Amy Lynn Carter is a former First Daughter, political activist, artist, and illustrator who gained fame as the youngest child living in the White House during her father Jimmy Carter’s presidency. She is best known for her childhood years in the White House, her involvement in political activism during the 1980s, and her work as an artist and book illustrator. The daughter of the 39th President of the United States has maintained a largely private life in Atlanta, Georgia, where she works as an art teacher and serves on the Carter Center’s board of counselors.
Amy Carter Wikipedia
| Field | Details |
| Full name | Amy Lynn Carter |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | October 19, 1967 |
| Age | 58 years old (as of December 2025) |
| Place of birth | Plains, Georgia, United States |
| Current residence | Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White/Caucasian |
| Zodiac sign | Libra |
| Religion | Baptist |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Height | 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm) |
| Weight | 145 lbs (66 kg) |
| Hair colour | Blonde |
| Eye colour | Blue |
| Marital status | Married |
| Spouse | John Joseph “Jay” Kelly (m. 2007) |
| Ex-spouse | James Gregory Wentzel (m. 1996-2005) |
| Children | 2 (Hugo James Wentzel, Errol Carter Kelly) |
| Parents | Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter |
| Siblings | Jack Carter, James Carter III, Donnel Carter |
| Education | Brown University, Memphis College of Art (BFA), Tulane University (MA) |
| Profession | Artist, illustrator, art teacher, activist |
| Net worth | $7 million (estimated) |
Who is Amy Carter?
Amy Carter is an American artist, illustrator, and former political activist who became a household name as a child living in the White House from 1977 to 1981. She is the only daughter and youngest of four children born to former President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. Amy entered the public spotlight at age nine when her father became the 39th President of the United States, making her one of the youngest children to reside in the White House since John F. Kennedy’s children.
During her formative years in Washington D.C., Amy attended public school and captured America’s attention with her presence at state dinners and her pet Siamese cat, Misty Malarky Ying Yang. After her father’s presidency ended in 1981, she pursued higher education and became involved in political activism during the 1980s, including protests against apartheid and CIA recruitment on college campuses. Today, she lives a private life in the Atlanta area, where she works as an art teacher and serves on the board of counselors for the Carter Center.
How old is Amy Carter? Age and birthday
Amy Carter is 58 years old as of December 2025. She was born on October 19, 1967, in Plains, Georgia, United States. Her zodiac sign is Libra. She was born during her father’s term as Governor of Georgia, seven years before he was elected to the presidency.
What is Amy Carter’s net worth?
As of 2025, Amy Carter’s net worth is estimated at $7 million. She has built this wealth through various income sources including her work as an artist and illustrator, her teaching career, and inherited family assets. Her earnings come from her art sales, book illustration work, her part-time teaching position at Paideia School in Atlanta, and her involvement with the Carter Center.
Amy illustrated her father’s children’s book “The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer,” published in 1995, which contributed to her income as an illustrator. Unlike many presidential children who pursue high-profile careers, Amy has chosen a modest lifestyle focused on art and education rather than capitalizing on her famous surname for financial gain.
Amy Carter’s career
White House years
Amy Carter’s early life was shaped by her father’s political career. She moved into the White House at age nine in January 1977 and became the first presidential child to live there since the Kennedy administration. During her father’s presidency, she attended Stevens Elementary School and later Rose Hardy Middle School, both public schools in Washington D.C. This decision by her parents to enroll her in public education was considered progressive at the time.
She gained media attention for her presence at state dinners, where she was often photographed reading books at the table. Amy also had a treehouse on the White House grounds and owned a Siamese cat named Misty Malarky Ying Yang, who became the last cat to reside in the White House until the Clinton administration.
Education and activism
After leaving the White House in 1981, Amy attended Brown University in Rhode Island. During her time there, she became actively involved in political causes, particularly protests against CIA recruitment on college campuses and demonstrations against apartheid in South Africa. In November 1986, she was arrested at the University of Massachusetts Amherst during a sit-in protest alongside activist Abbie Hoffman and was charged with disorderly conduct.
Amy was academically dismissed from Brown University in 1987 for failing to keep up with her coursework, as she had focused heavily on activism. She later enrolled at the Memphis College of Art, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1991. She went on to earn a master’s degree in art history from Tulane University in New Orleans in 1996.
Career as an artist and educator
Following her graduate studies, Amy pursued a career in the arts. She worked as an illustrator and provided the illustrations for her father’s children’s book “The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer,” published in 1995. The book tells the story of a disabled boy who befriends a mysterious sea creature and showcases Amy’s vibrant artistic style.
Amy has taught art part-time at the Paideia School, a private progressive school in Atlanta that her two sons attended. She prefers to maintain a low profile and rarely gives interviews or makes public appearances. According to former teachers and colleagues, she is a private person who values her anonymity despite her famous background.
Carter Center involvement
Amy serves as a member of the board of counselors of the Carter Center, the nonprofit organization founded by her parents in 1982. The Carter Center focuses on advancing human rights, alleviating human suffering, and promoting democracy worldwide. Through her board service, Amy continues her family’s legacy of humanitarian work and advocacy, though she does so largely out of the public eye.
Is Amy Carter married? Husband, dating history, and relationship status
Amy Carter is currently married to John Joseph “Jay” Kelly. The couple married in 2007 and maintain a private life together in the Atlanta area. Little is known about Jay Kelly, as Amy has successfully kept details of her marriage out of the media spotlight. He has been seen in a wheelchair at public events, including at Rosalynn Carter’s funeral in November 2023 and Jimmy Carter’s funeral services in January 2025, though the reason for his wheelchair use has not been publicly disclosed.
Previous marriage
Before marrying Jay Kelly, Amy was married to James Gregory Wentzel from 1996 to 2005. James Wentzel worked as a computer consultant and hailed from Herndon, Virginia. The couple married in a simple ceremony in Plains, Georgia, on September 1, 1996, when Amy was 28 years old. According to reports, Amy met Wentzel while working at an Atlanta bookstore. Their marriage lasted nine years before they divorced in 2005.
Amy Carter’s children
Amy Carter has two children from her two marriages. She shares a son, Hugo James Wentzel, with her ex-husband James Gregory Wentzel, and has a second child, Errol Carter Kelly, with her current husband Jay Kelly.
Hugo James Wentzel
Hugo James Wentzel was born in 1999 during Amy’s first marriage. He is approximately 26 years old as of 2025. Hugo gained public attention in 2023 when he appeared as a contestant on the ABC reality competition show “Claim to Fame,” where contestants must guess each other’s celebrity relatives. On the show, it was revealed that Hugo is the grandson of former President Jimmy Carter.
Hugo is a fitness coach and bodybuilder who shares his fitness journey on social media. After his elimination from “Claim to Fame,” Hugo announced that he was dating fellow contestant Olivia Aquilina. He attended the Paideia School in Atlanta and has expressed interest in following his grandfather’s footsteps into public service or politics.
Errol Carter Kelly
Errol Carter Kelly is Amy’s second child, whom she shares with her current husband Jay Kelly. While the exact birth year has not been publicly confirmed, Errol is believed to have been born around 2007-2010, making them approximately 15-18 years old as of 2025. Very little information is available about Errol, as Amy has been extremely protective of this child’s privacy. Even Errol’s gender has not been publicly confirmed, with some sources referring to them as a son and others as a daughter.
Amy Carter’s height and weight
Amy Carter stands 5 feet 7 inches tall (170 centimeters) and weighs approximately 145 pounds (66 kilograms). She has blonde hair and blue eyes. As an adult, she has maintained a relatively private appearance, rarely photographed at public events except for family occasions such as her parents’ funeral services.
Fast facts about Amy Carter
- She was the first child to live in the White House in 14 years when her family moved in during January 1977, following the Kennedy children who lived there in the early 1960s.
- Her cat was a White House celebrity. Amy’s Siamese cat, Misty Malarky Ying Yang, was the last feline to reside in the White House until the Clinton administration brought their cat Socks in 1993.
- She was arrested twice for activism. Amy was arrested in 1986 at UMass Amherst and again in 1987 during anti-CIA protests, demonstrating her commitment to political causes.
- She illustrated her father’s children’s book. In 1995, Amy provided vibrant illustrations for “The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer,” a children’s story written by her father Jimmy Carter.
- She was dismissed from Brown University. Amy’s political activism took precedence over her studies, leading to her academic dismissal in 1987 for failing to maintain her coursework.
- She earned two degrees after Brown. Despite her dismissal, Amy completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Memphis College of Art in 1991 and a master’s degree in art history from Tulane University in 1996.
- She works as an art teacher. Amy has taught art part-time at the Paideia School in Atlanta, a progressive private school where her sons were educated.
- She appeared on “Late Night with David Letterman” in 1982, giving a rare interview during her teenage years about life after the White House.
- She married twice and has two children. Amy’s first marriage to computer consultant James Wentzel produced her son Hugo, and her current marriage to Jay Kelly gave her a second child, Errol.
- She serves on the Carter Center board. Amy continues her family’s humanitarian legacy as a board member of the Carter Center, though she maintains a low public profile in this role.
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Wrapping up
Amy Carter has lived an extraordinary life that began in the global spotlight as a White House child and evolved into a private existence focused on art, education, and family. The 58-year-old daughter of former President Jimmy Carter has successfully carved out her own identity beyond her famous surname, choosing a path of activism, artistic expression, and quiet service rather than seeking fame or fortune. As of December 2025, she continues to reside in the Atlanta area with her husband Jay Kelly, maintaining her commitment to privacy while honoring her family’s legacy of humanitarian work through her involvement with the Carter Center.
References
- “Amy Carter – Wikipedia.” Wikipedia.
- Providence Journal. “Amy Carter: What to know about Jimmy Carter’s daughter.” January 9, 2025.
- Fox 5 Atlanta. “Amy Carter: A private life shaped by her father, Jimmy Carter’s public legacy.” January 7, 2025.
- Impact Wealth. “Amy Carter Net Worth and Biography (2025 Update).” September 30, 2025.
- The New York Times. “Amy Carter, Thrust Into the Public Eye at a Young Age, Has Since Receded.” December 30, 2024.
- Town & Country. “What Amy Carter Has Been Up to Since Leaving the White House.” January 9, 2025.
- USA Today. “‘Claim to Fame’ castoff Hugo talks grandpa Jimmy Carter’s health.” August 7, 2023.
- White House Historical Association. “Amy Carter and Her Cat.”
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