Meet Lorraine
Lorraine Cochran-Johnson
Lorraine Cochran-Johnson is originally from Greenville, Alabama and a twenty-five-year DeKalb County, Georgia resident. Lorraine attended Troy University where she received a B.S. degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice; a M.S. in The Administration of Criminal Justice and received an M.P.A. in Public Administration with a concentration in Economic Development and Grant Writing from Auburn University before attending John Marshall Law School. Lorraine holds a business certificate from Harvard University in Delivering Public Services: Efficiency, Equity and Quality. Lorraine has over two decades of experience in print media, mass communications, and management. A seasoned grant writer, Lorraine has developed state and federal proposals resulting in the procurement of millions in CDBG funding for state and local entities through the Auburn University Economic Development Institute.
Lorraine strongly supports public education and is a past PTA president of Pine Ridge Elementary, Chapel Hill Middle School, and Martin Luther King, Jr. High School. As the former Super District 7 Commissioner Lorraine has donated over $1 million in discretionary funds to support public education and youth programs, while donating $250,000 in 2020 for COVID relief to ensure the safety of educators and students. As the former moderator of DeKalb’s PDS-24 television show Engagement Now, Lorraine worked with show producers to develop content crafted around issues relevant to modern education. Lorraine was the Parent Council President for Agnes Scott College in 2021-2022, where she served as the official parental ambassador of the college. Lorraine strongly supports positive initiatives in economic development, public safety, and home ownership.
As a professional, Lorraine spent over a decade at Creative Loafing Newspaper. An entrepreneur, Lorraine founded Salons Unlimited Magazine, a publication that started with 5,000 print issues in Atlanta and grew to a 56,000 circulation in 31 U.S. cities in three years before being sold in 2010. In 2009, Lorraine became a founding member of United Front Media, a premiere film and visual media company specializing in content development where she produced commercials for the City of Atlanta, MARTA, KIA and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. In 2015, Lorraine joined Real Times Media as the General Manager of the Atlanta Daily World Newspaper and Associate Publisher of Who’s Who In Black Atlanta. She was the VP of Business Development for RTM Properties – AtlantaDailyWorld.com and Atlanta Tribune: The Magazine, before resigning to pursue public service full-time during her 2018 campaign.
Lorraine was elected DeKalb County Commissioner of Super District 7 in 2018 and proudly serves over 780,000 residents. She spearheaded the Boxed Store Ordinance requiring mandatory distance requirements to stop the proliferation of Family Dollar, Dollar Tree, and Dollar General in DeKalb County – now used in nine states. She is the author of the DeKalb Video Surveillance System Ordinance requiring mandatory video surveillance at gas and service stations. She is the founder and visionary of EMBARC Youth Farm, a $10 million urban farming project that incorporates hydroponics, green house growing, bee farming, a hen house and entrepreneurship activities to connect youth and community to nature to ensure healthy living.
As the Chair of Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, Lorraine has successfully allocated over $1.4 billion in revenue – the highest dollar amount overseen in the history of DeKalb County through any standing committee leader. She has required mandatory audit of all contracts above $3 million resulting over $92 million in revenue savings to DeKalb County taxpayers and is the 2023 Elected Official of the Year by the American Public Works Association; the 2023 Champion of Housing by Georgia ACT; and is a recipient of The Lifetime Achievement Award by President Joe Biden in 2024.
Lorraine made history on June 18th when she received a majority vote in 174 out of 191 voting precincts to garner 60% of the vote to become the first Black woman elected CEO in DeKalb County, Georgia in a runoff election.