Sheri Gilligan

Sheri Gilligan
Member of the Georgia House of Representatives
from the 24th district
In office
August 5, 2015 – January 9, 2023
Preceded byMark Hamilton
Succeeded byCarter Barrett
Personal details
Born
Sheri Smallwood[1]

(1963-03-25) March 25, 1963 (age 61)
Cumming, Georgia, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Patrick Gilligan
​
(m. 1993)​
[1]
Children4[2]
Alma materUniversity of Georgia[3]

Sheri Smallwood Gilligan[4][5] (née Sheri Smallwood, born March 25, 1963) is an American politician who served in the Georgia House of Representatives for the 24th district from 2015 to 2023.[6][7] Gilligan was first elected in 2015 in a special election after previous representative Mark Hamilton resigned;[3] she beat out three other opponents to complete Hamilton's remaining 18-month term.[8]

Gilligan was born and raised in Forsyth County. While in high school, she competed at rifle shooting and set a new state record.[2] After graduating from the University of Georgia,[2] Gilligan moved to the Washington, D.C. area, where she worked as an intelligence analyst for two decades, including at the CIA.[3][2] She also joined the Naval Reserve.[8]

She is also a substitute teacher for Forsyth County Schools; she previously taught as an adjunct instructor at Lanier Technical College.[8]

A self-described conservative,[9] Gilligan supports gun rights, wants to lower taxes, and restricting abortion.[3]

Gilligan plays the oboe.[2]

  1. ^ a b "Forsyth County conservative Sheri Smallwood Gilligan to run for State House". votegilligan.com. 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-08-26. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Rep. Sheri Gilligan (R-24) Biography" (PDF). Georgia House of Representatives. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d Whitmire, Kelly (May 2, 2018). "Gilligan wants 'to continue the good work'". Forsyth County News. Archived from the original on 2019-02-26. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  4. ^ Galloway, Jim. "Mereda Johnson, wife of congressman, wins top berth in DeKalb commission runoff". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  5. ^ Chandler, Thom (March 5, 2018). "Who is running in the May 22 Georgia Primary?". The Georgia Sun. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  6. ^ Kathleen Sturgeon (2015-07-17). "Gilligan wins House District 24 runoff". Northfulton.com. Retrieved 2018-12-17.
  7. ^ "Representative Sheri Gilligan". House.ga.gov. Retrieved 2018-12-17.
  8. ^ a b c Whitmire, Kelly (May 20, 2015). "Field set at four in race for Forsyth state House seat". Forsyth County News. Archived from the original on 2015-05-22. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  9. ^ Sturgeon, Kathleen (June 2, 2015). "Four vie for Georgia House District 24 seat". northfulton.com. Retrieved 26 February 2019.