dawson, Lumpkin and White Counties, and Vice Chair of the Development Authority of Lumpkin County. She is a past corporate board member with Connect North Georgia and the past president of Community Helping Place. She also mentors young women who are early in their careers and received the Kids First recognition from Family Connection in 2018.
Mayor Taylor holds a BA in English Literature from Mercy College and is a Certified Sales Executive and an Alumna of the Leadership Lumpkin Class of 2009. Along with service to her community, she enjoys time with her family, reading, observing birds in their natural habitat, singing choral music, traveling, golfing, and baking bread. Mayor Taylor is very appreciative of the opportunity to serve in a community that she loves!
