| Senator Horacena Tate, a democrat, was first elected to the Georgia Senate from the 38th District in 1998, representing portions of Cobb and Fulton County. Sen. Tate is the Minority Caucus Chairwoman and currently serves as secretary for the Reapportionment and Redistricting committee. She also is a member of the Appropriations, Education and Youth, Rules, State and Local Governmental Operations and Urban Affairs committees. Born in Griffin and raised in Atlanta, Sen. Tate attended school in the Atlanta Public School System and graduated from Frederick Douglass High School in 1973. She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from the University of Georgia in 1977. After graduating, Sen. Tate began her professional career as an employee in the Georgia Department of Labor in 1977, and was once a volunteer in the office of former Governor Jimmy Carter. She spent several years as an employee and trainer with United Airlines and Apollo Travel Services. To further her formal education, Dr. Tate enrolled at Atlanta University in 1987 and in 1988 received a Master's degree in Educational Administration. She later received her Ed.D. in Educational Administration from Clark Atlanta University in 1992. Sen. Tate is very active in community affairs. She has been the computer literacy advisor for the Butler Street YMCA, a volunteer software instructor for local churches, a delegate representing Clark Atlanta University at the International Community Education Conference in Trinidad and a speaker for several metro-Atlanta public schools' functions. In 2001, she served as vice president of Rosalie Wright Community Council. Sen. Tate currently serves on the Atlanta-Fulton County Senate Delegation. Sen. Tate has been an active member of the Cascade United Methodist Church for many years. She is also a member of the United Methodist Women's Group, the Alpha Kappa Alpha National Sorority where she previously held a leadership role as Corresponding Secretary for one of the sorority's local chapters. She received the Public Servant Award from the Coalition on Hunger in 2001, Distinguished Public Servant Award from Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive Merchant Association in 2000, Legislator of the Year Award from the National Association of Social Workers, Georgia Chapter in 2000, Leader of Distinction Award from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in 1999, 2000 and 2003, the Outstanding Leadership Award from the Medical Staff of Southwest Hospital and Medical Center in 2000, the Outstanding Achievement Award from the National Women of Achievement in 1999, and the Unity Award from the Atlanta Job Corps in 2001. Sen. Tate also served as speaker for Atlanta/Athens Upward Bound Awards Program in 2001 and the Finer Womanhood Observance Program in 1999. |