. ▁Following ▁gradu ation ▁from ▁Fort ▁D ale ▁Academy , ▁she ▁earned ▁a ▁B . S . ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Monte val lo , ▁and ▁a ▁master ' s ▁degree ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Alabama ▁at ▁B irmingham . ▁ ▁Political ▁history ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁she ▁served ▁as ▁App oint ments ▁Secretary ▁in ▁the ▁Cab inet ▁of ▁Governor ▁F ob ▁James , ▁becoming ▁the ▁first ▁woman ▁to ▁serve ▁in ▁that ▁post . ▁During ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁president ial ▁election ▁season , ▁she ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁delegate ▁p led ged ▁to ▁George ▁W . ▁Bush ▁at ▁the ▁Republican ▁National ▁Convention ▁in ▁Philadelphia , ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁Alabama ' s ▁deleg ation ▁to ▁the ▁Elect oral ▁College ▁later ▁that ▁year . ▁Following ▁a ▁st int ▁in ▁the ▁private ▁sector , ▁she ▁served ▁as ▁Press ▁Secretary ▁for ▁Lieutenant ▁Governor ▁Steve ▁Wind om ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁ ▁Res ign ing ▁from ▁L t . ▁Governor ▁Wind om ' s ▁staff ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁she ▁entered ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁race ▁for ▁State ▁Aud itor , ▁scoring ▁an ▁ups et ▁victory ▁in ▁the ▁Republican ▁primary , ▁before ▁winning ▁the ▁general ▁election , ▁capt uring ▁a ▁seat ▁previously ▁held ▁by ▁Dem ocrat ▁Susan ▁Parker . ▁She ▁served ▁as ▁State ▁Aud itor ▁of ▁Alabama ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 7 .