Sandra Deal
Sandra Deal | |
---|---|
| |
First Lady of Georgia | |
Assumed role January 10, 2011 | |
Preceded by | Mary Perdue |
Personal details | |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | |
Children | 4 |
Residence | Governor's Mansion |
Alma mater | Georgia College & State University |
Sandra Deal (née Emilie Sandra Dunagan;[1] born in Gainesville, Georgia) is an American education activist and former public school language arts teacher. As the wife of Georgia state's current governor, Nathan Deal, she has been the First Lady of the U.S. state of Georgia since 2011.[2]
Education
The daughter of educators, Emilie Sandra Dunagan grew up in Gainesville, Georgia. She graduated from Georgia College & State University.[3]
Career
Before becoming the first lady of Georgia, Dunagan taught language arts at public schools for over 15 years, and retired as a sixth-grade middle-school teacher in Hall County, Georgia.[4] As Georgia's first lady, she is known for advocating for literacy and education throughout the state,[5] for which the Georgia Association of Broadcasters awarded her their 2016 "Georgian of the Year" award.[6]
In 2015, her book Memories of the Mansion: The Story of Georgia’s Governor’s Mansion was published.[7]
In 2016, she served as the keynote speaker at Georgia Gwinnett College's summer commencement.[8]
Personal life
Dunagan married Deal in 1966.[9] She and Deal have four children: Jason, Mary Emily, Carrie, and Katie.[3]
Sandra Deal was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2018.[10]
References
- ↑ Official Congressional Directory. Government Printing Office. p. 75.
- ↑ Woolen, Angela (2016-08-21). "Georgia's first lady talks school bus safety". The Telegraph.
- 1 2 McKee, Sarah (2011-10-10). "Nathan Deal (b. 1942)". New Georgia Encyclopedia.
- ↑ "First Lady Biography". Georgia official government website.
- ↑ McGowan, Mary Kate (2016-11-29). "Georgiafirst lady shares love of reading". Marietta Daily Journal.
- ↑ Story, Luke (2016-06-09). "First Lady Sandra Deal Named 2016 Georgian of the Year". Georgia Association of Broadcasters.
- ↑ Caldwell, Carla (2015-09-30). "Georgia First Lady Sandra Deal releases book". Atlanta Business Chronicle.
- ↑ "First Lady Sandra Deal to speak at GGC summer commencement" (Press release). Georgia Gwinnett College. 2016-07-22.
- ↑ Memories of the Mansion: The Story of Georgia’s Governor’s Mansion. University of Georgia Press. 2015. p. 168.
- ↑ Georgia first lady Sandra Deal diagnosed with breast cancer, has tumor removed, gainesvilletimes.com; accessed January 29, 2018.