Rachel Gardner Hodges, wife of South Carolina Governor Jim Hodges, is a native of Hartsville, South Carolina. She is a graduate of Columbia College, where she earned a degree in psychology. Before the election, Rachel and Jim lived in Lancaster, South Carolina. They have been married for 13 years and have two young sons, Luke, age seven, and Sam, age five.

As First Lady, Rachel is actively involved in promoting and supporting arts in the community and in education, community awareness of the American Red Cross, and in supporting her husband’s initiatives to improve public education. In April of 1999, Rachel launched the "Reading with Rachel" literacy program to share her love of reading with South Carolina school children. The program is designed to promote literacy, parental and community involvement in education, and a love of reading throughout South Carolina.

Through "Reading with Rachel" the First Lady visits a different elementary school each month, reading to students, talking about the importance and joy of reading, and presenting the school’s media center with the "Reading with Rachel" children’s book selection of the month. In addition, each month she invites students from a different county to come and read with her in the gardens of the Governor’s Mansion. Together, Rachel and students, age preschool through second grade, read and discuss why reading is important to them.

Rachel is a member of several boards and commissions. She is an active member of the Spoleto Festival USA Board, the Columbia College Board of Visitors, the A. C. Moore Elementary School Improvement Council, and the South Carolina Arts Commission. Rachel also serves as honorary chair for the Charleston School of the Building Arts Board of Trustees; Governor’s School of Science and Mathematics Board of Visitors; Edventure Museum Project Board; South Carolina Governor’s School for Arts and Humanities Foundation Board; South Carolina Health Alliance Safe Kids Program; Columbia Museum of Art Board; and the Friends of the South Carolina Libraries.

Before becoming First Lady, Rachel worked for Springs Industries for eight years, rising from a position as a management trainee to a production supervisor and finally a customer service manager. She left the company and began working as Director of Marketing and Community Relations at the Springs Memorial Hospital. After the Hodges' youngest son was born, Mrs. Hodges made the decision to simplify her life professionally and spend more time with her family.