U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy announced President Barack Obama's selection of Heather McTeer Toney as regional administrator for EPA's regional office in Atlanta. EPA Region 4 includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and six tribal nations.
"Heather McTeer Toney has a proven track record and broad experience as an advocate and dedicated public servant,” said Administrator McCarthy. “I have full confidence that she’ll continue that sense of service and leadership working to protect people’s health and the environment as regional administrator in the region she was born, raised, and still calls home.”
McTeer Toney was the first African-American and first female to serve as the mayor of Greenville, Miss., holding that post from 2004 to 2012. She joins EPA from Mississippi Valley State University, where she is the executive director of the Center for Excellence in Student Learning. She is also the principal attorney at Heather McTeer PLLC.
McTeer Toney's private-sector success is complemented by considerable experience in local and state politics. She began her career working as a member of McTeer and Associates Law Firm and handled a diverse group of cases ranging from racial discrimination to medical malpractice. Later she served as the president of the National Conference of Black Mayors and in 2009, was nominated by former EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, to serve as the Chairwoman of the Local Government Advisory Committee. McTeer Toney is active in her community and an advocate for education, women’s issues, health and wellness. She is married to Dexter Toney and they have two children.
EPA regional administrators are responsible for managing the Agency's regional activities under the direction of the EPA administrator. They promote state and local environmental protection efforts and serve as a liaison to government officials. McTeer Toney is expected to begin her role as regional administrator in January.
Source: EPA
