Columbus, Ga. - Youth Advocate Programs’ (YAP), Inc., Board Chair Tremaine “Teddy” Reese won the Georgia House of Representative’s District 140 seat earlier this week. He won the Democratic seat on Tuesday, replacing longtime Georgia State Rep. Calvin Smyre (D-140), who was nominated by President Joe Biden to be the ambassador to the Bahamas.

“I am humbled to be the sixth African American to serve in the Statehouse from Columbus, Georgia, replacing State Rep. Calvin Smyre, whose work established a foundation for representation that my district deserves to have continued and built upon to meet today’s new and evolving challenges,” Reese said. “I am looking forward to serving the community and making a positive impact in the state of Georgia.” Reese, who has served as YAP’s Board Chair since 2021, is the national nonprofit’s first board chairperson to reside outside of Pennsylvania, where the nonprofit is headquartered. Founded 47 years ago, YAP is a national nonprofit in 33 states and Washington, D.C., that partners with youth justice, child welfare, behavioral health, and other systems to provide community-based alternatives to youth incarceration and congregate residential placements. YAP also partners with public safety systems to combine the nonprofit’s unique wraparound services approach with other evidence-based models to reduce violence.

Reese’s accomplishments include being principal owner and managing attorney of the Reese Firm, LLC in Columbus. Active in his community and profession, his memberships include the American Bar Association, National Bar Association, Florida Bar, State Bar of Georgia, Fountain City Bar Association, and the Columbus Bar Association. He is a graduate of Albany State University, Georgia College and State University and he graduated Cum Laude from Florida A&M University of Law. Reese is a lifetime member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the NAACP, and the Albany State University National Alumni Association.

In addition to Reese's academic and professional achievements, he is a member of the Columbus Inns of Courts and was among the 2014 Columbus and the Valley Magazine Top 5 Under 40 Professionals, 2016 Rural Leader Magazine Top Professional Under 40 and 2016 Georgia Trend Magazine Top 40 Under 40. In 2018 Reese received the Urban League of Greater Columbus Trailblazer Award. He graduated with the 2014 Class of Young Game Changers through Georgia Forward and Leadership Georgia Class of 2015. Reese also received the Center for Legal Education Opportunity Diversity Leadership Award and American Bar Association Law Student Division Golden Key Award. In 2011 Reese served as the National Chair of the American Bar Association Law Student Division.

For more information about Youth Advocate Programs, visit yapinc.org.