Meet Teresa Wilson, an energetic City Manager at the forefront of transforming Columbia, South Carolina, into the best-kept secret turned ultimate place to live, work, and play. As a municipal trailblazer, Wilson leads the executive team for the capital city, driving daily growth and development.

Focused on elevating the city’s operations, Wilson tirelessly addresses resident needs, emphasizing public safety and economic development initiatives. A proven leader, she collaborates with the business community, catalyzing projects for future economic growth.

Wilson’s commitment to enhancing Columbia’s quality of life is evident, from leadership in police department transformation to merging code enforcement operations for cleaner, safer communities. Strategic hires, like the city’s first Chief Financial Officer, earned awards for fiscal excellence.

Championing community development, Wilson fuels new home construction, offering competitive loans to new homeowners, fostering neighborhood renewal. Balancing priorities, she actively engages with citizens, attending meetings, speaking at functions, and mentoring youth, embodying hands-on leadership.

During crises like the historic 2015 flood and the challenges posed by COVID-19, Wilson’s unwavering commitment to citizens and employees shines. Encouraging strategic planning aligned with City Council goals, she is also the incoming President of the SC City and County Management Association.

Wilson, a Senior Executive Institute graduate, Liberty Fellow, and Riley Fellow, boasts a remarkable list of accolades, including “Top 20 Under 40” Business Professional, “50 Most Influential People,” and “Top Women of Influence.” She is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Steve and Teresa H. Wilson and the proud mother of Teresa Alexandria Florence, a junior at the University of South Carolina Honors College.