Beth Kennett
American politician (born 1964)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Elizabeth "Beth" Kennett (born July 25, 1964) is an American politician. On November 4, 2025, she was elected as the first woman mayor of Burlington, North Carolina.
Beth Kennett | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of Burlington, North Carolina | |
| Assumed office January 7, 2026 | |
| Preceded by | James B. Butler |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 25, 1964 Monroe, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse | Jay Kennett |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Gardner–Webb College (BA) Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (MDiv) |
| Occupation | politician healthcare administrator minister |
| Website | Mayor's Website |
Early life and education
Kennett was born on July 25, 1964 in Monroe, North Carolina.[1] She graduated from Chesterfield High School in Chesterfield, South Carolina in 1982.[1] She earned a bachelor of arts degree in music education and flute performance from Gardner–Webb College in 1986 and a master of divinity degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1989.[1]
Career
Kennett is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ.[2] She works as the director of Center for Congregational Health at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist.[1]
Politics
Kennett is a Democrat and has been a member of the Alamance County Democratic Party since 2006.[1][3] In 2008, she unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Alamance Burlington Board of Education.[1] She unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Burlington, North Carolina in 2023 against James B. Butler.[4] In 2024, she was appointed to the Burlington Traffic Commission.[1] She won the mayoral election in Burlington on November 4, 2025, defeating Republican former mayor and city councilman Ronnie Keith Wall.[2] She received 4,237 votes while Wall received 3,640.[3] Kennett is the first woman to win a mayoral election in Burlington.[5]