About
Who Am I? Community Servant
Serving the small towns in her community. That’s been the focus of Dee Ann Campbell’s life for the past two decades. She began her career in the healthcare industry and earned her degree in medical lab technology, working primarily in microbiology and bacteriology, before changing career fields in the late 1990’s. She entered the field of journalism as a freelance magazine writer, with work published in such magazines as Parent Life and Billy Graham’s Decision magazine, as well as the Alabama Baptist Newspaper. She also served as a contributing columnist for The Choctaw Advocate in Butler. In 2003, she and her husband Tommy worked to establish The Choctaw Sun. Three years later, they purchased the Advocate and merged the two newspapers into The Choctaw Sun-Advocate, where Dee Ann has served as editor and publisher for the past two decades. She and her husband also publish The Leader in Marengo County. Her work as publisher earned her positions on the statewide Alabama Press Association’s Board of Directors, where she served for several years. In 2022, she was elected President of the organization and was named Chairman of the Board the following year. Her work has earned her a long list of awards for news reporting, in-depth news coverage, editorial writing, sports coverage, agricultural and medical reporting, photography, newspaper design, and support for the Freedom of Information Act. In 2019, she was named one of the most influential women in Alabama media by the Birmingham Business Journal. Over the past two decades, she has covered issues ranging from county
A Lifelong Republican
Dee Ann is a lifelong, dedicated pro-life conservative Republican who is committed to upholding the conservative family values that make our small towns great. A true Republican, she has been involved in the party since she was a teenager, first working in the Meridian, Mississippi headquarters for the Ronald Reagan presidential campaign. It was President Reagan, along with her parents, who instilled within her the belief in conservative values and the strong sense of patriotism that has led to her passion for community service throughout her life. She joined the Choctaw County Republican party during a time when there were only a handful of residents who were involved in the organization locally, and she has remained affiliated with the party through the past three decades. She also serves on the state Republican Executive Committee and was a founding member of the former Choctaw County Republican women’s organization.
Strong Work Ethic
Dee Ann is known for her strong work ethic, a trait passed down to her by her late father, Norman Fant, a self-made business owner who taught his five children the value of hard work and self-sufficiency. As a self-made small business owner herself, Dee Ann was not handed a ‘free ride’. She and her husband Tommy worked to build The Choctaw Sun newspaper from the ground up, putting in years of long hours to make ends meet and make their business work.
Today, the Campbells still work hard to maintain and operate their business themselves, putting in lots of blood, sweat, and tears to keep their business afloat. They understand the struggles of everyday Alabamians and what it takes to make a living. In addition to their newspaper work and her work in economic development, Tommy is a bi-vocational minister and currently serves as pastor of Nanafalia Baptist Church, where Dee Ann serves as pianist.
