Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Jesslan Wilson serves as the Shelby County deputy county manager, working alongside Chad Scroggins, at the Shelby County Commission Office in Columbiana.
Jesslan Wilson, the new deputy county manager for Shelby County, started her job on May 6. The U.S. 280 resident sat down with 280 Living to answer questions about her role at the county.
Q: Where are you originally from, and what do you enjoy about living where you are now?
A: I grew up in a small, rural town called Sylvania, located in DeKalb County in Northeast Alabama. It’s about 25 minutes north of Fort Payne, the county seat, and I lived there my entire childhood. It was a great place to grow up, and I’m grateful for my small-town upbringing — I think it taught me a lot and really shaped my perspectives about the importance of economic and community development. In addition, my dad is actually the county administrator for DeKalb County and has served in that role for years, so I was raised around county government. I think both his role and growing up where I did have had a significant impact on shaping my passion and interest in having a career in public service.
After graduating from Jacksonville State University, my husband and I moved to the Birmingham area. I attended UAB for my master’s degree program, and we ended up settling in Trussville. I recently moved to Shelby County off Highway 280, and it has been a great place to land. My favorite part so far has been how close I am to outdoor assets like Oak Mountain State Park and Double Oak Park.
Q: What role were you in before, and what brought you to your current position?
A: Before working for the county, I worked at the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB) as the director of economic development. The RPCGB is a regional council of government that serves six counties in the Greater Birmingham area, and I had the opportunity to work with many cities and towns in Shelby County in that capacity. My role at RPCGB was primarily focused on assisting communities to prepare and plan for economic development projects, and one of the factors that interested me about this position was the opportunity to work on and implement projects on a local level.
Q: What’s your favorite part about the new job?
A: Honestly, my favorite part of the job so far has been the people. Shelby County has incredible staff, officials and partners who are dedicated to making the lives of residents better, and that has been energizing for me since my first day. I feel very honored and excited to be a part of the team here. Another part of the job I’ve enjoyed so far is how engaging working in local government is — there are so many facets to the county’s operations, and it’s been a lot of fun learning about how everything interconnects.
Q: What has been an adjustment in the new role?
A: I think the biggest learning curve for me so far has been gaining an in-depth understanding of the county operations I mentioned earlier. The county has so many different aspects to it, and, though I have learned a lot already, I’m sure I’ve only scratched the surface in my first couple of months here.
Q: What goals do you hope to accomplish in your new role?
A: My primary goal for now is being dedicated to learning as much as I can about the county and our operations so I can serve our residents and contribute to our team to the best of my ability.
Q: What impact does the growth in Shelby County have on what you do?
A: I think the continued growth in the county comes with opportunities. The county has really been forward thinking in preparing and planning for the county’s growth, both in terms of population and business development. A part of my role will be working with our team and partners to evaluate and implement strategies that scale the county for this growth, and I’m excited to be a part of that process.
