Lifelong Richmond resident. Human Resources Director. Community leader. Ready to serve as your next Mayor.

Rooted in Richmond

Ahmad Anderson was born and raised in Richmond. This city — its resilience and its diversity — shaped who he is. He has watched Richmond through its hardest moments and its greatest triumphs, and he has spent his career fighting to make it a better place for every family that calls it home.

That kind of lived experience can't be manufactured. Ahmad knows Richmond’s streets, its neighborhoods, and its people. He has spent more than 55 years in the Laurel Park neighborhood. He learned to play drums at the Booker T. Anderson, Jr. Community Center (named after his father, a civil rights leader, minister, and former Mayor of Richmond). He attended Stege Elementary School and learned to swim at the Richmond Plunge. 

Today he is still deeply embedded in the community — serving as a block captain in Laurel Park, as an honorary member of the East Shore Park Neighborhood Council, as a board member at Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California, and as chair of the data committee for the city's Racial Equity Task Force.

"I was born and raised here. This city, its resilience and its diversity shaped me. I understand Richmond, and I will bring both leadership and lived experience to the office." - Ahmad

A Life Dedicated to Public Service

Public service is in Ahmad's blood. His father, Rev. Booker T. Anderson, Jr., served on the Richmond City Council from 1969 to 1975, and served as mayor. His mother, Irma L. Anderson, served as a City Councilmember for eight years and then mayor — becoming the first Black female mayor of a major city in California. Both of them taught Ahmad a deep commitment to social justice and service to others.

Ahmad has built a career dedicated to improving people's lives. As a Human Resources Director, he has spent years developing the systems, processes, and culture that allow organizations — and the people within them — to thrive. That expertise translates directly to running a City Hall that is responsive, accountable, and effective.

He served as Chair of the Richmond Economic Development Commission and Chair of the Richmond NAACP Economic Development Committee, where he learned firsthand what it takes to attract businesses, create local jobs, and build an economy that works for working families — not just the well-connected few.

Private Sector Experience Creating Jobs

 In his professional life, Ahmad has worked as a Human Resources Director at an international company that employs 380,000 people. He knows how to create a workforce that is affirming and accountable, precisely the kind of expertise needed to guide Richmond toward sustainable budgeting.

Ahmad has also served as a leader at large nonprofit organizations like Goodwill Industries. He brings extensive experience as a regional workforce director, manager of complex projects, budget management, diversity training, human resources, healthcare, and strategic planning. He solves tough problems through teamwork, collaboration, and engagement.

He has also served our community on numerous commissions and regularly works with Richmond’s assorted neighborhood councils to ensure that their concerns are heard and acted upon.

A graduate of UC Berkeley, Ahmad is in the Cal Athletics Hall of Fame for authoring the “Bear Territory” chant, and he continues to work as a recruiter to help young people know abou the opportunities available to them with a college degree.

40+ Years of Experience Serving Our Community:
  • Director of People & Culture, Gardens of Golden Gate Park 2022-present
  • Director of People & Culture, SFJAZZ 2021-2022
  • Chair, City of Richmond Economic Development Commission, 2021-2023
  • Vice President (1985-1987) and Economic Development Committee Chair (2021-2022), Richmond NAACP
  • Co-Chair, University of California, Berkeley Achievement Awards 2022-2024
  • Board of Directors, University of California Alumni Association, 2022-Present
  • Board of Directors, Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California, 2023-Present
  • Board Member, Saint Mary’s College Preparatory High School Black Alumni Association
  • Former Board of Directors, Richmond Chamber of Commerce
  • Former Board Member, West Contra Costa Child Care Council
  • Former Board Member, West Contra Costa Youth Services Bureau
  • Former Board Member, Habitot Children’s Museum
  • Former Interim General Manager and Consultant on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, KPFA
  • Former Director of Human Resources, National Pacifica Foundation
  • Vice President, Oakland Rotary Endowment , 2020-2022
  • Cal Athletics Hall of Fame Honoree, 2022 (Author of “Bear Territory” Football Chant)