About Kristi
“I am Kristi Cox, and I am running for Mayor. I moved to Bryan County 31 years ago this December when I married Allen, who was raised in Richmond Hill. Prior to that, I lived in Savannah after my dad, who met my mom when he was stationed at Hunter while serving in the Army, retired. My childhood was spent in various locations in Georgia, Hawaii, and Germany, and graduated from Windsor Forest High School. I met Allen when we were both attending Armstrong State College. I have a B.S. in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology and Allen has a Doctorate in Education.
We lived in Bryan County for the first few years of our marriage and after our oldest daughter, Allena, was born, we moved within the city limits. Allena is married to Carson Hendrix and works for CURE Childhood Cancer; Leilani was stillborn when I was 8 months pregnant; Alivea, passed from lymphoma in 2018 at the age of 14 and is in heaven; Alea, is our youngest and hugs everyone she meets, and Allie who was adopted from Ukraine in 2012, is living her best life. Alea and Allie both have down syndrome and that extra chromosome is one of the best gifts we’ve ever been given because a special needs journey grounds you and teaches you to value each milestone in life. Allen retired from Bryan County Schools three years ago and, now that both girls are no longer in school, their days are filled with activities with dad while I’m serving as Mayor Pro-Tem for Richmond Hill. I am currently serving my second term on city council and, over the past few months, prayerfully made the decision to run for Mayor.
I currently serve on Georgia Municipal Association’s (GMA) Member Services Advisory Panel, GMA Children & Youth Council, and was asked to serve on a GMA Disaster Preparedness Advisory Panel after our state was hit by Debbie and Helene in 2024. I had the privilege of helping a team of elected officials and staff across Georgia devise best practices when disasters arise and I was asked to present during one of four webinars for municipalities across Georgia.
In addition, I also currently serve as President of the Kiwanis Club of Richmond Hill, am a member of the YMCA Board and was recently appointed to the Development Authority for Bryan County. My professional experience includes Chatham County Juvenile Probation Officer, March of Dimes Program Coordinator, Covenant Care Adoptions Client Case Manager, and United Way Director of Bryan County. I have held several leadership roles, both professionally and on a volunteer basis. I served on the GA Dept of Education’s Special Needs Advisory Council, and the BCS Superintendent Advisory Council. I was co-director for a first offenders’ intervention learning program at Chatham County Juvenile Court as well as a supervisor for a Saturday work squad where probationers were ordered to complete community service on the weekends. I served on the Memorial Health University Fetal & Infant Mortality Review Board and was responsible for a pregnancy initiative for 66 counties with the March of Dimes. I worked with girls and women who were facing unplanned pregnancies and, a lot of times, were in crisis.
As United Way Director, I was responsible for office operations, fundraising, assessing and distributing resources to clients, public relations, and board development. I also held many volunteer positions such as PTSO President and Vice-President for several schools, School Council for several schools, Girl Scout Leader, Nursery Director and youth leader at church, to name a few.
I’ve been in the trenches, I’ve coordinated and attended community events, and have served on multiple boards, Being involved as a volunteer for 30 years in Richmond Hill has provided me the opportunity to establish relationships with other community leaders in RH and Pembroke, county leadership, school leadership, and state leaders, as well as Chamber of Commerce, Development Authority, businesses, nonprofits and residents.
If elected, I can hit the ground running as we move our city forward because I already have working relationships within this community.”
Why are you running?
“My decision to run for Mayor is one that I have considered and prayed for relentlessly over the past few months. Mayor Carpenter has served the two terms allowed by the charter and the position needs someone with experience taking the reins. This position requires understanding of city governance and willingness to make hard decisions because each action taken has an impact on the quality of life for our residents. Having served on city council as Mayor Pro-Tem for the past 6.5 years, I have the knowledge and familiarity with city government, as well as relationships with community partners, and am ready to guide this community into the next chapter.
I am committed to focusing on public safety, drainage, growth, communication and transparency, while exploring funding opportunities that will, hopefully, enable us to provide tax relief. I will be available to residents and welcome all suggestions and recommendations. This is our city, and we need to ensure that each person has a voice in the decision-making process. I am a firm believer in “We the People” and I am ready to serve you in this role, as I have as your city council representative. I would appreciate your support and ask for your vote on November 4th.”.
What sets you/your ideas apart?
“Leading a team takes more than just hard work; it requires key qualities that help guide, inspire and empower others. My previous supervisory experiences have helped fine-tune my ability to lead and manage people. I am an active listener and believe in thorough, direct, effective communication. If people know the expectations, and roles are well defined, an organization can soar. I care about and respect people and want others to grow both personally and professionally. I analyze situations and work well under pressure or during a crisis. I like to plan and create strategic roadmaps by setting specific goals, along with action items, that help ensure the goals are achievable. Accountability plays a huge role in being transparent, not only with successes but also challenges and setbacks. Having the ability to say, “I was wrong,”“I am sorry,” or “I don’t know” cultivates trust and mutual respect, and I am able to own what I say and do. I am honest, authentic and “what you see is what you get.” I love this community and I do not have a self-serving agenda; I just want to serve you and help our community to the best of my ability.”
From your perspective, what are the three biggest issues facing the city of Richmond Hill?
“Ensuring that appropriate resources are allocated to 1. drainage, 2. growth and 3. public safety while securing necessary funding without having to raise the millage rate.”
How has social media affected local government, if at all?
“Social media has had a tremendous impact on local government. It has provided positive opportunities through increased communication with residents that allow access to information via live streaming and the city information page. It does, however, also pose a challenge due to a lot of misinformation being shared. On multiple occasions, I’ve witnessed people arguing online over two different viewpoints and all information that was shared was incorrect.”
If you had to pick the top three stories or events that happened in Richmond Hill in 2025, what would they be?
“Thinking back to several projects and stories that occurred during 2025, I would choose the following three, while they are not listed in a particular order.
1. Richmond Hill, working with the YMCA and GCATS on a land deal that would provide an opportunity for the two entities to build a long-awaited pool that residents have wanted for years.
2. An Airport Authority was established to study the feasibility of construction of an airport in Richmond Hill.
3. The city rolled back the millage rate from 4.132 to 3.981 for the first time in years.”
Where do you see the city of Richmond Hill in 10 years?
“I see Richmond Hill as a thriving, inclusive community where people connect, share goals, and work together to maintain our supportive, small-town culture. A city that is economically sound with a diverse range of job opportunities that enable our residents to live in Richmond Hill rather than having to move away to chase their dreams. Infrastructure that has grown with and improved with the needs of our community. I envision lucrative small businesses along with family-friendly entertainment options.
I hope we grow as an arts and cultural town that leads to being a tourist destination, even if only for a day as people travel to Savannah, because we have historical landmarks, talented artists, and special traditions that are worth exploring. Working together we can ensure that we move this community forward in the manner that “we the people” desire. This is OUR city and we should all have a seat at the table to create the place we all call home.”