SUU to Congress: Celeste Maloy Elected as Representative
Published: December 01, 2023 | Author: Kierstin Holloway | Read Time: 2 minutes
Southern Utah University alumna, and Cedar City resident, Celeste Maloy was recently elected as Representative for Utah’s Second Congressional District. Maloy ran in a special election to replace Rep. Chris Stewart, who resigned from the House of Representatives last September.
Maloy received powerful support from Utah’s rural voters and beat former state party chairman Bruce Hough and former state representative Becky Edwards with 39% of the vote in the GOP primary election last September.
"It means the world to me that the rural counties turned out in huge numbers to vote for me," said Maloy. "Now I have a responsibility to represent them well.
Stewart endorsed Maloy, who served as his chief legal counsel when he announced that he was leaving Congress. He cited her expertise with natural resources and federal agencies as the reason she was the most qualified to fill his shoes.
Maloy began her journey as a natural resources expert at SUU, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Agriculture. She was able to work one-on-one with professors and secure an internship with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
"Being in such a hands-on program and having an internship that applied the things I was learning really made both work and school blend well for me," said Maloy.
Following her SUU graduation, Maloy worked as a soil conservationist with the NRCS before taking the LSAT and enrolling at BYU's J. Reuben Clark Law School.
Maloy then served as a deputy county attorney for Washington County, Utah, where she represented the area's interests in public lands and natural resources and worked for the Utah Association of Counties as its public lands policy advisor. She was also employed by the Washington County Water Conservancy District.
Her legal and agricultural expertise and experience working on natural resources issues was the springboard that launched her into the world of politics - serving as legal counsel for Rep Stewart.
"My professional life has blessed me with chances to work with impressive people on complicated problems in places I never thought I would go," Maloy said.
No matter the degree SUU strives to provide the foundational education necessary to find success in wherever their careers may take them. The Agriculture Program at SUU provides the tools necessary to succeed in a wide range of agriculture/natural resource careers.
Tags: CurStu FacStaff Alumni Agriculture
Contact Information:
Nikki Koontz
4355865400
nikkikoontz@suu.edu