has distinguished herself as a tireless advocate for children and those in need. She

represents House District 170 covering parts of Berrien and Colquitt Counties and all of

Cook County.

Houston serves as Vice-Chairman of Appropriations/Human Resources budgeting money

for the Department of Human Resources, the Department Behavioral Health and

Developmental Disabilities, the Department of Labor and the Department of Veteran

Affairs. She also serves on the Banks and Banking, Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, Ways

and Means, and State Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committees.

She has served on the One Georgia Authority, the Georgia Tobacco Community

Development Board and Overview Committee and the National Conference of State

Legislatures Health and Education Committees. She has represented Georgia at the

National Conference of Agriculture Leaders in Washington DC. She served on the Special

Committee on Certificate of Need as well as the Special Committee on Grady Hospital.

Recently, Houston was appointed to the Georgia Commission on Family Violence by

Speaker David Ralston.

Before her election to the statehouse, she was the first woman to serve on the Berrien

County School Board, serving eight years, three as Vice-Chairman.

At home, Houston is an active member of the Nashville United Methodist Church. She is a

member of the Nashville Woman's Club, the Berrien, Colquitt and Cook County Chambers of

Commerce and serves as an executive member of the Berrien County Chamber's board. She

is an honorary member of the Nashville Rotary Club. She has been involved with the

Georgia Sheriff's Youth Homes for more than 30 years and currently serves as a member of

the Boys Ranch board of Directors in Hahira.

A life-long Georgian, Houston grew up in Leary but has resided in Nashville for more than

40 years. She graduated from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri and from the

University of Georgia. She has three children and four grandchildren.