Meet the Team: Chelsea Tucker

Catching Up with Chelsea Tucker

We're all about building our home state of Georgia. We couldn't do it without our community partners and the businesses that help drive its workforce and economy. Our awesome team of experts are on the ground of state expansion.

We caught up with one of those experts to learn more about what she's up to. Let's meet Chelsea!

What part of town do you live in?

I’m originally from Loganville, GA, but I currently live in Decatur, just a few blocks from the square. We are actually building a house just down the street, so I’m looking forward to that in 2021!

What’s your role at Georgia Power? 

I am the CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Administrator for Community and Economic Development.

How many years of experience in community/economic development do you have?

I started in the department full-time in December of 2020, but I got the opportunity to work on a special project with the C&ED team last March and then a developmental role in July, so I’ve really had almost a year to learn everything that goes into making the team such a success, all the crazy amount of work behind the scenes.

Describe economic development in Georgia in two words:

Diverse. Growing.

Tell us your favorite part of your job.

My favorite thing about my job is that I get to do a little bit of everything. I support the CD project managers, the ED project managers, and the Strategic Solutions team, so there is always something new to learn and different types of projects/requests coming in.

What was your very first job?

My very first job was freshman year at Georgia Tech. I worked in one of the graduate research labs helping the department order all of their supplies, documentation, and preparing the monthly expense statement for accounting.

What do you love about Georgia? 

I love that Georgia has a little bit of everything, all within driving distance. Beaches? Yes. Lakes? Yes. Mountains? Yes. International airport? For sure. But it’s not just the geographical diversity here, it’s about the diversity of opportunity. Georgia is home to so many different educational programs and industries that you really can do it all/have it all here. Whether your passion is marine biology, physical therapy, or welding, Georgia can help make that happen. 

What’s Your Secret Talent? 

I don’t know…I’ve gotten really good at cat grooming over the last few years? Both of our cats are long-haired, so I shave them every now and then to cut down on hairballs and mats in their fur. I have almost perfected the lion cut. We call them ‘artisanal’ cuts.

What’s one thing that might surprise people about you?

I fed a hyena a hard-boiled egg with my bare hand (through her safety fence) while visiting an animal sanctuary in Zanzibar. There’s a woman there who rehabilitates and cares for wild animals that cannot be re-released into the wild, so I also got to pet her cheetah! On that same trip, we visited an island that was a tortoise preserve and I got to meet a tortoise who was over 150 years old.

Are you a plant or pet parent? 

I’m an outdoor plant parent and an indoor pet parent to two cats. Unfortunately, any plant brought inside is promptly eaten by one of the cats, making them sick.

What is one thing you learned about yourself in 2020?

I learned that I don’t need to buy pants that zip and button ever again. It turns out that you can get your job done just as well in an elastic waistband. Athleisure is the new business casual. I actually more so enjoyed watching what others learned, watching them grow and being pushed out of their comfort zone. I’m a flexible person so I’ve always been open to different ways of working, but I’m glad the past year made us all reprioritize and think about what’s truly important for our mental health.