Gov. Kay Ivey on Friday appointed Cynthia Lee Almond as the new president of the Alabama Public Service Commission, filling the vacancy left by Twinkle Cavanaugh, who recently took a role with the Trump Administration.
“Cynthia has proven to be an extremely effective public servant and leader, and I am confident the people of Alabama will be even better served when she takes the helm at the Public Service Commission,” Ivey said. “Since 2021, I have been able to count on Cynthia to get real, meaningful work done in the Legislature, and while I know the people of Tuscaloosa will miss her representation in the State House, every person across this state will now benefit from her leadership on the Public Service Commission.”
Almond, an attorney and Republican member of the Alabama House of Representatives for District 63, will lead the three-person board responsible for regulating utilities in the state. Her legal work focuses on estate planning, probate, business law, and real estate, and she also owns a title company.
In the state House, Almond served as chair of the Tuscaloosa County Local Legislative Delegation and as a member of the Ways and Means Education Committee, Judiciary Committee, and Rules Committee, as well as vice-chair of the Ethics and Campaign Finance Committee. She has worked closely with Ivey on several legislative priorities, including the Safe Alabama public safety package, the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences, and the Game Plan economic development legislation.
Almond’s experience in public service extends to local government as well. She previously served four terms on the Tuscaloosa City Council, where she was elected president pro tem by her colleagues and chaired the Finance Committee.
“I am honored to have been asked by Governor Ivey to fill this important position. It is one I accept with great enthusiasm,” Almond said. “I know how important this commission is to the people of Alabama and to the industry sectors it regulates. I believe my training as an attorney and legislator will prove to be helpful in performing this role. I appreciate greatly the confidence shown in me by Governor Ivey, and I will work hard for her and for this great state of Alabama.”
A graduate of Vanderbilt University, The University of Alabama, and the University of Alabama School of Law, Almond is deeply involved in her community. She is a graduate of Leadership Alabama, where she served as co-chair of its West Alabama Regional Council, and she also teaches Sunday School at First United Methodist Church. A native of Tuscaloosa, she has two children and enjoys a range of activities, from playing the piano and tennis to mountain biking.
Almond will vacate her seat in the Legislature on Sunday, June 15, ahead of joining the Public Service Commission. Ivey will swear her in as president on Monday, June 16.
