Amber's
Story
Solutions-Oriented. Results-Driven. Dedicated. Amber Huett-Garcia:
Proven Leadership for Shelby County.
With a strong focus on community building, I am dedicated to creating a brighter future for all residents of Shelby County. My approach to governance is rooted in inclusivity and collaboration. By fostering community engagement and participation, I believe in creating lasting positive change that benefits everyone.
Amber has shown courageous, principled leadership on the Memphis-Shelby County Schools Board for the last four years where she has:
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Championed social workers and psychologists by working with the administration to put them on a pay scale and receive raises in a high-need area.
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Co-chaired the district’s budget, which unlocked $22M and over $30M in extra TISA dollars for performance outcomes.
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Supported safety and security investments for fencing, cameras, weapons detection equipment, and a real-time safety center, resulting in a dramatic decrease in incidents for students.
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Championed innovative partnerships, including with xAI leading to millions of dollars directly invested in athletic fields, HVACs, and more in MSCS schools.
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Advocated for increased teacher pay making MSCS the highest paying starting teacher salary in the state of Tennessee with the lowest vacancy rates in 4 years.
Learn about my work as an Obesity Care Advocate and as the Memphis & Shelby County School Board Commissioner for District 8:
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About Amber
Amber Huett-Garcia is a candidate for the Shelby County Commission, District 13, and a current Memphis-Shelby County School Board Member representing District 8.
Amber is the VP, Operations at Seeding Success, a Memphis-based nonprofit focused on social and economic mobility. She's also the owner and founder of Amber Huett-Garcia Consulting, LLC. Focusing on nonprofit and project management, fund development, and strategic planning, her services are tailored to help organizations increase their effectiveness, grow, and sustain. She's an advocate and mentor at heart. Known for her passion for health and education, her mix of strategic and operational experience makes her the ideal consultant to help solve challenges of any size.
Amber began her career working in Illinois state government agencies and the State Senate, including serving as the primary analyst of the K-12 education budget in the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget under former Governor Pat Quinn. She left Illinois in 2011 to teach elementary school at Ross Elementary in Memphis, TN, where she has since resided.
From teaching, she played various roles at Teach For America Memphis, including leading operations for their teacher training program and all corporate and foundation fundraising across the Memphis region. She's served in the Shelby County Mayor’s Office of Education, leading youth programs, including the expansion of vocational tech opportunities. Amber served as the Senior Director of Student and Family Supports Comprehensive Planning with the Tennessee Department of Education. Her role added strategic insights to the whole child priority, including mental health, family resource centers, citizenship and civics, and other non-academic supports for students. Locally, she has served on a variety of nonprofit boards and is an active volunteer in local political campaigns.
Amber earned her MPA from the University of Illinois Springfield and is a graduate of Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. Amber enjoys politics, traveling, cooking, exercising, and spending time with her daughter Parker, an MSCS elementary student.
Awards, Honors & Leadership
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World Obesity Federation, Board of Trustees, Lived Experience Representative, 2023 - Present
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Memphis Business Journal 2025, 40 Under 40
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Tennessee School Board Association, Level 3 Boardsmanshi
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"One Tough Mother" Community Leader Award, Memphis City Councilwoman Jerri Green, 2025
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Georgetown University, McCourt School of Public Policy, Certificate in Education Finance, 2025
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Women's Day on the Hill Honoree, Senate Resolution 244, State Senator London Lamar
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NCD Alliance, Our Views, Our Voices, Diarist, October 2021
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Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE), Public Policy Fellow, 2019
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Medtronic Bakken Invitation Award, 2018 - 2019
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National Board Member of the Year, Obesity Action Coalition, 2014
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Chairwoman and National Board Member, Obesity Action Coalition, 2012-2021