About Commissioner Gaines

A native of Albany and Dougherty County, Gloria Gaines is currently serving her ninth year on the Dougherty County Board of Commissioners in District 5 and chairs the Commission’s Intergovernmental Affairs Committee.

During her tenure, Gaines has worked to expand the Robert Cross Park facility, remove several dilapidated structures and install more street lights in District 5. She has also represented Dougherty County on the Association of County Commissions in Georgia’s (ACCG) Policy Council, advocating for favorable legislation affecting Georgia counties. Representing Dougherty County for five years on the Southwest Georgia Regional Council, Gaines has also served on the Dougherty County team responsible for negotiating the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) with the City of Albany. In addition, she serves as a representative on the joint Dougherty County/School Board team that developed the 2012 redistricting plan.

Prior to her work in Dougherty County, Gaines worked as an Assistant General Manager for MARTA in Atlanta. She also worked for Atkins Engineering for 10 years as Director of Business Development. In her years in the Atlanta area, she served on the Fulton County Smart Growth Commission and worked with an international planning and architecture firm planning university campuses in Africa.

As part of the executive team at MARTA, Gaines developed and managed an annual budget of approximately $1 billion, with assets over $4 billion. She was responsible for launching a multi-million dollar partnership with an Atlanta developer to develop the mixed use City Center in Buckhead.

Gaines currently serves on Albany-Dougherty EDC’s Renewal Task Force and on the Racial Healing Advisory Committee of the Southwest Georgia Project. In past years, she has worked with now Congressman John Lewis to register voters throughout the Southeastern United States and provide assistance to elected officials. She has also served as Clerk (chair) of the Southeastern American Friends Service Committee, as well as the Vice President of the Mainstreet Neighborhood Association and on the Executive Committee of the DeKalb NAACP.

A graduate of Monroe High School, Gaines holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Albany State University and a master’s degree in Community Development (City Planning) from Georgia State University. She is a graduate of the Class of 1999 of the Atlanta Regional Leadership Institute, as well as other awards and educational initiatives she has completed.

Commissioner Gaines



Commissioner Gloria Gaines

PO Box 1827

Albany, GA 31702

Office: 229-431-2121 x0

Home: 229-436-4145

[email protected]