HR597: HR597 Barton, Irene; receiving the 2025 Yellow Rose Nikki T. Randall Servant Leader Award; commend

25 LC 112 3356 House Resolution 597 By: Representatives Campbell of the 35th, Cummings of the 39th, Evans of the 57th, Jones of the 60th, Williams of the 37th, and others A RESOLUTION Congratulating and commending Irene Barton for receiving the 2025 Yellow Rose Nikki T.1 Randall Servant Leader Award; and for other purposes.2 WHEREAS, in 1999, Representative Nikki T. Randall became the fi rst African American3 female elected to the General Assembly from middle Georgia, and during her 17 years of4 service as a legislator, she held numerous leadership positions, including chair of the Georgia5 Legislative Women's Caucus; and6 WHEREAS, every year during Women's History Month, the Georgia Legislative Women's7 Caucus recognizes outstanding women in Georgia who exemplify th e leadership and8 inspiration embodied by Representative Randall; and9 WHEREAS, Irene Barton, a dedicated Cobb County resident and ins piring leader, was10 named the Executive Director of the Cobb Collaborative in September 2018 after serving as11 the organization's Resource Manager since July 2017. Under Iren e's leadership, the12 Collaborative leads the local coalition for Resilient Georgia a nd serves as the backbone13 agency for The Basics Cobb County, an evidence-based early learning framework; and14 H. R. 597 - 1 - 25 LC 112 3356 WHEREAS, Irene is a member of the East Cobb Civitans and is the immediate Past15 President. She currently serves on the boards of the McCleskey YMCA and the South Cobb16 Business Association. In 2022, she was named a Woman of Achieve ment by LiveSafe17 Resources. Irene was selected as a member of the 2021 Regional Leadership Institute Class18 and was an Education Policy Fellow for the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education19 in 2017; and20 WHEREAS, Irene was named the Jack A. Vaughan Jr. Human Services Award Winner in21 the Volunteer Category by the Cobb Collaborative in November 20 15. Most recently, she22 was named the East Cobb Citizen of the Year by the Cobb Chamber. She is an alumna of the23 Cobb Chamber's Honorary Commanders and Leadership Cobb programs; and24 WHEREAS, prior to joining the Collaborative, Irene held numerou s volunteer leadership25 positions with Georgia PTA at the local, district, and state le vels and served on several26 nonprofit boards in a variety of positions, including as Board Chair; and27 WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that the outstanding accomplishments of this28 servant leader be appropriately recognized.29 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that30 the members of this body congratulate and commend Irene Barton for receiving the 202531 Yellow Rose Nikki T. Randall Servant Leader Award and extend be st wishes for her32 continued success.33 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized34 and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to Irene35 Barton, the public, and the press.36 H. R. 597 - 2 -