Black PR Wire Power Profiler on U.S. Rep. Carrie P. Meek (Retired)

Congresswoman Carrie Meek, the first African-American elected to Congress from Florida since Reconstruction, has had successful careers as a public servant, college administrator and educator.

Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992 from Florida's 17th Congressional District, she was a member of the power House Appropriations committee which funds all executive branch programs and independent agencies. She served on the Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service and General Government, and Subcommittee on VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies.

Retired from the United States Congress in 2002, Rep. Meek has dedicated her Time and service to the Carrie Meek Foundation, a non- profit organization founded by the Congresswoman. The foundation's mission statement speaks to "encouraging investment and partnerships in the diverse urban inner-city neighborhoods of Miami-Dade County, improving the overall quality of life, and building a stronger community".

Before her election to Congress, Rep. Meek was a member of the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate, where she chaired the Education Appropriations Subcommittee and established herself as a skilled debater and one of the Legislature's most effective members.

Born in Tallahassee, Florida-the granddaughter of a slave-Congresswoman Meek earned a B.A. in Biology and Physical Education from Florida A&M University, a Master's degree in Public Health and Physical Education from the University of Michigan and completed all course work for her doctorate. She coached women's basketball at Bethune Cookman College, taught biological sciences and physical education both at Florida A&M University, and later served as Special Assistant to the Vice President of Miami Dade College.