Documents

Aaron Lowe is an experienced political professional with a background in communications, fundraising, operations, and organizing in campaigns and government. He currently serves on the staff of Emanuel “Chris” Welch, the first African American Speaker of the House in the history of Illinois, where he works to develop, execute, and communicate legislative agendas and initiatives for the Speaker and members of the Democratic majority in the Illinois House of Representatives.

I am honored to serve as Parliamentarian for the AALSCC. I appreciate the opportunity to be involved, even while being a new member. I look forward to assisting the members of the committee with interpretation and adherence to procedural and parliamentary rules and assisting with facilitation of meetings and adherence to proper decorum. I am looking forward to seeing all of you in person! Amie is the Legislative Policy and Research Office Analyst/ Committee Counsel in Oregon.

In 2008, Andrea followed her family and moved to Champaign-Urbana Illinois where she worked in retail, and in health care. Since living in Champaign-Urbana, Andrea has found a community that is passionate about social change.  In December of 2018, Andrea was hired as a Legislative Aid for State Representative Carol Ammons’ district office. Andrea has served the 103rd district beside the representative for over a year and a half. Andrea considers this the beginning of her dream career because she has always taken an interest in politics, public policy, and constituent concerns. She loves helping the constituents of the 103rd build a stronger relationship with their State Rep.  Andrea serves as an Illinois Ambassador for the AALSCC under NBCSL leadership, the intern coordinator, and supervisor for Representative Ammons’ office, and she was recently Selected as the Chairperson for the Friends of Titianna Ammons Campaign fund.

Ebony L. Pardo serves as the District Senior Executive Secretary for the office of the current Democratic Co-Leader, State Representative Bobby DuBose of Florida District 94. Although she has worked in the private, non-profit, and public sectors, Ms. Pardo’s career in civil service with municipalities, county, and State spans a decade. She has garnered quite a few accolades for her achievements, such as being a 2018 Legacy South Florida’s 40 Under 40 Black Leaders of Today and Tomorrow Honoree and a 2020 graduate of the Ronik-Radlauer Group’s Learning To Lead Program. Ebony received her Bachelors in Psychology from Cedar Crest College and Masters in Management (with a concentration in Healthcare Administration) from New England College. When this transplanted New Yorker can find a spare moment, Ebony enjoys reading, spending time with loved ones virtually, watching films, and sharing company with her cat.

Tanisha is the Chief of Operations in the Oklahoma Senate District 48 - office of Senator Dr. George E. Young, Sr., in this position she is an integral part of public relations, community service, legislative processes, research, writing, and development.  Tanisha enjoys organizing community programs, college fairs, town halls, and other events that provide opportunity to network and field creatives in social and political arenas.  She continues to expand her business, Woods Consulting Firm, which serves as an engagement tool for business owners, elected officials, executives, and c-suite professionals providing executive coaching, parallel career methods and strategies, succession planning, and human resource development.  Tanisha holds membership in several organizations, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Society of Human Resource Management, National Black Caucus of State Legislators, Chair of the African American Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee, and former Vice President of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy Board, Chair of the Advocacy Committee, and the inaugural 2020 class of the Staff Academy of Governmental Excellence within the Southern Legislative Conference. Tanisha earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Administration and Management, from the University of Central Oklahoma and a Master of Science in Human Resource Management from Troy University.

Bio of Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter (SC)

South Carolina State Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter is the immediate Past President (2019 – 2020) of the National Black Caucus of    State Legislators (NBCSL), the nation’s premier organization serving the interests of over 700 African American State Legislators from across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, representing more than 60 million Americans. She brings decades of political leadership and management experience to NBCSL.

Representative Cobb-Hunter also represents South Carolina as the National Committeewoman to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), where she served as a member of the DNC’s Executive Committee and as Chair of the DNC’s Southern Regional Caucus, the first woman of color ever elected to that position.

Her career of public service began 27 years ago when she was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives where she still serves today representing Orangeburg County. In 1992, she was the first African American woman elected to a statewide office and the only first term legislator ever appointed to the powerful House Ways and Means Committee where she is now the ranking member and 1st Vice Chairwoman.

In 1997, Representative Cobb-Hunter was the first person of color to lead a legislative caucus when she was elected House Minority Leader. During her legislative career, she has been honored for her legislative leadership and recognized as Legislator of the Year by numerous organizations, in addition to being widely respected on both sides of the aisle. Cobb-Hunter has been dubbed “the conscience of the South Carolina House” and led the historic effort as Vice-Chair of the African American History Monument Commission to build the first monument to African Americans on the grounds of any state capitol.

Her longstanding commitment to community service is reflected in her active participation on numerous boards and commissions, including the Community Development Advisory Committee for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond; Center for Women Policy Studies; Grassroots Leadership; Planned Parenthood of South Carolina; South Carolina Fair Share; South Carolina Low Income Housing Coalition; and South Carolina SAFEKIDS.

Representative Cobb-Hunter is the Chief Executive Officer of CASA/Family Systems, a family violence agency serving Orangeburg, Bamberg and Calhoun counties and has worked on a variety of progressive issues at the national, regional and state level to make communities a better place for working families to live.

Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter is a native of Gifford, Florida, holds a B.S. degree in Afro-American History from Florida A&M University, an M.A. degree in American-History from Florida State University, and is a Licensed Master Social Worker. She received an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from the Medical University of South Carolina and the College of Charleston. In 2009, she received the highly coveted David Wilkins Legislative Leadership Award from the Riley Institute at Furman University and in 2019, Representative Cobb-Hunter was conferred an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humane Letters from Francis Marion University.

She is married to Dr. Terry K. Hunter, Executive Director of Fine Arts Cultural Enrichment Teaching Studios (FACETS). They reside in Orangeburg, South Carolina.

The National Black Caucus of State Legislators Statement on the Celebration of Women’s History Month