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 | |
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62nd Mayor of Phoenix | |
Assumed office March 21, 2019 | |
Preceded by | Thelda Williams |
Member of the Phoenix City Council from the 8th district | |
In office January 2, 2014 – August 7, 2018 | |
Preceded by | Michael Johnson |
Succeeded by | Felicita Mendoza |
Personal details | |
Born | Kate Widland October 21, 1981 Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) | |
Children | 1 |
Education | Harvard University (BA) University of Pennsylvania (MBA) |
Website | Campaign 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]
References
- "What does the next Phoenix mayor need most: Backing or brains?". The Arizona Republic. October 24, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- "Albuquerque native elected mayor of Phoenix » Albuquerque Journal". Abqjournal.com. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
- "Kate Gallego: Caring is More than a Campaign | Arizona Jewish Life". Azjewishlife.com. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
- "Kate Expectations | People". Phoenixmag.com. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- "Get to know the Phoenix mayoral candidates". KNXV-TV. October 27, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
- "Councilwoman Kate Gallego enters Phoenix mayoral race". Azcentral.com. October 9, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
- "Phoenix Councilwoman Kate Gallego to resign Aug. 7 to run for mayor". Azcentral.com. July 26, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
- 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.
- Vetnar, Ali (March 12, 2019). "Kate Gallego elected as Phoenix mayor, 3rd woman to hold position". KTAR. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
- Gardiner, Dustin (December 21, 2016). "Phoenix Vice Mayor Kate Gallego and Rep. Ruben Gallego to divorce". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kate Gallego. |
Political offices | ||
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Preceded by Thelda Williams |
Mayor of Phoenix 2019–present |
Incumbent |