Lakey Boyd brings a high energy approach to building and transforming community. With more than 20 years of experience in community economic development and urban planning, Lakey’s background spans private, public and non-profit work. In addition to her work with large organizations, she founded and managed two firms. As a consultant, she worked on more than 90 projects in more than 50 cities in 12 states. She led community and neighborhood plans and strategies, spearheaded economic development initiatives, piloted and grew programs and assessed market dynamics around redevelopment. Lakey has also served with nonprofits to operationalize strategies, engage stakeholders and restructure operations to deliver on their
priorities.
When she was recruited into local government to focus on strategy and innovation, Lakey was charged with creating new, equitable and modern systems. She served as a project manager for large-scale initiatives, public-private partnerships and special projects, all of which were focused
on the future and transformative community change.
Lakey’s personal background has driven her to level the playing field for ALL people. She uses that lens when working alongside community members aspiring to change outcomes for their families, friends and neighbors. Valuing and integrating diverse perspectives has always strengthened and enhanced her work, particularly around change management.
Lakey has been selected to speak at national events and has served as a volunteer expert and advisor for AIA, APA, IEDC and ULI panels, as well as Knight Foundation Community Team visits across the country. Lakey previously served as a national trainer for Urban Land Institute’s UrbanPlan program, delivering training for approximately 300 senior-level volunteers in nine states.
Lakey holds professional certifications from American Institute of Certified Planners and International Economic Development Council. She is also a certified Scrum Master, Scrum Product Owner, and Lean Change Agent. Lakey earned her Masters of City Planning from Georgia Tech, with a dual specialization in both Economic Development and Land Development. She obtained a graduate certificate in Real Estate from Georgia State University’s
MBA program and received her Bachelor of Science in Urban Studies from Georgia State University.
Lakey purposefully chose her family’s relocation to Columbia based on the shared values of this community’s past, present and future.