Isabell Boyd describes herself as a community leader. Her position as the mayor of the City of Brundidge is merely an extension of her leadership role.

Boyd has always had a servant’s heart.

When she was a high school junior at Hillcrest High School in Brundidge, Boyd expressed, in a civics class assignment, her desire to serve on the city commission – to serve the people of Brundidge.

“I’ve always wanted to be out there for my community,” she said. “I’ve always been a giving person. What I do, I do from the heart.”

Boyd grew up in the Shiloh community just outside Brundidge. She attended Pike County Training School before moving to Michigan with her mother for a couple of years. She came back “home” and graduated from Hillcrest High School and attended Alabama State College.

Boyd is the director of medical records at East Central Mental Health, a career that has spanned 41 years, and counting.

She has served the Brundidge community in a variety of ways from an officer in the PTA and  civic organizations to the Brundidge City Council where she served for 23 years before losing her District 5 seat in 2008.

“That defeat tore me down for a while but then I bounced back,” Boyd said. “I looked at the defeat as just a stumbling block and that I would move forward from there and move higher.”

Boyd’s decision to run for the mayor’s office in 2016 was made with thoughtful consideration and strong urging from family members.

“At one point, I considered running for the council in District 5,” she said. “People were telling me that I could win that. But my granddaughter and a cousin encouraged me not to look back, to press forward and I did. I chose to run for mayor of Brundidge.”

Boyd won the election in a runoff and she was committed to continuing to lead the town of 2,000 in a positive direction.

“My commitment was to weigh in on each decision so that every decision would be a positive one for the community,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed being back in city government and as the city’s mayor. I’ve already learned a lot  and I’m continuing to learn. I’m working hard to gain the confidence and trust of all our people.

“We have a community of caring individuals that love and respect each other. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have undesirable behavior in Brundidge. But the good far outweighs  the negative.”

Boyd said she has adapted to her new role in city government and willingly and gratefully accepts the challenges of  leadership.

“I’m working hard and I continually pray that we will have a peaceful and successful year,” she said.

“If we work together and truly care about each other and our community, my prayers will be answered.”