Johnson County Supervisors select Royceann Porter as next chairperson

IOWA CITY — The Johnson County Board of Supervisors unanimously selected Supervisor Royceann Porter as the next board chair during an organizational meeting Monday.

The board also unanimously selected Lisa Green-Douglass to serve as vice chair.

Porter is the first African American to serve as chairperson of the board since the county was established in 1837, according to a county news release.

“I am excited and honored to be elected chair of the Board of Supervisors for 2022,” Porter said in a statement. “The last few years have been challenging for everyone, but I look forward to the next year as we — the Board, along with all elected officials, department heads and employees — continue to work together to improve the lives of all people in Johnson County.”

Porter has served on the board since 2018 and was re-elected in 2020. She served as vice chair of the board last year.

Porter is a longtime community leader and advocate who has worked on mental health services, affordable housing, workers’ rights, restorative justice and opportunities for youth. She also has served on the Iowa City Community Police Review Board. Porter has a degree in social work from Kirkwood Community College.

Green-Douglass was elected to the board during a special election in January 2016. She was re-elected to a full four-year term in November 2016 and again in November 2020.

Green-Douglass, who has a Ph.D. in Spanish from the University of Iowa, has taught at the university, Clear Creek Amana High School and Cornell College in Mount Vernon. Before being elected to the board, she worked as a Spanish-language trainer.

The chair and vice chair positions last for one year.

Work sessions for the board will continue to be held at 9 a.m. Wednesdays. Formal meetings will continue to be held at 9 a.m. Thursdays, except for the second Thursday of each month when the formal meetings will begin at 5:30 p.m.

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