The Troup County Board of Commissioners announced on Tuesday plans to welcome Erin L. Johnson as the new county planner, effective Wednesday.

Before being hired, Johnson served as an affordable housing policy analyst and tax credit underwriter at the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, where she conducted policy research and plan drafting duties related to consolidated planning programs.

She also served as a project manager for the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham, where she was responsible for compliance, procurement, grant management and grant activity reporting to United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

As county planner, Johnson will be responsible for preparing and updating comprehensive plans; conducting studies and developing housing, transportation, economic development and other plans; and preparing grant applications, population estimates, and other demographic reports, including Census updates, etc.

According to the press release, she is looking forward to beginning the role as county planner and is excited to immerse herself into the local community.

“I am very excited for the opportunity to engage with the community in a holistic way,” Johnson said.

Johnson graduated from Tuskegee University with a bachelor of arts degree in history. She also acquired a juris doctor degree with a public interest law certificate from the University of Alabama School of Law, as well as a master of city and regional planning degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

“With her extensive education and relevant experience in comprehensive planning, she will make a superb asset to the community development of Troup County,” a news release from Troup County said.

Johnson currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia with plans to relocate to Troup County in the future. She has two dogs, Carver and Jinji, and enjoys reading, hiking and kayaking.