Former State Sen. Jason Carter Appointed Chair of Carter Center Board
With additional reporting by Matthew Charles Cardinale.
(APN) ATLANTA — Former State Sen. Jason Carter (D-Atlanta), grandson to former President Jimmy Carter of Georgia, was named the Chair of the Carter Center Board of Trustees this past March 2015 and will take his post on November 20, 2015.
“Carter, a member of the Carter Center Board of Trustees since 2009, was unanimously elected by the board on March 20. He will succeed the current chair, Kent ‘Oz’ Nelson,” Deanna Congileo, Director of Public Information, Press Secretary, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, The Carter Center, told Atlanta Progressive News.
“I am excited to be the Chair,” former Sen. Carter told APN, deferring to Congileo to answer additional questions.
“He has been a board member since November 2009, recently serving as chair of its strategic planning committee. He is a partner at the Atlanta law firm of Bondurant, Mixson, and Elmore,” Congileo said.
“Jason Carter worked in the Center’s Conflict Resolution Program before serving in the Peace Corps in South Africa. He has traveled to Africa and the Middle East on behalf of Carter Center humanitarian programs advancing peace and health in some of the world’s poorest nations and led one of the Center’s election observation missions in Egypt,” Congileo said.
Former President Carter recently announced he was diagnosed with cancer that had spread to his brain, leading to an outpouring of support, concern, and prayers from Georgians and people across the world.
“The outpouring of support has been truly gratifying. I even re-tweeted a post from the Buckhead Young Republicans, who expressed their support for him!” Sen. Carter told APN.
The Carter Center is an internationally recognized nonprofit foundation focusing on peace and health issues.
The Carter Center, in partnership with Emory University, is guided by a fundamental commitment to human rights and the alleviation of human suffering. It seeks to prevent and resolve conflicts,
enhance freedom and democracy, and improve health.
Among the Center’s many accomplishments, according to its website:
“Leading a coalition that has reduced incidence of Guinea worm disease from an estimated 3.5 million cases in 1986 to 126 today, making it likely to be the first human disease since smallpox to be eradicated.
“Observing 100 elections in 38 countries to help establish and strengthen democracies
Furthering avenues to peace in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Liberia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, the Korean Peninsula, Haiti, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Middle East.
“Helping to establish a village-based health care delivery system in thousands of communities in Africa that now have trained health care personnel and volunteers to distribute drugs and provide health education.
“Strengthening international standards for human rights and the voices of individuals defending those rights in their communities worldwide.
“Pioneering new public health approaches to preventing or controlling devastating neglected diseases in Africa and Latin America,” and
“Advancing efforts to improve mental health care and diminish the stigma against people with mental illnesses.”
Former Sen. Carter made a bid for Governor of Georgia last year, in 2014, against incumbent Gov. Nathan Deal (R), but lost by approximately 200,000 votes. APN endorsed Carter for his gubernatorial bid.
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Testimony at the Georgia Commission on Medical Cannabis is that High Potency THC and Cannabidiol ingested copiously cures cancer. Also, published reports in the latest medical science is that pain management overdose death is lowered by a factor of 50% when cannabinoid medicine is available. We pray that the former Senator and the Carter Center will become active in this present Healthcare Emergency.