DJJ Deputy Commissioner Cawood Served as Panelist for Trailblazing Women Leading in Government

Coinciding with International Women’s Day, the Atlanta chapter of Young Government Leaders sponsored a panel entitled “Trailblazing Women Leading in Government” at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library. Margaret Cawood, Deputy Commissioner of the Division of Support Services for the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), served as a panelist. The mission of Young Government Leaders is to educate, inspire and transform future government leaders in the Atlanta area.

The goal of the discussion was to bring together female leaders in public service to discuss issues around gender parity in government. Cawood and her fellow panelists highlighted topics such as leadership development, work-life balance, mentorships and support networks.

“Take responsibility for your own leadership development both within and outside of your organization. Look for opportunities to work on projects with people you admire, who you can learn from and who have strong skill sets,” Cawood told attendees. “Over the years, I have coached and supervised many younger leaders and it is always rewarding to see them progress in their careers.”

Mrs. Cawood’s career has been in public service and she is a long-time advocate for obtaining needed medical and mental health services for youth in Georgia. As a DJJ Deputy Commissioner, she oversees the agency’s Office of Behavioral Health Services, the Office of Classification and Transportation, the Office of Health Services and the Office of Nutrition and Food Services. She began her career with DJJ in 2000 as the Assistant Regional Director for Northwest Georgia and was sequentially promoted to District Director and then Regional Administrator.

In 2008, Mrs. Cawood successfully applied and implemented a federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration System of Care Grant to develop an integrated system of services and supports for juveniles with mental health needs. In 2014, she served as the Assistant Deputy Commissioner of the Division of Support Services before being appointed to her current position in February 2017. Before joining DJJ, she served on the Lookout Mountain Community Service Board to provide needed child and adolescent community-based services in Northwest Georgia.

Other panelists included Dr. Meredith Evans, Director of the Carter Presidential Library, the Honorable Judge Jessy Lall, Magistrate Judge for Fulton County, and Anne Torres, Director of Communications for the City of Atlanta. The discussion was moderated by Carlis V. Williams, Southeast Regional Administrator, Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. Currently, women hold around one-third of senior leadership positions in federal, state and local government.