The Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (The COMET) announces the appointment, by the City of Columbia, of Tina Herbert to its Board of Directors.
Ms. Herbert is a Columbia native and represents District 1 on Columbia City Council. As an attorney with Mickle and Bass, LLC., she advocates for injured workers across the state. Ms. Herbert is the mother of one daughter, Assatta, who is also an attorney.
Ms. Herbert graduated from Keenan High School (Richland One School District) in 1992. She received her B.S. in Accounting (Magna Cum Laude) from St. Augustine’s College in Raleigh, North Carolina in May 1996. She received her Juris Doctor/Masters in Business Administration (JD/MBA) degree in May 2000 from North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina. Ms. Herbert was admitted to the South Carolina Bar in November 2000 and admitted to the United States Supreme Court Bar in 2006.
Ms. Herbert received several honors and recognitions while practicing law. In 2006, the Benjamin Law Firm received the South Carolina Bar Pro Bono Award for a Wills for Seniors Program she coordinated. In 2007, Ms. Herbert was named the South Carolina Bar Young Lawyer of the Year for her community service through the bar. She was also named by The State News Paper as one of its 20 under 40 Honorees in its 2008 class. Additionally, she served as President of the Young Lawyers Division in 2010.
Ms. Herbert also worked for the City of Columbia from 2010 to 2017. Ms. Herbert started as the Deputy Director of Community Development and then became the Executive Director of the Office of Business Opportunities for the City of Columbia overseeing the City of Columbia’s assistance to small, minority, and women-owned businesses. During her time with the City, she became a Certified Supplier Diversity Professional, Certified Economic Development Finance.
Professional, and Project Management Professional (PMP). In her role with the City, she was responsible for administering the City’s commercial lending programs. Her office also administered the Façade Programs, including the Downtown Façade Program that leveraged approximately $450,000 in city funds to attract over $6 Million in private funds. Ms. Herbert also created the Columbia Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program.
“We extend a warm welcome to Ms. Herbert. She brings a wealth of expertise, great energy, and a progressive outlook to help us continue to serve the people of the Midlands. We look forward to working with her,” said Derrick Huggins, Interim CEO of The COMET.