This former Democrat State Representative from Georgia dared to ask the question, “Why are our children failing?” Mesha Mainor learned quickly that wanting the best for her constituents and in this case, students would lead to resistance from her party. Mainor had challenged the status quo and pushed initiatives intended to help the community she served. Her political party attacked her, and after months launched campaigns to remove her from office. Ultimately, Mainor announced her switch to Republican Party, a decision that resonated in political circles.

That change mad Mainor the first black woman to serve the Georgia General Assembly as a Republican.

Mainor is an Atlanta native and sixth-generation Georgian with ancestral roots dating back to the 1820s, a descendent of the Mainor family from Dooly County Georgia. She is currently working on her doctorate in Business Administration from Northcentral University. Her doctoral work focuses on corporate prosocial behaviors, succession planning, crisis preparedness, leadership, cross-generational communication, and disruptive solutions that add value to stakeholders.

Rep. Mainor has a master’s in physical therapy from Howard University and is currently finishing her Doctorate in Business Administration from Northcentral University. She attributes her success at the Capitol to her 20+ years of healthcare experience working with patients in need.

State Representative Mesha Mainor was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2020, and she represents the citizens of House District 56 in the heart of Atlanta, Georgia, including Midtown, Georgia Tech, the Atlanta University Center Consortium, Atlanta’s historic Westside, Atlantic Station, and Piedmont Park.

State Representative Mesha Mainor has two daughters, Chloe and Alexis. They are 17 and 11 years old. Rep. Mainor enjoys hiking, boating, research, spending time with family, and exploring new restaurants.