Tricia Cotham
| Representative Tricia Cotham | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from the 100th district | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2007 | |
| Preceded by | James B. Black |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 26, 1978 |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Jerry Meek |
| Residence | Matthews, North Carolina |
| Occupation | Educator |
| Website | http://www.triciacotham.org |
Patricia (Tricia) Ann Cotham (born 1978) is a North Carolina K-12 educator and Democratic member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from the 100th House district (Mecklenburg County). In March 2007, she was appointed by Governor Mike Easley, upon the recommendation of local Democratic Party leaders, to replace state Representative James B. Black, who had resigned.
At 28 years old, Cotham became the youngest member of the 2007-2008 session of the state legislature and the youngest woman to ever serve in the NC House of Representatives.[citation needed] In her second term, Cotham was appointed to Co-Chair the House's K-12 Education subcommittee. Currently, she serves as Vice-Chair of the House Education Committee and as a member of the Education Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). She also represents North Carolina on the Southern Region Education Board, having been appointed by North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue.[citation needed]
Cotham is on leave as an Assistant Principal of Instruction in the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System. Prior to this leadership role, she was a social studies and AVID Teacher, teaching both middle and high school. In 2002, Cotham was honored as the Charlotte Mecklenburg Most Outstanding Teacher. In 2003, she was honored as “Teacher of the Year” in Mint Hill, NC.[citation needed]
Cotham served as a Trustee to the North Carolina Teacher Academy. In 2008, she was honored as UNC Chapel Hill's School of Education Young Alumna of the Year. The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) also honored Cotham as an "A+" Legislator.
Family
Cotham’s mother, Pat Cotham, is a member of the Democratic National Committee, having been elected in 2010. [1] Cotham's cousin, Emily Cain, also a Democrat, was elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2004 at age 24 as its youngest female member.[citation needed] Cain is the Minority Leader for the Maine House Democrats.
Cotham is married to Jerry Meek, partner at Poyner Spruill, LLP, and former North Carolina Democratic Party chairman. Cotham and Meek have one son.[2] Cotham lives in Matthews, NC.
References
- News & Observer: Black replacement will be youngest legislator
- Charlotte Observer: Educator chosen to fill Black's old seat
External links
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