David Manuel is a celebrated who’s who in Georgia and for good reason. A graduate ofthe Atlanta College of Arts with a BFA in Advertising and Design,David has masterfullyused his talent, networkand expertise to bridge different cultures together using art as avehicle. Manuel is a champion of the arts, a compassionate community activist, andself-published author of I Am a Father and I Am a Mother books. Formerly the Directorof Community Relations at the Woodruff Arts Center and Deputy Director of Parks,Recreation & Cultural Affairs for Dekalb County; David now serves as the Fulton CountyArts & Culture Director. Manuel brings a diverse range of programming and creativeideas to the region. Hisvision for the county is that it will lead the nation as a place forcreatives to continue to explore endless possibilities. Manuel overseesanArt Center,Public Art Division, Fulton Government TV,Community PartnershipsDivision, and theContract for Service Division which awarded $3 million in arts funding to 190 artists andarts organizations in 2023and $3.25 million in 2024. He sits on many boards and haspartnered with companies such as Turner Broadcasting and HBO, just to name a few.Manuel is the founder of the I Am a Father Initiative, Promoting Strengthening familiesand Organ Donor Awareness.In 2015 he created the first of its kind, the I Am a Father 5k Run/Walk. In its10th year,David has successfully galvanized communities to focus on strengthening families onemile at a time.In 2013 David won the Non-Profit Executive of the Year from Regions FinancialCorporation; was selected as the 2014 Voice of Influence from CBS Radio, namedPositively Georgia by CBS46 News in 2015, received the Community Service Awardfrom the NAACP, LUMM (LetUs Make Man) and Arby’s corporation. In 2017 David wasrecognized by Life Link of America in the 2017 Organ Transplant Calendar.In2023David wasthePVIFF(Peachtree Village International Film Festival)Tommy Ford AwardWinner.In2023underDavid’sleadership,bothF.A.C.E. (Fashion, Art, Culture, and Education)and Futures Lab initiativeswonNACo’s(National Association of Counties)Best inCategory awards.In2024he received theRoyal Arts Charity Arts and CultureRenaissance Man and Visionary Award.Also in 2024,David wasnamed toNACo’s Artsand Culture Commission.Personally speaking, while he spends most of his time working in the community, Davidis a certified mentor for the Georgia Transplant Foundation. As a liver transplantrecipient, he believes the way to show gratitude for having a second chance is byeducating and registering others to become organ donors, thereby giving the mostprecious gift ever, “the gift of life.” David resides in the DeKalb area with his wife Karren,and is the proud father of three, Branden, Blake, and Kaitlyn.