Women Leaders in American Politics | Christine Gregoire | Voices in Leadership at HSPH

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• published: 26 Nov 2014
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Christine Gregoire, former Governor of Washington, spoke at the Harvard School of Public Health as part of the Voices in Leadership series on November 20, 2014. Watch the entire leadership series at www.hsph.me/voices. In this session, Gregoire discussed her experiences as the lead negotiator for the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, and the need for women leaders in government. She encourages young people to run for office, posing the question, “If not you, who?” The Voices in Leadership webcast discussion series at Harvard School of Public Health invites leaders to speak about their experiences making decisions that affect global health. Highly interactive and candid, the series is produced in The Leadership Studio for a student audience. The high-definition webcast is streamed live and posted for future viewing. Students learn from experienced leaders about decisions that were effective, decisions that failed, and which decisions, if any, could have been made differently. Watch the entire series at www.hsph.me/voices. Chris Gregoire served as the 22nd governor of the state of Washington. Facing a $2.2 billion budget shortfall when she took office in 2005, Governor Gregoire balanced the state’s budget as she expanded health care coverage to low-income children, led an effort to make government more efficient and accountable, introduced a plan to create a world class education system, and launched a bold plan to save Puget Sound. In 2007, she proposed and the voters passed a constitutionally protected rainy day fund to help the state prepare for economic downturns. Governor Gregoire introduced and won approval for a landmark transportation package to create jobs and address critical challenges with our roads and bridges. She established a dedicated fund to reduce class sizes, helped increase enrollments at our colleges and universities, and protected vital social services for the state’s most vulnerable individuals and families. Reelected overwhelmingly by Washington voters in 2008 and facing a historic multi-billion dollar shortfall brought on by the uninterrupted and deep national recession, Governor Gregoire worked with the Legislature to balance the budget while supporting job creation and economic growth. Prior to serving as governor, Gregoire was elected to three terms as attorney general (1993-2005) and was the first woman to be elected to the position in the State of Washington. She graduated from the University of Washington with a teaching certificate and Bachelor of Arts degree in speech and sociology, and received her law degree in 1977 from Gonzaga University.