Meet The Team

Deloris J. Baskin serves as the Executive Assistant to the Mayor of the new City of South Fulton, which is the third largest city in Fulton County and the fifth largest city in the State of Georgia. Being a new, start-up city, the responsibilities on her shoulders are vast, however, she is no stranger to working in a demanding environment. For fourteen years (2000-2014) she served alongside the, then Commissioner of Fulton County, now Mayor of the City of South Fulton, William “Bill” Edwards, in the capacities of District 7 Representative and later as Chief of Staff to a population that grew from 50,000 residents to over 85,000. During this time, she had the pleasure of serving the citizens of South Fulton in rectifying various issues, such as, Code Enforcement, Zoning, Seniors, while assuming oversight for day to day operations of the District office, representing the Commissioner at various functions; manage office budget, develop and manage activities that promoted the accomplishments of the Commissioner.

While now working with the new Mayor, the responsibilities are relatively the same, yet more demanding in that a new city is being built as opposed to entering into an already established government. The current population currently stands at 100,000 residents. The learning curve is tremendous, the work is demanding, yet the passion to serve remains steadfast.

 

Between the years 2014 and 2017, Deloris had the opportunity to stretch her wings even further as she assumed the position of Accountability Court Supervisor for Fulton County Juvenile Court. Under her guidance, she had direct oversight for C.H.O.I.C.E.S. Juvenile Drug Court, PARTNERS Behavioral Health Court and H.O.P.E. Family Treatment Court. She was responsible for fostering community partnerships, seeking outside funding, overseeing treatment providers, identifying training for staff which consisted of three probation officers and one Judicial Case Manager, managed grants and planned graduations at the completion of all phases of the program.

During her stint at Juvenile Court, she also had the privilege of commencing, along with very committed staff, a Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support to aid grandparents who had assumed the responsibility of raising their grandchildren for various reasons; be it death of both parents, death of one parent and drug abuse or incarceration of the other parent, or the parents found themselves unable to care for the children. At of the end of last 2017, there were fifteen consistent grandparents raising sixty-five grandchildren.

Deloris truly has the gift of hospitality. She enjoys doing whatever she can to make people feel loved, encouraged, affirmed and happy. Deloris is the proud mother of one daughter, Shannon Dion, and is a member of Cascade United Methodist Church where she serves faithfully as an usher and a member of the Gospel Choir. In May of 2018, Deloris received the Distinguished Toastmaster Award from Toastmasters International.

Brenda (Myatt) Bridges Ward is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. She completed her undergraduate studies at Clark College where she earned a B. A. degree in Education. She earned graduate degrees from Georgia State University, M. Ed and Troy State University, Ed. S. respectively. She studied leadership development at the University of Oxford, in Oxford, England, earning additional international leadership certification. Brenda dedicated more than 35 years to public education, serving as a classroom teacher, school administrator, Director of Pluralist Curriculum, and the first African American Executive Director of K-12 Instruction for Fulton County Schools. This included managing programs and budgets for Pre-Kindergarten, Title 1, Special Education, Physical Education, Foreign Language, Elementary, Middle and High School curriculum, Summer School K-12, Magnet Programs, Career Education and Technology Education. She led the district through its first Curriculum Management Audit, resulting in a new blueprint for instruction in all K-12 schools in Fulton County. This audit influenced changes in district-wide instruction initiatives for more than 70,000 students.

After retiring from the Fulton County School System, Brenda was hired by Voyager
Expanded Learning in Dallas, Texas, as Management Director of Regional Implementation Services. She managed Voyager after school program services in the following school systems: Richmond County Schools, District of Columbia Public Schools, Richmond Virginia City Schools, Baltimore Public Schools, Philadelphia Public Schools, and the New York City School System serving more than 600 schools. She has served on the Advisory Board for Cultures at Emory University; Clark Atlanta University Curriculum Advisory Board, Board President for Women After God’s Own Heart Ministry, Charter member of the Clayton County National Association for Negro Women, NAACP Membership, Board member for VB Consulting, Associate Member of the Board of Directors for Family First Credit Union, serving Atlanta and Fulton County Schools, and an active Golden Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
 

Brenda is currently a teaching elder at New Life Church, a choir member, Sunday School teacher, member of Presbyterian Women and served on the Committee on Ministry at the Atlanta Presbytery. She was a charter member of the Toastmaster’s Club at New Life. Brenda has served as Chair and Co-Chair of the Cancer Awareness Ministry and organized the first “Cancer Walk for the Cure” on Old National Hwy in College Park, GA. Under her leadership the Cancer Awareness Ministry has raised more than $100,000 for non-profit cancer research organizations.

Brenda was married to the late James E. Ward Jr., and currently resides in Peachtree City, GA near her daughter Valaurie and two granddaughters Baileigh and Blaire. Retirement provides time for travel, home decorating, attending plays, jazz concerts and cruises. Brenda’s favorite scripture is, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Ephesians 6:17

Otanya Clarke is the founding and managing partner of Clarke Law, LLC, a boutique
criminal defense and domestic relations firm in Atlanta, Georgia. She is known for providing each client with exceptional responsive service, personal attention
and quality representation. Otanya is an Atlanta native, and she is admitted to practice in the United States District Court (Northern District), Georgia Court of Appeals and Georgia Supreme Court.

 

Attorney Otanya Clarke graduated cum laude from North Carolina Central University School of Law. Her honors include serving as a member of the law journal and receiving the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship. Otanya earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, cum laude from Hampton University.

 

Attorney Otanya Clarke’s education and experience have given her the opportunity to zealously advocate and provide trusted counsel for clients including educators, attorneys, music label and management executives, and entertainers. Otanya has represented Grammy Award winners. She was also a valued and highly visible member of Adrienne Hickson’s defense team during Ms. Hickson’s murder trial, which was featured on Oxygen’s Snapped. Otanya is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. She is also affiliated with Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, and she is a member of New Life Presbyterian Church.

Yvette Tuitt combines her experience in administration, finance, and facilities management with her love for congregations. She joined the church as Church Administrator in January of 2009. A native of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Yvette grew up in Chicago, Illinois. She earned a bachelor of science in Economics from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.

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Yvette is a Member of the Administrative Personnel Association of Presbyterian Churches (USA) and is the past National Treasurer of APA. She is an active member of New Life.

 

Her favorite pastimes are watching her son's sporting activities, traveling and reading. She is married and the mother of three sons.

Mayor William "Bill" Edwards was elected as the FIRST Mayor of the NEW City of
South Fulton on April 18, 2017, with a sixty percent majority vote. He was officially
sworn-in on April 29, 2017, before a standing room only audience of family, friends,
constituents and well-wishers. Being the leader that he is, he immediately hit the ground
running conducting the City’s first City Council meeting, the same day. During the
meeting, he approved the hiring of an Interim City Manager, City Clerk and Interim
County Attorney.

Mayor Edwards is no stranger to service. For fourteen years (2000 - 2014), he tirelessly
served the citizens of South Fulton as District 7 Commissioner, representing the residents
of unincorporated South Fulton and Southwest Fulton, College Park, East Point, Fairburn, Hapeville, Union City, Palmetto, Chattahoochee Hills and a portion of Southwest Atlanta.

Mayor Edwards always has the best interest of the community at heart and has been
dubbed the ultimate public servant. As such, he seeks to change the political landscape
of the area in which he serves through community involvement. As a resident of South
Fulton for over thirty years, he understands that in order to be an effective servant you
must be attuned to the needs and concerns of your constituents. Mayor Edwards listens
in order to serve.

On June 7, 2018, Mayor Edwards conducted the first “Mayor’s Walk” in the City of
South Fulton. The purpose of the walk is to introduce the community to administrative
leaders and identify key issues and concerns. Mayor Edwards also originated the first
“Don’t Be A Target” townhall meetings to bring awareness to citizens of the need for
vigilance in response to theft by motor vehicle.

 

Knowing that the strength of any community is its ability to identify growth and provide
necessary services, Mayor Edwards is persistent in ensuring that proper ordinances are in
place to accommodate this continued growth.

 

Mayor Edwards is determined to lead a government that works for everyone. Jobs, fiscal sustainability, children and public safety are always at the forefront of his agenda. He feels it is important that he collaborates with surrounding municipalities to discuss the challenges encountered in laying the groundwork in starting a new city.

 

Although much has been accomplished in the past eighteen months, Mayor Edwards feels
the true test of what our city will accomplish is still ahead. He recognizes that the
administration will not be able to accomplish anything notable alone. He and Council

continue to work in tandem to enact legislation necessary to establish the City of South
Fulton as a progressive and modern-day city.

Over the years, Mayor Edwards has been recognized for his many accomplishments in
South Fulton. Most recently he was recognized as the 2017 Man of Distinction by state
and federal elected officials, Dillard High School Alumni, and, family and friends, in Ft.
Lauderdale, Florida.

 

He is an illustrious member of the Morehouse College Class of 1972, Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity, Inc. and a 1980 graduate of Atlanta School of Law. He is also a member of
Cascade United Methodist Church.

 

Mayor Edwards is the proud father of three adult children, William Jr., Erika and
Johnishia, and the grandfather of Sierra, William III, Morgan and McKenzie, Jamiah,
Wesley, and Lillian.

Reverend Hodari Sadiki Williams is a next-generation preacher/theologian committed to keeping the culture of prophetic preaching alive. Reverend Williams' teaching and preaching inspire people to advocate for social, political and economic justice for the marginalized. His preaching challenges individuals to see Jesus as a social engineer who confronted his time's social, political and economic issues.

Reverend Williams has an extensive background in field organizing that stems as far as the continent of Africa. Reverend Williams' passion for social justice led him overseas in 2007 to Nairobi, Kenya, where he worked with the Noble Peace Prize Laureate Prof. Wangari Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement. The Green Belt Movement's mission is helping to enhance environmental conservation, community development, and capacity building in the central region of Kenya. As a part of the Economic Social Cultural Council (ECOSOC) Committee of the African Union, he was also responsible for developing partnerships between various organizations within the diaspora. Reverend Williams isa community activist and has organized and engaged in multiple demonstrations to promote social
justice.

Reverend Williams is a native of Lakewood, New Jersey, and a graduate of Francis Marion University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He is also a graduate of the Interdenominational Theological Center (Johnson C. Smith) in Atlanta, Georgia, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree. Reverend Williams is an alumnus of the Black Theology and Leadership Institute of Princeton Theological Seminary and Howard University School of Business Advanced Executive Leadership for Ministers.

Reverend Williams is a Ph. D. candidate in Depth Psychology with a concentration in Community, Liberation, Indigenous, and Ecopsychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbra, CA. He has served several congregations, including the First Afrikan Presbyterian Church of Lithonia, Georgia, Abundant Life Fellowship Church of Camden, South Carolina, and Elmwood United Presbyterian Church of West Orange, New Jersey.

 

Reverend Williams is the Pastor and Head of Staff at New Life Presbyterian Church. Reverend Williams is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., a member of Prince Hall Masonic Lodge #66, and co-director of the male mentoring group Omega 13, Inc., of which his father was a founder.
 

Reverend Williams is married to his college sweetheart and television personality, Nakell A. Williams of Summerton, SC, a Francis Marion University and Clark Atlanta University graduate. They are both the proud parents of Asad, Asim, and Asa Williams.

While at Fort Valley State College he earned a distinguished record in the academic community. He made the Dean’s List every quarter from 1989 to 1993; was named to the Honor’s Convocation from 1989 to 1993; named Greek with the Highest Grade Point Average in 1993; received the Ralph P. Malone Scholarship in 1990; was listed in the book “Who’s Who in America’s Colleges and Universities” in 1992; received the Blue Tip All-American Scholar Award in 1992. He was also selected to the Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society, and he is a lifetime member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated. In 1993, Torris graduated at top of his class as the Summa Cum Laude. While at the Mercer University School of Law, Attorney Butterfield was named by his classmates as “The Best Person to Represent You in a Criminal Case.”

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Torris is an experienced and highly successful litigator with many years of successful trial and appellate work. He has litigated literally hundreds of criminal cases since 1997. Several of his cases have been reported annals of the Supreme Court of Georgia and the Court of Appeals of Georgia. He is owner, president and CEO of The Law Offices of Torris J. Butterfield & Associates, P.C., which is a full service law firm Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice and Wrongful Death throughout the state of Georgia.

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Prior to going into private practice, Torris worked as a Senior Trial attorney for the Fulton County Public Defender’s Office, where he was engaged in the practice of Criminal Law. He was responsible as lead counsel for major felonies, multiple defendant and complex cases before the Fulton County Superior Court and the various appellate courts of Georgia. He was responsible for all aspects of major felony criminal defense including discovery, investigation, motions, witness interviews, trial and appeals.