Georgette "Gigi" Godwin has served as the president and CEO of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce since 2007. The Chamber is an association of regional, national, and international businesses with ties to Montgomery County. The Chamber’s mission is to help members grow and to advocate for a vibrant regional economy.
Since 2008, Ms. Godwin has also served as the treasurer for the Montgomery County Chamber Community Foundation, which sponsors the National Center of the Veteran Institute for Procurement (VIP), the Public Safety Scholarship at Montgomery College, Economic Development Studies, and the Montgomery County Green Business Certification Partnership.
Ms. Godwin’s background includes the federal government, business, nonprofit, and local community experience.She began her advocacy career as a Junior Sloan Fellow at the National Academy of Sciences’ Climate Research Board in Washington, DC. Ms. Godwin served as the professional staff of the US House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee focused on Environmental and Transportation legislation. On Capitol Hill, she co-founded and served as the first president of the Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment.She then served as the CFO of an alternative energy development company.
A longtime supporter of education in Montgomery County, Ms. Godwin served on Montgomery College’s Board of Trustees from 2006 to 2011. She has also served as a board member on the Montgomery County Business Roundtable on Education, the Committee for Montgomery, County Executive’s Business Advisory Board, and Imagination Stage.
In 2010, she received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for outstanding support of our veterans for her work in promoting the Chamber Foundation’s Veteran Institute for Procurement. Her recent awards include the 2012 Montgomery County Department of Correction & Rehabilitation Director’s Award for Public Support and Advocacy in Public Safety and The Daily Record’s 2013 Influential Marylander Award for her civic leadership. Montgomery College presented her with an Honorary Degree at the 2016 Commencement. In 2018, Washington Adventist University presented her with the “Honorary Alumna” Award for her dedication to the next generation of talent.
Ms. Godwin earned a master’s degree in public administration from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Grinnell College.She is married and has three children: sons Chris and Ross; and, daughter, Hillary.