Mrs. Garnetta Clark worked as a Grants Management Specialist in the Resources Management Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency since joining the agency in October 1984.

As a Grants Management Specialist, she was instrumental in shaping Region 5's approach to several new programs for the past 15 years. Some of these programs included: The Environmental Education Program, RADON, and LUST. She trained Project Officers in areas of the Grants rules and procedures. This training is now institutionalized and mandatory. In 1993, Garnetta compiled the Closeout Manual for the Grants process.

Mrs. Clark worked with members of the Environmental Justice Regional Team and the Office of Public Affairs’ Software Development Section in providing technical input in the creation and development of a widely hailed and widely successful Grants Writing Tutorial software program.

As an EEO Counselor, she helped form a support group for African American supervisors. As a result of this effort , the Black Supervisory Support Group (BSSG) was formed in 1988. In 1996, Mrs. Clark, the BSSG and the Black Employment Program Advisory Council were awarded the Region’s Bronze Medal. As a member and activist in BSSG, in 1995, Mrs. Clark helped develop Region 5's first formal Mentoring Program. This Regional Mentoring Program is still in place today. In 1999, she was awarded the Special Emphasis Unity Day Award, posthumously. ? Garnetta was instrumental in establishing as a charter member, the first BIG Chapter in Chicago. Her efforts in bringing a BIG presence to Chicago laid the important foundation for the later development of the two chapters serving the Chicago area today. Garnetta was instrumental in establishing AFGE local 704 at the Environmental Protection Agency. She also served as the local’s president; an office she held at the time of her death.

Garnetta was the mother of 6 children, 13 grandchildren, and 1 great, grand child. During the course of raising her children as a single parent, she earned both a Masters degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor degree of General Sciences from Roosevelt University in Chicago, Illinois.

Ms. Clark has placed her stamp of accomplishments in numerous professions by serving as an U.S. Internal Revenue Service personnel clerk, a U.S. Postal Service worker, a nurse, a cosmetologist, and a dedicated homemaker.