Terry Tucker, a prominent voice in Atlanta’s nonprofit and for-profit worlds, has been named CEO of Families First.

Tucker, 42, is currently chief strategy officer and general counsel with the City of Refuge. He begins his new role with the Atlanta-based  in October.

“In the quest for CEO, we were thrilled to encounter Terry’s mix of creativity, passion, and respect for the power of data, all of which we expect to leverage to even greater impact on behalf of the children and families we serve,” Sunny Burrows, chairman of the board of Families First said in a statement.

Other reads:

The search for a successor to then CEO Kim Anderson began earlier this year.

Tucker admits he didn’t know a lot about the Atlanta nonprofit that promotes family self-sufficiency and helps provide stable homes for children through adoption and foster care.

“I’d heard about them,” he said. “When I started to dig in and see what hey did, it obviously struck a very personal chord for me.”

Tucker is the father of three adoptive sons.

“A big focus of the organization is changing the lives of children through adoption and foster care.”

He said a lot of agencies focus on placement. And, while it’s a big step, "it’s a first step. You have to be there until they can walk, run and fly by themselves.”

Tucker grew up  in Goshen, Ala., where a local Radio Shack manager  mentored him and taught the young Tucker about computers. By the age of 13, Tucker was teaching coding at the local technical college

About the Author

Keep Reading

Foo Fighters closed out Shaky Knees 2024 at Central Park with extended versions of their biggest hits. The indie rock festival has moved to Piedmont Park for this weekend's event. (Ryan Fleisher for the AJC)

Credit: Ryan Fleisher

Featured

In this file photo from October 2024, Atlanta Braves outfielder Jorge Soler and teammates react after losing to the San Diego Padres 5-4 in San Diego. The Braves and Soler, who now plays for the Los Angeles Angels, face a lawsuit by a fan injured at a 2021 World Series game at Truist Park in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com