Maggie Kernan

For years Kernan was a volunteer with Dream Team for Unity, a mentoring program for students in the South Bend Public Schools system. Believing strongly in the impact of mentorship on the lives of youth, as First Lady she launched a statewide effort to recruit mentors for seventh graders in Indiana's schools.[1] Kernan also oversaw the conclusion of the $1.2 million privately funded renovation of the Indiana Governor's Residence to make it accessible for people with disabilities, a renovation started by her predecessor Judy O'Bannon.[2][3]

Kernan was introduced to Joe Kernan when she was a freshman in high school by his sister, her best friend.[1] Joe and Maggie Kernan were married in 1974 after he returned home from service as a Naval Flight Officer on the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk during the Vietnam War.[4]

In 2006, Kernan took a leadership role in launching the local affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in South Bend.[5] In 2016, was instrumental in launching the South Bend Awesome Fund, an affiliate of the Awesome Foundation, which provides $1000 grants to "support ideas for businesses, events or anything else that could make this area more fun, interesting and vibrant."[6]

In 2008, Kernan and her husband were Indiana co-chairs of Hillary Clinton's campaign[7] and actively campaigned for Clinton leading up to the state's May primary.[8] She supported Barack Obama in the 2008 general election,[9] in which Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win Indiana since 1964.