{{short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Charlene Fite |image = |state_house = Arkansas |district = 24th |term_start = January 9, 2023 |term_end = January 13, 2025 |predecessor = Bruce Cozart |successor = Brad Hall |state_house1 = Arkansas |district1 = 80th |term_start1 = January 14, 2013 |term_end1 = January 9, 2023 |predecessor1 = Linda Collins-Smith |successor1 = Denise Jones Ennett |birth_date = 1950 |birth_place = Alma, Arkansas |death_date = |death_place = |party = Republican |spouse = Tom Fite |children = 6 |alma_mater = University of Tennessee<br />University of Arkansas <br />Taipei Language Institute |profession = Psychology specialist |website = }} '''Charlene Fite''' (born 1950) is an American politician and former Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives.<ref name= :"b">{{Cite web|title=Charlene Fite - Arkansas House of Representatives|url=https://www.arkansashouse.org/district/80|access-date=2020-12-23|website=www.arkansashouse.org}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Fite was born in Alma, Arkansas. She has a B.S. in deaf education from the University of Tennessee in 2000, an M.S.Ed. in special education from the University of Arkansas, and attended the Taipei Language Institute.<ref name=:"a">{{Cite web|title=The Voter's Self Defense System|url=http://votesmart.org/|access-date=2020-12-23|website=Vote Smart}}</ref>
==Career== Fife is a retired school psychology specialist. She was first elected to the House in 2012 and was re-elected through 2024, when she declined to seek re-election.<ref>{{ cite news |title= Hall drops House reelection campaign after divorce battle aired |first= Michael R. |last= Wickline |url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/nov/12/arkansas-rep-brad-hall-will-not-to-seek/ |work=Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette |issn=1060-4332 |date= November 13, 2025 |volume=11 |issue=317 |pages= 1A, 3A |access-date= November 14, 2025 }}</ref> Her last campaign focused on economic growth; she favors less government regulation to help economic development.<ref>{{Cite web|last=DMM|first=Adam Roberts|title=Charlene Fite wins Arkansas House race|url=https://www.4029tv.com/article/charlene-fite-wins-arkansas-house-race/34568020|access-date=2020-12-23|website=KHBS|language=en}}</ref> She is chairperson of the Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs Committee; and, vice-chair of ALC-Hospital and Medicaid Subcommittee.<ref name= :"c">{{Cite web|title=Representative Charlene Fite (R) - Arkansas State Legislature|url=https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Legislators/Detail?member=C.+Fite&ddBienniumSession=2019/2019R|access-date=2020-12-23|website=www.arkleg.state.ar.us|language=en}}</ref> Fite has served on the Board of Court Appointed Special Advocates in Crawford County, the Board of Children's Advocacy Centers of Arkansas, and the Board for Bost Development Centers.<ref name= :"b"/>
In November 2025, Fite filed to challenge her successor Brad Hall in the Republican primary, alongside Melissa Koller. Hall withdrew days after the filing deadline.<ref>{{ cite news |title= Hall drops House reelection campaign after divorce battle aired |first= Michael R. |last= Wickline |url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/nov/12/arkansas-rep-brad-hall-will-not-to-seek/ |work=Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette |issn=1060-4332 |date= November 13, 2025 |volume=11 |issue=317 |pages= 1A, 3A |access-date= November 14, 2025 }}</ref>
==Personal== She lives in Van Buren, Arkansas,<ref name = :"c"/> and is married to Tom Fite, with six children and seven grandchildren.<ref name=:"a"/> While in language school in Taiwan, she appeared twice on Chinese language television.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Charlene Fite |url=https://aymag.com/intriguing-women-2019/charlene-fite/ |access-date=2025-10-16 |website=AY Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Portal bar|Arkansas|Biography|Politics|United States}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fite, Charlene}} Category:University of Tennessee alumni Category:People from Alma, Arkansas Category:University of Arkansas alumni Category:Educators of the deaf Category:People from Van Buren, Arkansas Category:Living people Category:1950 births Category:Republican Party members of the Arkansas House of Representatives Category:21st-century members of the Arkansas General Assembly Category:21st-century American women politicians