Elected State Senators

State Senator Elena Parent w as elected to the State Senate in 2014. She represents District 42, which includes portions of central and north DeKalb County. Sen. Parent is the Vice Chair of the Special Judiciary Committee and a member of the Education and Youth, Judiciary and Rules Committees. She has also been appointed to serve on the Georgia Code Revision Commission, the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council, and the Public Defender Council Legislative Oversight Committee. Sen. Parent formerly served as the Vice Chair of Campaigns and Fundraising for the Senate Democratic Caucus and currently serves as Chairwoman for the Senate Democratic Caucus, as well as a member of the Senate DeKalb Delegation and of the Working Families Legislative Caucus. Senator Parent previously served as the State Representative for District 81 in DeKalb County in 2011 and 2012. Senator Parent then continued her public service as the Executive Director of Georgia Watch, the state’s leading consumer rights non-profit. Senator Parent began her career as a litigation attorney at Eversheds Sutherland LLP and she is active in her community. Currently, she serves on the Advisory Board for Olmsted Linear Park Association and was appointed in 2020 to serve as an Emory Ambassador, having previously served on the Board of Visitors for Emory University. She is a proud graduate of the University of Virginia and the University of Virginia School of Law. Senator Parent’s awards and recognitions include: Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “Who’s Who Sustainability” feature for her leadership on energy and environmental policy issues; the Fulton County Daily Report’s “On the Rise”; the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “40 Under 40”; ACCG’s Legislative Service Award; and the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers’ “Leading Lady”. In 2019, Senator Parent and her husband were recipients of the Clarence Seeliger Champions for Change Award from the Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence. Senator Parent traces her core beliefs – the importance of family and making the community a better place for all – to her upbringing in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol where her parents stressed the importance of faith and public service. Senator Parent is married to Briley Brisendine and they are the proud parents of two sons: Brooks, 10, and Reid, 8. They are members of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Atlanta.

Senator Jason Anavitarte w as elected to the Georgia State Senate to serve Senate District 31 in November of 2020. A Republican from Dallas, Georgia, Senator Anavitarte’s District covers Haralson and Polk counties, as well as portions of Paulding County. His Republican colleagues elected him to serve as Caucus Chairman for the Senate Majority for the 2022-2023 Legislative Session. Before starting an extensive career in public service and community development, Senator Anavitarte received his undergraduate degree from Georgia State University. He then went onto receive his M.S. in Public Policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology. In 2003, Senator Anavitarte became the youngest Hispanic elected in Georgia through his election to the Doraville City Council. During his time serving on the City Council, Senator Anavitarte also became the youngest to serve as Mayor Pro-Tempore in metro Atlanta. Senator Anavitarte served as a key player in the establishment of the City of Dunwoody, and continued his involvement with the city through spearheading economic development initiatives and leading support efforts for local law enforcement agencies. Currently, Senator Anavitarte serves as the Commissioner for the Commission on Equal Opportunity, a position that he was appointed to by former Governor Nathan Deal. Senator Anavitarte remains an active member of the Paulding County community through various leadership roles and civic organizations. Senator Anavitarte’s service in the community includes serving as the Vice Chairman for Chattahoochee Technical College’s Board of Trustees and as a member of the Paulding County Drug Court’s Executive Committee. Additionally, Senator Anavitarte serves on the boards of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Cobb County Chamber of Commerce, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Faith and Freedom Coalition. A resident of Dallas, Georgia, Senator Anavitarte and his wife, Jennifer have two daughters and are active members of North Metro Church.