Tricia Cotham
Encyclopedia
Patricia Ann Cotham (born 1978) is a North Carolina
educator and Democratic member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
from the 100th House district (Mecklenburg County). In March 2007, she was selected by local Democratic Party
leaders to replace state Representative James B. Black
, who had resigned. Under state law, the governor of North Carolina, Mike Easley
, was bound to accept the recommendation of those local party leaders and appoint her to the seat. Cotham, at 28 years old, became the youngest current member of the state legislature
. Cotham serves on seven committees in the NC House. She co-chairs the Education K-12 Subcommittee. Cotham is the youngest woman to ever serve in the NC House of Representatives.
Cotham is an on-leave assistant principal of instruction at East Mecklenburg High School
and was previously a social studies teacher, for which she was named Charlotte-Mecklenburg Teacher of the Year in 2001 and Mint Hill Teacher of the Year in 2003. She served as a Trustee to the North Carolina Teacher Academy. In 2008, she was honored at UNC Chapel Hill's Young Alumna of the Year.
in 2010. Tricia Cotham's cousin, Emily Ann Cain, also a Democrat, was elected to the Maine House of Representatives
in 2004 at age 24 as its youngest female member. Cain is the Minority Leader for the Maine House Democrats.
Cotham is married to Jerry Meek
, partner at Poyner Spruill, LLP and former state Democratic Party chairman. Cotham and Meek have 1 son.
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
educator and Democratic member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
North Carolina House of Representatives
The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the state senate....
from the 100th House district (Mecklenburg County). In March 2007, she was selected by local Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
leaders to replace state Representative James B. Black
James B. Black
Dr. James "Jim" Boyce Black is a member of the North Carolina Democratic Party, and a former Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly who represented the state's 100th House district, including constituents in Mecklenburg County...
, who had resigned. Under state law, the governor of North Carolina, Mike Easley
Mike Easley
Michael Francis "Mike" Easley is an American politician who served as the 72nd Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina, from 2001 to 2009. He is member of the North Carolina Democratic Party and became the first North Carolina governor to admit to a felony in a deal that halted a lengthy...
, was bound to accept the recommendation of those local party leaders and appoint her to the seat. Cotham, at 28 years old, became the youngest current member of the state legislature
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
. Cotham serves on seven committees in the NC House. She co-chairs the Education K-12 Subcommittee. Cotham is the youngest woman to ever serve in the NC House of Representatives.
Cotham is an on-leave assistant principal of instruction at East Mecklenburg High School
East Mecklenburg High School
East Mecklenburg High School is a public secondary school in Charlotte, North Carolina and one of 19 high schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools system. The principal of the school is Rick Parker. East Mecklenburg High School is partial magnet school in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools...
and was previously a social studies teacher, for which she was named Charlotte-Mecklenburg Teacher of the Year in 2001 and Mint Hill Teacher of the Year in 2003. She served as a Trustee to the North Carolina Teacher Academy. In 2008, she was honored at UNC Chapel Hill's Young Alumna of the Year.
Family
Cotham is the daughter of prominent local Democratic Party leaders John and Pat Cotham. Her mother was elected to the Democratic National CommitteeDemocratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
in 2010. Tricia Cotham's cousin, Emily Ann Cain, also a Democrat, was elected to the Maine House of Representatives
Maine House of Representatives
The Maine House of Representatives is the lower house of the Maine Legislature. The House consists of 151 members representing an equal amount of districts across the state. Each voting member of the House represents around 8,450 citizens of the state...
in 2004 at age 24 as its youngest female member. Cain is the Minority Leader for the Maine House Democrats.
Cotham is married to Jerry Meek
Jerry Meek
Jerry Meek is a North Carolina attorney and Democratic Party activist who was the chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party from 2005 through 2009....
, partner at Poyner Spruill, LLP and former state Democratic Party chairman. Cotham and Meek have 1 son.