Mia McDonald
Mia McDonald is a community builder and communications leader based in Atlanta, Georgia, with over a decade of experience in public affairs, strategic communications, and civic engagement. She holds a Master of Science in Management from Strayer University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Georgia State University, and she is known for her ability to translate complex government initiatives into clear, accessible messaging for the public. Her professional foundation is further strengthened by her long-standing involvement with the Public Relations Society of America, where she continues to engage with communications professionals and industry best practices.
Her career began unexpectedly through an internship with the City of Atlanta, where she discovered a passion for government communications and steadily advanced from intern to full-time roles across multiple municipalities. Throughout her career, she has served in key communications leadership positions with organizations including the City of Atlanta, the Clayton County Board of Commissioners, and currently the City of Douglasville, GA, where she leads community outreach, public engagement, and social media strategy. Her accomplishments include significantly increasing digital engagement, developing foundational branding efforts for local government, and managing large-scale community events that draw thousands of residents.
Beyond her municipal work, Mia is deeply committed to service, advocacy, and leadership development. She serves as Vice President of The Reigning Hope Foundation, Inc., supporting educational access and youth empowerment initiatives, and she actively participates in professional and community organizations focused on communications and leadership growth. Guided by a belief in meaningful connection between institutions and the people they serve, she is passionate about building trust, strengthening communities, and advancing equitable, people-centered public service through strategic communication.
• Marketing for Social Change
• Marketing Strategy: SEO Content Writing
• Developing Your Emotional Intelligence (2017)
• Excel 2016: Charts in Depth
• Excel Essential Training (Office 365)
• Learning Excel 2016
• Building Your Professional Network
• Strategic Planning Foundations
• Designing Growth Strategies
• Using the Time Value of Money to Make Financial Decisions
• Learning Data Visualization
• Setting Up Your Small Business as a Legal Entity
• Freelancing Foundations
• Understanding Copyright: A Deeper Dive
• Understanding Intellectual Property
• Creating and Giving Business Presentations
• Public Speaking Foundations
• Writing Email
• Strayer University - MS
• Public Relations Society of America Georgia Chapter
• The Network of Atlanta
• Douglas County Young Professionals
• Vice President of Raining Hope Foundation Incorporated
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to steadily working my way up from an internship, combined with persistence, hands-on experience, and a strong commitment to building meaningful community connections and professional networks.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Buckle up! Honestly, don't be afraid to stand up for yourself and be your own advocate, because no one's gonna champion for you the way that you would, so don't be afraid to speak up for yourself. And your loyalty is to yourself, so people might try to guilt you into having job loyalty, and there's nothing wrong with, of course, being with a company for X amount of years, however your loyalty is to yourself. So always investing in yourself and doing what's best for you, even if that doesn't look the best to others, but as long as it's well with you, and you did what's best for you, and you're not hurting anyone, like crime-wise, yeah, going and choosing you.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think the biggest opportunity would probably be passing the baton, but also bridging the gap. So, in communications, a lot of the times, people think that it's just, oh, I posted something, or I sent an email, and that's it, and there's way more to it than that. We're actual essential employees. So, a lot of the information that is communicated, people don't see the behind the scenes of us breaking it down from the technical or medical terms into everyday language or layman's terms, so everyone can understand it. But also, a lot of people in our field are boomers, and they have certainly paved the way, but they're also retiring, and within that leaving is that knowledge and those years of impact. So, it would be really important, or it is really important to me to learn as much as we can from them, so we can continue the excellence and the information. And as far as the public, just them seeing us as essential employees.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Definitely my faith. As I mentioned, I'm very involved with my church, and everything is God-centered. I always consult with God before I make any decisions, no matter how big or small. Respect is also essential - everyone deserves respect, whether you clean the building or you own it, you're still a human being. And grace, extending grace as well as receiving it. We don't know the ins and outs of everyone's lives. So just understanding that you may run into someone and they might be having the worst day of their lives, and that could be impacting or affecting how they're interacting with you, but not taking that personally. Really just leaving people better than you found them, so even if they're coming at you with a negative attitude, you just remain who you are, you maintain your character, and you be pleasant, because that might be the little bit of joy that they need.
Locations
City of Douglasville, GA
Fairburn, GA 30213