The Columbia County School District welcomed its two newest board members at a Jan. 14 board meeting in which the latest incumbents were sworn in by Honorable Alice Padgett, a judge for the Columbia County Probate Court.
The new board members include Katie Allen, who will represent District 4, and Philip Kent, who will represent District 1.
The five-member school board will continue to seat Chairman David Dekle, Kristi Baker representing District 2 and Judy Teasley of District 3, who was also appointed at the Jan. 14 meeting to serve as board Vice Chairman.
Dekle was re-elected for the position of board chair.
Allen Background
Katie Allen is a wife and mother who has been actively involved in the Columbia County School District since 2020, attending meetings regularly and making her voice heard through public participation opportunities.
“I’m humbled and honored to be here as a new board member, so I just, I feel like I need to say a thank you of gratitude,” Allen said on Jan. 14.
She moved to the area in 2016 following the completion of a 10-year military service where she served as a noncommissioned officer in the United States Army. Allen worked as an Arabic linguist and intelligence professional with deployment experience to Iraq.
Post-military, Allen worked as an intelligence contractor and corporate communications specialist at Fort Gordon for five years, before starting a small business with her husband.
Allen holds a Bachelor of Science in international business management, an Associate of Arts in Arabic language studies, an Associate of Applied Science in intelligence operations studies and a Project Management Professional certificate.
She will graduate in May from Liberty University with a Bachelor of Science in law and policy: pre-law.
Allen said at the meeting that she owes much of her success to her faith.
“I intend to use my time here to honor the intentions of the voters, to honor the work of the administrators who welcomed me so kindly and who work so hard for our students, and certainly [to] honor Jesus Christ, who brought me here without a doubt.”
“I feel like there’s one thing that unites all of us in this room,” she added. “And it is a genuine concern for our children.”
Kent Background
Philip Kent is a father of three and the son of former Augusta Chronicle editorial page editor Phil Kent Sr.
He is a partner and co-founder of Metro Fiber Systems, an internet service company headquartered in Augusta. He also serves as the credentialing director at Precision Laboratory Services.
Kent studied at Canisius University.
“I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank the constituents of Columbia County for allowing me to sit in this chair,” said Kent.
He noted that just a year ago, he wouldn’t have believed that he’d be in this position today.
“I had other people who thought more of me than I thought of myself and really got behind me and supported me,” he added.
Kent has emphasized that he plans to be a proponent for the responsible handling of district finances.
“I intend to be a watchdog when it comes to fiscal responsibility, when it comes to the budget.”
