COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — A Columbus non-profit CEO and member of the Muscogee County School Board has been elected to the Georgia Department of Transportation Board.

Cathy Williams was selected Tuesday afternoon by a General Assembly caucus of members whose districts touch the 2nd Congressional District. She will represent the 2nd Congressional District on the 14-member statewide board.

Williams has served 16 of the last 18 years on the Muscogee County School Board, first as a county-wide representative, and currently as the District 7 member.

She must resign from her school board post before she is sworn into the DOT board, which is likely to be in early April. This will create a vacancy and special election to fill the remaining time on her term, which expires at the end of next year.

Williams is President and CEO of NeighborWorks Columbus, a non-profit affordable housing provider.

“Transportation, housing, and economic development all go together,” Williams told WRBL Tuesday afternoon. “I am very excited about learning all of these new things and how they will interact, not with just Columbus, but a much larger district throughout southeast Georgia.”

Traditionally, Columbus has had representation on the DOT Board from the 3rd Congressional District. The late Frank Morast held that job for many years. Former CB&T President Sam Wellboard served in the post for many years. Most recently the late Russ Carraker held the DOT Board position.

The recent redrawing of congressional lines put far more of Columbus in the 2nd District instead of the 3rd.

Disclaimer: Cathy Williams is the wife of WRBL reporter Chuck Williams.