The honorable Julia Antoinette Nelson is the mayor of her native hometown Manning, South Carolina.
Mayor Nelson is a graduate of Manning High School, and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from South Carolina State University, a Master of Public Administration degree with a concentration in Health Care Administration from Troy University along with doctorate studies in Human Services from Capella University. She has done further studies and gained leadership credentials as a graduate of Clemson University Leadership South Carolina, Furman University’s Riley Diversity Leadership Institute, South Carolina Municipal Association Elected Officials Institute, South Carolina Department of Commerce Economic Development Program and Retail Economic Development from Retail Strategies in Montgomery, Alabama.
In July 2011, Nelson was elected Mayor of Manning, the first African American female to ever serve in this position. She has served with accountability and transparency in community initiatives including public and private organizations. She is currently up for re-election for her 3rd full-term as mayor.
She has previously held positions of employment with Santee-Lynches Regional Council of Governments, Clarendon County Auditor’s Office, Clarendon County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center, Manning Health Clinic and the South Carolina and Clarendon County Department of Social Services. She currently serves as the Past President the Manning Rotary Club, Chairman of Santee-Lynches Regional Council of Governments Board and President of the South Carolina Councils of Governments.
Mayor Nelson previously served as vice-chair of Summerton Planning and Zoning Commission, Salvation Army of Sumter and board member of Clarendon County School District Two Board of Trustees. She is past 1st vice-chair of Clarendon County Democratic Party, and was elected delegate for the 6th Congressional District for 2008, 2012 and 2016 Democratic National Committee.
In addition to her public service as Mayor of Manning, she also has served as executive director for Sumter County First Steps Partnership since 2003.
Mayor Nelson enjoys photography, cooking, reading, visiting historical sites and spending time with her 21-year-old son, Nelson. She is the daughter of the late Ervin Nelson, Jr. and the late Edna Mae Taylor Nelson.