Joyette Holmes Selected as New Chair of Georgia Parole Board

Cobb Countys’ own Joyette Holmes has been selected to serve as Chair of the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles. The announcement was made during the board’s monthly operational meeting held earlier this month on the campus of Valdosta State University.

Holmes was appointed to the Parole Board in January 2024 by Governor Brian Kemp. She began her legal career as a defense attorney and went on to make history in Cobb County, where she became the first African American and the first woman to serve as both Chief Magistrate Judge and District Attorney.

Holmes, a Valdosta native, becomes only the second African American woman to lead the board. The first, Mamie B. Reese, served as Chair from July 1, 1976, to October 1, 1977. Wayne Bennett was chosen to serve as Vice Chair.

In accepting the role, Holmes reflected on her background in public safety and justice.
“It is not a position to be taken for granted or taken lightly, and so I do accept the responsibility,” she said. “I pray that my experience throughout serving in public safety — whether it was representing people as a Solicitor, a District Attorney, or even as serving as Chief Magistrate Judge — that every piece of information and experiences that I have had in those roles will help lead me through what has to be done with this board. I am appreciative of the Board’s leadership and operational teams that provide daily support so that we can make the decisions that we make. I look forward to that continued service with Mr. Bennett as Vice Chair, Mr. Markley, and Mr. Herring as members of this board. So, I say thank you for trusting me.”

Holmes was appointed to the Parole Board in January 2024 by Governor Brian Kemp. She began her legal career as a defense attorney and went on to make history in Cobb County, where she became the first African American and the first woman to serve as both Chief Magistrate Judge and District Attorney.

For more information about Holmes’ background, visit the Board of Pardons and Paroles’ website: Joyette Holmes Biography.