City of Savannah Announces New Sustainability Office and Fire Chief

City of Savannah Announces New Sustainability Officer and Assistant Fire Chief

SAVANNAH – The City of Savannah has hired Nylah Oliver to serve as the new Sustainability Officer leading the Office of Environmental Services and Sustainability and has promoted Nicholas Earley as Assistant Fire Chief-Shift Commander of the Savannah Fire Department (SFD).  

Oliver brings nearly a decade of experience advancing sustainability strategy, social impact initiatives, community resilience, and corporate responsibility to the City. She previously served as the Head of Social Responsibility at The Promise Homes Company, where she led cross-functional sustainability and social impact projects across a 600-unit housing portfolio. 

In prior roles at Jones Lang LaSalle, United Parcel Service, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Wells Fargo, Oliver conducted research, developed stakeholder engagement strategies, advanced supplier diversity programs, and contributed to international Environmental, Social, and Governance reporting standards. 

Oliver holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a minor in anthropology from the University of Georgia and a Master of Public Administration in Urban Planning and Economic Development from Georgia State University.  

Earley brings 20 years of dedicated service and a strong record of operational leadership to SFD’s command staff. He began his fire service career in 2005 as an Advanced Firefighter and rose through the ranks, serving as Fire Engineer, Fire Captain, and most recently, Battalion Chief since 2020.  

In addition to his command experience, Earley has demonstrated specialized leadership through his service on SFD’s technical rescue team, where he supported complex rescue operations requiring advanced technical skills. He also played a key role on the City’s incident management team, helping coordinate emergency response during multiple hurricane events. 

Earley holds a bachelor’s degree in fire science and a Master of Public Administration, with a concentration in emergency services management. His leadership training includes the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) designation through the Center of Public Safety Excellence, Fire Officer IV certification, and graduation from the City of Savannah’s Management Development Program.