Georgia Governor-Elect Bottoms Names Tyler Perry as Co-Chair of Georgia's Promise Transition

Georgia governor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms announced her transition team, called Georgia's Promise, at a news conference on Friday, November 6, 2026, at the Georgia State Capitol. Filmmaker and media executive Tyler Perry will serve as a co-chair of the transition committee, joining leaders from business, housing, health and civic groups who will help Bottoms prepare to take office in January.

"Our transition will be called Georgia's Promise because the work of keeping our promises to Georgians starts now, well before Inauguration Day," Bottoms said.

Who will lead the work

Bottoms described Perry as an entertainment mogul who is also a huge philanthropic part of the Georgia community and owns Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. The other co-chairs are Home Depot founder Arthur Blank, former Walgreens Boots Alliance chief executive Roz Brewer, Carter Center board chair Jason Carter, affordable housing leader Carmen Chubb, Delta Air Lines executive Richard Cox, former state Representative Jane Kidd, civic nonprofit leader Michelle Nunn, retired corporate executive Vicki Palmer and former city equity official Rashad Taylor.

John King, a military veteran and former City of Atlanta chief operating officer, will serve as chief operating officer of Georgia's Promise. Bottoms said she has not yet announced the full list of agency heads, senior transition staff, policy leads or additional co-chairs, and that further announcements will roll out in coming days and weeks before the January inauguration.

A handover backed by Governor Kemp

Bottoms said she spoke with Governor Brian Kemp, who committed full administrative support to ensure an orderly transition. "I've spoken with Governor Kemp; we had a very good conversation. He has offered to provide whatever resources and support that he can to make this a smooth and orderly transition," she said, in remarks reported by USA TODAY.

The pledges Bottoms repeated

Bottoms pledged to eliminate the Georgia Pathways program to create broader affordable health care access. She pledged to prioritise criminal justice reform by funding statewide mental health diversion courts. She also emphasised monitoring floods across North Georgia and consulting experts on state data centers. Those are her stated pledges, reported as such, and the transition team will now work on the plans behind them.

The allegations against Perry, stated plainly

USA TODAY reported that the announcement comes as Perry faces controversy over multiple sexual assault allegations. Two actors who previously worked under Perry filed lawsuits seeking 77 million dollars and 260 million dollars in damages, accusing him of coercion, unwanted advances and retaliation. The allegations are allegations only. Perry has denied the allegations, calling one lawsuit a shakedown and a money grab.

What Bottoms brings to the office

Bottoms, 56, previously served as Atlanta mayor from 2018 to 2022 and later as a senior adviser in the Biden administration. Her election victory made her Georgia's first Black and first woman governor and ended Republicans' 24-year gubernatorial reign in the state. She is due to take office as Georgia's 84th governor in January 2027, and Friday's announcement was the first public step in building the administration that will take over then.