Kate Gallego

Kate Gallego (née Widland, born October 21, 1981) is an American politician serving as the mayor of Phoenix, Arizona since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served on the Phoenix City Council from 2014 to 2018.

Kate Gallego
62nd Mayor of Phoenix
Assumed office
March 21, 2019
Preceded byThelda Williams
Member of the Phoenix City Council
from the 8th district
In office
January 2, 2014 – August 7, 2018
Preceded byMichael Johnson
Succeeded byFelicita Mendoza
Personal details
Born
Kate Widland

(1981-10-21) October 21, 1981
Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 2010; div. 2017)​
Children1
EducationHarvard University (BA)
University of Pennsylvania (MBA)
WebsiteCampaign website

Early life and education

Gallego grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico.[1] Her parents are attorneys who moved to Albuquerque from Chicago after the 1979 Chicago blizzard.[2][3] She grew up with asthma, which made air quality important to her.[4]

Gallego graduated from Albuquerque Academy, where she served as student body vice president.[2] She earned a bachelor's degree in environmental studies from Harvard College and a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.[2][5]

Political career

Gallego worked for the Arizona Democratic Party, the Arizona Office of Tourism,[4] as well as on economic development and strategic planning for the Salt River Project. On November 5, 2013, Gallego was elected to the Phoenix City Council for the 8th district; she was reelected in 2017. With Greg Stanton, the Mayor of Phoenix, running for the United States House of Representatives in the 2018 elections, Gallego announced she would run in a special election to succeed him.[6] She resigned from the city council effective August 7, 2018.[7]

In the first round of the mayoral election, Gallego received 45 percent and Daniel Valenzuela received 26 percent. She and Valenzuela advanced to a runoff election on March 12,[8] which Gallego won.[9] Gallego is the third woman to hold the office since Phoenix's founding.[9] She is also the youngest mayor of one of the ten largest cities in the United States.[2]

Personal life

Gallego is Jewish,[3] having celebrated becoming a bat mitzvah in Albuquerque.[2]

While attending Harvard, Kate met Ruben Gallego at a charity auction following the September 11 attacks.[4] They moved to Phoenix in 2004,[1] and married in 2010. The couple announced their divorce in 2016, prior to the birth of their child.[10]

See also

References
  1. "What does the next Phoenix mayor need most: Backing or brains?". The Arizona Republic. October 24, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  2. "Albuquerque native elected mayor of Phoenix » Albuquerque Journal". Abqjournal.com. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  3. "Kate Gallego: Caring is More than a Campaign | Arizona Jewish Life". Azjewishlife.com. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  4. "Kate Expectations | People". Phoenixmag.com. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  5. "Get to know the Phoenix mayoral candidates". KNXV-TV. October 27, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  6. "Councilwoman Kate Gallego enters Phoenix mayoral race". Azcentral.com. October 9, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  7. "Phoenix Councilwoman Kate Gallego to resign Aug. 7 to run for mayor". Azcentral.com. July 26, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  8. The Associated Press (November 6, 2018). "AP: Phoenix mayor will be a runoff between Kate Gallego and Daniel Valenzuela | Arizona Politics". azfamily.com. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  9. Vetnar, Ali (March 12, 2019). "Kate Gallego elected as Phoenix mayor, 3rd woman to hold position". KTAR. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  10. Gardiner, Dustin (December 21, 2016). "Phoenix Vice Mayor Kate Gallego and Rep. Ruben Gallego to divorce". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
Political offices
Preceded by
Thelda Williams		 Mayor of Phoenix
2019–present		 Incumbent
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