NWCDC 2019

DeShonda Howard
Workers’ Compensation Risk Manager
City of Atlanta


DeShonda Howard is the Workers’ Compensation Risk Manager of the City of Atlanta, GA. She is primarily responsible for managing the City’s Workers’ Compensation Program for 8,500 employees. While serving the City, her principal focus is, to bridge the gaps, and unify Safety and Risk Management, to mitigate accidents and injures throughout the City. Prior to taking on the risk management position, as the Workers’ Compensation Administrator, DeShonda created the first transitional return to work program for the Department of Public Works. DeShonda has an extensive claim background working with Chubb Insurance for 10 years, and Crawford and Company prior to that. After taking a mission trip to Africa and volunteering to assist in running a clinic in a local village, an appreciation for life and the freedom to do whatever one’s heart desired, emerged. Passion for people and the desire to assist in their development flourished. It was then DeShonda decided to broaden her career by moving into HR, receiving a B.A. in Human Resources from Mercer University. DeShonda has served in positions such as HR Supervisor, and Organization Safety and Risk Manager. She is an Ambassador for Mercer University and sits on the Board of Directors for The Georgia Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA).

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