Elected New Hampshire's first female governor in 1996, Jeanne Shaheen has made her mark by crafting solutions to issues that matter to New Hampshire families: strengthening education from kindergarten through college; improving health care; building a high-tech and international economy; bringing competition to the state's electric industry; and maintaining a fiscally responsible state government.

Jeanne Shaheen was born in St. Charles, Mo. in 1947, the second of Ivan and Belle Bowers' three daughters. She earned her bachelor's degree in English from Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania in 1969 and her master's degree in political science from the University of Mississippi in 1973.

Before serving in public office, she taught high school in New Hampshire and Mississippi, was the owner and manager of a small business, and managed several statewide campaigns.

In 1990, Jeanne Shaheen was elected to the state senate, where she served three terms. She quickly delved into some of the state's most complicated issues and demonstrated her ability to build bipartisan consensus. She was an early champion and expert on bringing electric competition to New Hampshire, reforming workers' compensation, improving the state's health care system and expanding the economy.

In 1996, she ran for governor, focusing on strengthening education, improving health care, building the state's economy and lowering electric rates. Jeanne Shaheen was the first Democrat elected governor in sixteen years, and she was reelected in 1998 and 2000. Jeanne Shaheen is only the fourth governor in New Hampshire's history to be elected to a third term.

In her first six months as Governor, she fulfilled her promise to expand public kindergarten in New Hampshire. Gov. Shaheen increased the state's investment in local public schools, the university system and community technical colleges. In addition, the state is reforming its job training system to make it more responsive to the needs of employees and businesses. To help families meet the rising costs of higher education, the state has established a college savings program that is a model for the nation.

Recognizing that money alone does not improve the quality of schools, her administration began the testing of first-year teachers; toughened teacher recertification standards; created a program to put more computers into local schools; and developed a school report card so parents know how their children's schools measure up. She also launched the Best Schools Initiative, and its flagship program, the Best Schools Leadership Institute, to help communities achieve excellence in their schools. She has been recognized nationally for her work on education issues and is the chair of the Education Commission of the States, where she will focus her efforts on improving early education and child care.

She has led New Hampshire to the cutting edge of the new economy, taking advantage of new technologies and global opportunities. New Hampshire now has one of the highest concentrations of high-technology workers in the nation, one of the highest rates of growth in international trade, and has become a magnet for international investment. In addition, the state has increased its tourism marketing efforts, increased investment in its infrastructure and lowered workers' compensation premiums.

She has expanded health care coverage for children through an innovative public-private partnership, and is working to make prescription drugs more affordable for senior citizens. Gov. Shaheen successfully pushed through the legislature her HMO Accountability Act, which provides New Hampshire families with the information and tools to hold their HMO accountable for providing the health care families need. In addition, the legislature passed her proposal to allow small businesses to join together to purchase health insurance for their employees.

Gov. Shaheen has worked to make state government more efficient and effective, including creating a Kids Cabinet, which brings together the state's top officials to coordinate their efforts on children's issues, including child care, after-school care and substance abuse.

Under Gov. Shaheen's leadership, the state has made a number of significant advances toward lowering electric rates for all New Hampshire families and businesses and bringing electric competition to New Hampshire.

Gov. Shaheen and her husband of thirty years, Bill, live in Madbury and have three daughters, Stefany, Stacey and Molly. Stefany and her husband, Craig Welch, have one daughter, Ellen Louise Shaheen.