Senator Jeanne Shaheen

U.S. Senator for New Hampshire

Speaking: Friday, February 11, 9:30-10:15am

Senator Jeanne Shaheen has served as United States Senator from New Hampshire since January 2009. She currently serves on the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and the Committee on Foreign Relations, where she chairs the Subcommittee on European Affairs.

Senator Shaheen is the first woman in history to be elected a Governor and a U.S. Senator, as well as the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from New Hampshire.  Shaheen became the first woman elected Governor of New Hampshire, serving three terms from 1997-2003.   From 2005 to 2007, Shaheen served as the Director of Harvard University’s Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School of Government. 

A former small business owner, Shaheen believes that small businesses are the backbone of the New Hampshire economy. Her focus on the economy led to the creation of nearly 67,000 new jobs during her six years as Governor and the third-highest high tech employment in the nation. She was also the first New Hampshire Governor to lead a trade mission outside of North America. New Hampshire maintained the lowest state tax burden in the country the entire six years Shaheen was Governor.

Senator Shaheen received a bachelor's degree from Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania and a master's degree from the University of Mississippi.