Esther Helton-Haynes is a life-long resident of East Ridge and is proud to call Hamilton County home! She is a graduate of East Ridge High School and Chattanooga School of Practical Nursing!
Esther has a long history and passion for service to others, whether it be her patients or her constituents, she is always willing to go the extra mile! For nearly 44 years, Esther has worked as a nurse, many of those years as a hemodialysis nurse for Dialysis Clinics Inc. Esther currently serves as a State Representative for District 30, which includes East Ridge and parts of the East Brainerd, Apison and Collegedale communities. First elected in 2018, Esther has worked hard in the Tennessee House of Representatives to pass legislation that preserves our freedoms, empowers families and represents the conservative values of District 30.
In addition to serving in the State House, Esther has served on the East Ridge City Council since 2016. Since taking office, Esther has established a proven conservative record of creating jobs and holding the line on taxes. In addition, she has helped lead the effort to bring millions in new business investments to develop the I-75 corridor in East Ridge, ushering in new and existing business growth and development that has created nearly 1,000 new jobs and millions in new taxes for the city of East Ridge and Hamilton County.
Esther understands the importance of small business and how they are the backbone of our state’s economy. As a State Representative, Esther has continued to support small businesses on important issues and worked to pass legislation that creates a positive business environment for Tennessee’s job creators.
As a State Representative, Esther serves as the Chairman of the Insurance Committee and Member of the Health Committees where she strives daily to make healthcare better for everyone. She has worked on important legislation that truly protects the patient, encourages transparency, and provides services to underserved communities.
She also finds ways to fundraise for causes she is passionate about and connect community partners with organizations for healthcare initiatives. Esther holds the record for raising the most money for the Kidney Foundation, in four months she raised more than $116,000 to support local programs and services that help improve the lives of those diagnosed with kidney disease.
Her service to community and healthcare is exemplified by her many accolades over the years, including the Tennessee Oncology Practice Society Champion for Cancer Patients, the Primary Care Association’s Charles E. Darling Organization of Excellence Award, Bobby Wood Public Service Award, Tennessee Hospital Association Hospital Hero, and three awards from the Kidney Foundation of Greater Chattanooga Dare to Dance: People Choice Award, Kidney Hero, and the Dr. Jackson and Milli Yium Award for outstanding service to kidney patients. This year, Esther was honored with the Women of Distinction Award – a special honor presented to women who have set themselves apart through their civic, cultural, philanthropic, human service, environmental and professional contributions to our community.
Representative Helton-Haynes continues to serve on multiple boards and is heavily involved in the community she serves. She is a 917 Society Member, Board Member for Healthy Parks Healthy Persons, East Ridge Optimist Club Association, Hamilton County Republican Women, Hamilton County Pachyderm Club, Elks Lodge 91 Member, Board Member Construction Career Center Board, Trust Federal Credit Union Advisory Board, and a Board Member of Kidney Foundation of Greater Chattanooga.
Esther is married to her loving husband Marty Haynes. She has three amazing grown children Lee, Lisa, and Kip and five beautiful grandchildren. She is an adamant Tennessee Volunteers fan, goes to every home game she can. She enjoys walking, spending time with her family, and vacationing!
