About Mayor Johnson

Mayor Cavalier Johnson has led the City of Milwaukee since December 2021. He won Mayoral elections in 2022 and 2024 – both times by wide margins. He is the first African American elected Milwaukee Mayor.  

Mayor Cavalier Johnson has focused on data-driven, solutions-oriented governance, prioritizing public safety, fiscal stability, transportation, housing, jobs, and the well-being of Milwaukee residents. He is a proponent of growth – both in the population and the economy of Milwaukee.  

He serves as the United States co-chair of the Great Lakes Saint Lawrence Cities Initiative and is an active member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Mayor Cavalier Johnson is engaged in Democratic Party efforts and has been a featured speaker at a number of prominent events, including the 2024 Democratic National Convention.  

The Mayor lives on the city’s west side with his wife, Dominique, and their children – a son in high school and twin daughters in elementary school.  Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s commitment to public service began at an early age when he was selected by the YMCA to participate in a pre-college program for low-income Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) students. That program, Sponsor-A-Scholar, instilled in him a passion to make Milwaukee better for future generations.  

A proud MPS alumnus from kindergarten through high school, Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s childhood was spent in some of Milwaukee’s most historically disenfranchised neighborhoods. Growing up, his family moved frequently. Mayor Cavalier Johnson attended six different elementary schools. He has seen violence, evictions, and food insecurity – challenges common in urban poverty. He brings that lived experience to his work as Mayor.  

After graduating from Bay View High School, Mayor Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and returned home to work for the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board, now Employ Milwaukee. His focus included working with at-risk youth, youth entering the workforce for the first time, and adults retooling to enter the workforce.  

Before his 2016 election as 2nd District Alderman and 2020 election as Common Council President, he served as a staff assistant in the office of former Mayor Tom Barrett, where he worked with community and faith leaders to find creative solutions to pressing issues facing families.