Heather McTeer Toney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Heather McTeer Toney
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| Mayor of Greenville, Mississippi | |
| In office 2004–2011 |
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| Preceded by | Paul Artman Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Chuck Jordan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Greenville, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Dexter Toney |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Spelman College (BA) Tulane University (JD) |
Heather McTeer Toney is an American leader who works in politics, protects the environment, and is a lawyer. In 2014, President Barack Obama chose her to be a leader for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Southeast region. Before this, she was the first woman and African American to be the mayor of Greenville, Mississippi. She was mayor from 2004 to 2011.
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Early Life and Education
Heather McTeer Toney was born and grew up in Greenville, Mississippi. Her father, Victor McTeer, was a lawyer who fought for civil rights. Her mother, Mercidees "Dee Dee" McTeer, was a public school teacher. Victor McTeer was one of the first African Americans to attend McDaniel College. After becoming a lawyer, he returned to Mississippi to help people.
After high school, Heather went to Spelman College. There, she joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and earned a degree in sociology. Later, she studied law at Tulane University Law School and became a lawyer.
Career
As a lawyer, Heather McTeer Toney mainly worked on cases about unfair treatment at work and medical mistakes.
Mayor of Greenville
In 2004, Heather McTeer Toney made history. She became the first woman, the first African American, and the youngest person to be the mayor of Greenville. She won the election against the mayor at the time, Paul Artman Jr., and then against another candidate, DeWitt "Buddy" Tucker.
Greenville is in the Mississippi Delta, where many people live in poverty. As mayor, Heather helped the city fix its money problems. She also focused on protecting the environment, especially the local water supply. She was once the president of the National Conference of Black Mayors, a group for Black mayors. She decided not to run for mayor again in 2011.
Working for the EPA
In 2009, Lisa P. Jackson, who led the EPA at the time, asked Heather to lead a special committee for local governments. Lisa Jackson was impressed by Heather's work to stop water pollution in Greenville.
Then, in 2014, President Obama chose Heather to be a Regional Administrator for the EPA. She was in charge of Region 4, which includes eight states: Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. This region also includes six Native American nations. Heather's job was to help protect the environment in these areas.
Environmental Justice Work
After leaving the EPA in 2017, Heather McTeer Toney started working on environmental justice. This means making sure that all people, especially those from communities of color, have a healthy environment to live in. She is now a leader for Moms Clean Air Force, a group that works to fight air pollution.
In 2019, she wrote an article for The New York Times. In it, she explained that fighting climate change and protecting the environment is also about fairness for all people. She believes that the main environmental groups sometimes forget about the concerns of communities of color.
Personal Life
Heather McTeer Toney is married to Dexter Toney. They have three children together.
