Doris Powell

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Doris Powell (born c. 1940 in Birmingham; died April 13, 2011 in Birmingham) is a former television producer and legislative aide. She was also chair of the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority and president of the Fountain Heights neighborhood association.

Powell grew up in Birmingham and graduated from Ullman High School in 1958. She enlisted in the U. S. Army and served three years on active duty and three years in the Army Reserve. She attended the State University of New York in Albany on the G. I. Bill and completed a degree in business administration and finance.

Powell worked as a producer for NBC's "Saturday Night Live" in New York and later worked as a legislative aide for Brooklyn's 56th Assembly District.

She returned to Birmingham in 1994 after the death of her father and soon became active in the Fountain Heights neighborhood by helping organize a neighborhood watch program. She narrowly lost in the 2000 campaign for neighborhood president, but won the seat in the 2002 Birmingham neighborhood elections and was re-elected three times. Her leadership was integral in the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District's development of subsidized single-family homes in Fountain Heights.

Powell, a vocal advocate for public transportation, was appointed to the BJCTA in 2004 and became chair in 2005. She has also been a board member at Operation New Birmingham, a committee chair for the Metropolitan Planning Organization, and a member of the Mayor's Commission to Prevent and End Chronic Homelessness.

Powell collapsed and died at Fountain Heights Park during a busy day of meetings.

References

  • Gray, Jeremy (April 13, 2011) "Fountain Heights neighborhood, Transit Authority leader Doris Powell has died." Birmingham News
  • Howell, Vickii (April 14, 2011) "A Hole in Our Community-Missing Doris Powell" Birmingham View