Pictured from left to right: Ms. Astra Armbrister-Rolle, Bahamas Consul General to Atlanta; His Excellency Sidney Collie, Bahamas Ambassador to the United States and Permanent Representative to the OAS; Ms. Marva Lewis, Chief of Staff to Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms; and Deputy Chief of Staff Winfield Ward Murray.
ATLANTA, Georgia — His Excellency Sidney Collie, Bahamas Ambassador to the United States and Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS), and Ms. Astra Armbrister-Rolle, Bahamas Consul General to Atlanta, recently paid a courtesy call on the office of Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, “where they met with Chief of Staff Marva Lewis and Deputy Chief of Staff” Winfield Ward Murray, according to a photograph posted on the Bahamas Atlanta Consulate Facebook page.
Ambassador Collie was in Atlanta as “special guest” of The Bahamas Consulate General for the first annual Bahamas Investment Exposé hosted by the Consulate General in partnership with the World Trade Center Atlanta on October 24.
As one of the top advisers to Mayor Lance Bottoms, who was sworn in as Atlanta’s new mayor on January 2 following her election victory in November, Chief of Staff Lewis provides advice and guidance to the Mayor on legislative and policy issues and serves as a liaison to the public and private sectors in fostering partnerships and the development of revenue generating initiatives.
“The Office of the Chief of Staff also provides supervision and policy direction over external affairs and international relations, constituents services, communications and human services, as well as special events and special projects,” according to the Mayor’s office website.
Prior to joining the city of Atlanta, Ms. Lewis served as Vice President of Human Resources for Cousins Properties. In that role, she developed and implemented all human capital strategies aligned to supporting the growth of the Cousins organization.
Before being appointed Deputy Chief of Staff on August 1, 2018, Mr. Winfield Ward Murray was the Associate General Counsel for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in Atlanta and, among other accomplishments, negotiated the largest settlement under the Fair Housing Act in Region IV within the last two decades.
“Prior to his current role, he served as Assistant City Attorney for the City of Atlanta and as an attorney in the Office of the Solicitor for the United States Department of Labor,” the Mayor Office website notes. “In addition to practicing law, Murray has served as a professor at his alma mater, Morehouse College, since 2012 – leading the moot court team and teaching constitutional law.”
