Ozark native seeks District 83 House seat
by March 9, 2010 6:24 pm 185 views
Leslee Milam Post of Ozark has filed as a Democrat for the House District 83 seat that snakes through Franklin County and up and west through Crawford County.
Post, the former executive director of the Crisis Center for Women in Fort Smith, will face Republican Tom Fite in the general election. The seat is now held by Rep. Beverly Pyle, R-Cedarville, who is term limited.
Following is the statement from Post.
Leslee Milam Post announces her candidacy for the position of State Representative for District 83. Post is a lifetime native of Ozark. She was called to public service in 1997 to work as the Executive Director of the Crisis Center for Women in Fort Smith (now Crisis Intervention Center). The agency provides domestic violence and sexual assault services throughout Western Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma.
During her leadership she led the opening of the first rape response center, located in a victim service agency to provide emergent medical care and victim advocacy in Arkansas. Post created the first on-site family violence child services program to be provided in a licensed day care setting in Arkansas, as well as one of the few in the nation. She obtained millions of dollars in federal, state and private funds for the agency, including a $2.6 million Donald W. Reynolds award to build a model victim service center.
Post retired from the Center in 2005 to spend more time with her family. Since leaving the Center she has continued to volunteer with many area organizations and institutions throughout the state.
“My life purpose is to advocate. I can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t feel called to be involved and help others. Serving as a State Representative will allow me the opportunity to better ensure that all of our children receive quality education from preschool through college. It would be my privilege to represent the people of Crawford and Franklin Counties in District 83. If elected, I will work diligently to advocate for our community.”
Post has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville. Leslee and her husband, Andrew, live with their four younger children, ages 4, 6, 7 and 9 in Ozark close to their cattle farm. Their oldest son recently graduated from the U of A in Fayetteville and is teaching Music Education in Northwest Arkansas. They attend St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Altus.
Post is a Leadership Fort Smith Graduate. She has served as a Leadership Fort Smith Board of Advisor, an Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence President, an Arkansas Coalition Against Sexual Assault founding member, an active member of the Altus/Ozark Council of Churches, a founding member and President of the future Altus Area Rotary Club, and a volunteer of Foothills Little Theatre and the Ozark Public School District.