Beth Harwell
Beth Harwell | |
|---|---|
Harwell in 2018 | |
| 81st Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives | |
| In office January 11, 2011 – January 8, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Kent Williams |
| Succeeded by | Glen Casada |
| Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from the 56th district | |
| In office January 10, 1989 – January 8, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Jan Bushing |
| Succeeded by | Bob Freeman |
| Chairwoman of the Tennessee Republican Party | |
| In office 2001–2004 | |
| Preceded by | Chip Saltsman |
| Succeeded by | Bob Davis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 24, 1957 Norristown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Samuel Harwell |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Lipscomb University (BA) Vanderbilt University (MS, PhD) |
Beth Halteman Harwell (born July 24, 1957, in Norristown, Pennsylvania) is a member of the board of directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority and the former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives. She served as State Representative for Nashville and is a former chair of the Tennessee Republican Party. First elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1988, Harwell served as a Republican Minority Whip and Commerce Committee chair before being elected to the Speakership. She is the first woman to serve as Tennessee's Speaker of the House. In 2017, she announced her candidacy for governor of Tennessee in the 2018 election.