Valarie Wilson, photo from Young Nonprofit Professionals Network website. http://www.ynpnatlanta.org/

The former chair of the Decatur School Board is now executive director of the lobbying association for school boards around the state.

The Georgia School Boards Association has hired Valarie Wilson as its new executive director.

Last month, Decaturish confirmed that Wilson was the leading candidate for the job.

Wilson joined the GSBA in 2009 and served as its president in 2012-2013. Wilson was the Democratic nominee for state school superintendent, losing to Republican Richard Woods in the November elections. The GSBA Board voted to approve hiring Wilson at its May 8 meeting, according to a press release.

“Valarie brings an unsurpassed perspective along with a high level of knowledge and experience about public education and leadership to the Association. We look forward to this new endeavor with Valarie as Executive Director and will continue to support the excellent work of school boards and public education all across Georgia,” GSBA President Nath Morris said in a press release.

Wilson served as chairperson of the City Schools of Decatur Board of Education from 2005 to 2011. She joined the board in 2002.

In addition to her work with the GSBA Board, she served on Gov. Nathan Deal’s Education Advisory Board and was also a member of the Decatur Education Foundation, according to the GSBA press release.

She also was the Executive Director of the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership Inc. and Director of the Human Services Department of Fulton County, the press release says.

Wilson is from Swainsboro, Ga. and graduated from Clark College. She completed her graduate studies at Troy State University. She lives in Decatur with her husband Carter Wilson.