State Representative Amy Carter (R-Valdosta) announced her resignation, effective December 31, 2017, from the Georgia House of Representatives. She was first elected as her district’s first female representative in the House of Representatives in 2006.

Rep. Carter will assume her new role as Executive Director of Advancement at the Technical College System of Georgia.

Currently, she represents House District 175, which includes Brooks County as well as portions of Lowndes and Thomas counties. As a member of the House leadership team, Rep. Carter chairs the Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government.

“It has been an absolute honor to serve my district as a state legislator for the past 11 years, and I am forever grateful to my constituents for entrusting me to represent them,” said Rep. Carter. “I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside what I consider the greatest delegation in the state, and I am proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish as a team.”

As a classroom teacher for more than 20 years, Rep. Carter has devoted herself to educating and empowering students.

“Representative Carter has been an invaluable asset to the House of Representatives, and we will certainly miss her insight and leadership,” said Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge). “Without a doubt, her work in the classroom brought a fresh perspective to the House of Representatives, and I know her students will equally miss her leadership. She is truly a champion for education, and the role she is assuming will allow her to continue touching the lives of students at an even greater level, which will ultimately build a better Georgia for us all.”

Rep. Carter added, “Impacting the lives of students on the classroom level has been an incredible experience. While leaving the classroom and my legislative position was an extremely difficult decision to make, I will now have the opportunity to extend that impact to more than 130,000 TCSG students across our state.”

Throughout her service in the state legislature, Carter has made several notable accomplishments, which have made monumental impacts on both the community and state.  For example, she played a crucial role in securing funding for Valdosta State University’s construction of the Health Sciences and Business Administration building. In addition, she was the lead sponsor of the Music Investment Act of 2017, as well as the chair of the Governor’s Teacher Advisory Commission of 2016 and a working member of the Georgia HOPE scholarship and grant revision. She also served as Governor Nathan Deal’s House Floor Leader.

In recognition of her positive impact on education in Georgia, Rep. Carter has received numerous awards including Lowndes County Schools’ Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award, the Georgia Association for Career and Technical Educators Legislator of the Year Award, and Georgia School Counselors Association Legislator of the Year Award.

Representative Carter also participates in multiple community service organizations and has been recognized for her service through several civic awards.  In 2012, she received the Loyce W. Turner Public Service Award and an Above and Beyond Award from 4-H in honor of her support of youth development education.   In addition, she was named Valdosta’s Woman of the Year in 2002 and Brooks County’s Woman of the Year in 2014. She also received the Liberty Bell Award from the Valdosta Bar Association, the Mac McLane Award from Leadership Lowndes, and holds an honorary state FFA degree. In 2013, Rep. Carter received the high honor of being named one of only four “Power Women” in the state by Georgia Trend Magazine.

Rep. Carter is an alumni of Leadership Lowndes, Leadership Georgia, Valdosta Junior Service League, First Lady’s Children’s Cabinet, and the Valdosta-North Rotary Club. Upon resignation, she noted she looks forward to continuing participation in her community.  “Even though my work will be statewide, I will continue to reside in South Georgia,” she stated. “This is where my home and my heart are located.”