Alabama Girls State is being held at the University of Alabama this week.

For more than eight decades, thanks to the American Legion Auxiliary, Alabama Girls State has quietly built one of the most powerful leadership pipelines in the state.

What begins as a weeklong immersive experience in government has,over time, become something far greater. In Alabama, it has become the premier breeding ground for future governors, senators, judges, and civic leaders. Yet, its true legacy is not found in the mock elections or simulated cities, it is found in the remarkable women who leave and then go on to shape Alabama.

Alabama Girls State legacy has an indelible footprint that is unparalleled in America. It is unheard of for any state to have the two highest officeholders in the state – Governor Kay Ivey and U.S. Senator Katie Britt – as devoted Girls State Alumni.

Governor Kay Ivey was elected Lt. Governor of Girls State in the early 1960s and chosen as a Senator to Girls Nation. Ivey has remained deeply involved for decades, returning every year as a counselor, director, and speaker for more than 40 years. Kay has a personal dedicated commitment to Girls State

Kay’s closest friend is Dr. Cathy Randall of Tuscaloosa. Their bond and friendship was created through their involvement with Alabama Girls State. Few figures embody the legacy of Alabama Girls State more fully than Dr. Cathy Johnson Randall. As a student, she was elected Governor of Girls State and went on to become President of Girls Nation. She later emerged as one of Alabama’s most respected business and civic leaders, serving on major corporate boards and leading philanthropic efforts across the state.

Cathy Randall credits her Girls State experience as the basis of her remarkable career. Through her Girls State connections, she was introduced to her husband, the late Pettus Randall, who was,coincidentally, a former Governor of Boys State and President of Boys Nation. All three of their children attended the program and succeeded magnificently.

One of the Girls State success stories, Senator Katie Britt, is one of Dr. Cathy Randall’s and Governor Kay Ivey’s proteges. They have both mentored her since her days as Girls State Governor.

Katie Britt exemplifies the modern continuation of Alabama Girls State legacy. As a student, Katie Boyd Britt of Enterprise was elected Governor of Alabama Girls State. She later became President of the Student Government Association at the University of Alabama, and in 2022, she was elected as one of the youngest U.S. Senators in the nation.

The influence of Alabama Girls State extends into the Judiciary as well. U.S. Federal Judge Anna Manasco was elected Governor of Girls State and President of Girls Nation. She is among those who have carried the program’s lessons into the legal system. State Judges Kelli Wise, Beth Kellum, and Sue Bell Cobb all attended Girls State.

Governor Kay Ivey’s Chief of Staff Liz Filmore is a Girls State Alumnus. In 2021, she became the first woman to ever serve as Chief of Staff to an Alabama Governor.

Caroleene Dobson, who is on the cusp of becoming Alabama’s next Secretary of State, is the brightest rising star on the Alabama political horizon and was a Girls Stater. Caroleene was elected Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries at Girls State. She has stayed involved in the Girls State program, serving as a counselor, and has spoken to the delegation for many years.

Catherine Gayle Thrash Fuller, governmental affairs for Alabama Power Company, attended Girls State and was also Senator to Girls Nation. Her mother, Cindy Thrash, was Governor of Girls State and Senator to Girls Nation.

Ashland Ross was a Girls Stater, and was elected Vice President of Girls Nation in 2023.

Dr. Katelyn Braswell attended Girls State and was elected Vice President of Girls Nation in 2001.

Kasdin Miller Mitchell was Governor of Girls State and President of Girls Nation in 2002. Recently, she was pointed to a federal judgeship in Texas by President Trump.

The glue that is the keeper and sustainer of Alabama’s phenomenalGirls State legacy is Lee Grant Sellers. Lee and her husband, Alabama Supreme Court Justice Will Sellers, are Kay Ivey’s most loyal and trusted friends and advisors.

Lee Sellers was, herself, a Girls Stater and a Senator to Girls Nation. Lee Sellers has served as the Director of Girls State for the past 25 years. Her leadership has ensured continuity, mentorship, and a strong sense of community among Alabama Girls State participants, past and present.

Alabama Girls State is more than a program. It is a tradition and its alumnae have helped shape the direction of Alabama for generations.

Somewhere in this week’s session, another future leader is beginning her journey.

See you next week.