Adams, Alma S.

Alma Adams represents North Carolina's 12th congressional district and serves as ranking member of the House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development. In this role, she leads the Democratic opposition on the subcommittee, which shapes federal education policy and workforce development initiatives. As ranking member of the minority party, Adams influences the subcommittee's priorities and legislative direction, though the majority party controls the agenda.

Adams brings substantial expertise in education to her committee work. She spent decades as a college administrator and art professor, earning a Ph.D. in art education and multicultural education from Ohio State University in 1981. She taught at Bennett College in Greensboro until 2012 and directed the Steel Hall Art Gallery. Before her election to Congress in 2014, she served in the North Carolina General Assembly for two decades, representing Guilford County. Her background in higher education and workforce development directly aligns with her subcommittee responsibilities.

Adams has sponsored significant legislation addressing education and workforce issues, including bills focused on maternal mortality prevention, food nutrition programs, and fair credit for farmers. She also serves on the House Agriculture Committee, connecting her work across education and agricultural policy. Known for her distinctive personal style and her commitment to advancing African American arts and culture—she co-founded the African American Atelier in 1990—Adams brings a distinctive perspective to education policy debates in Congress.