Kyrsten Sinema

Kyrsten Sinema serves as the assistant leader to the Democratic Caucus in the House of Representatives and represents central Phoenix in the Arizona Legislature District 15. Now in her third term, she is the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee and the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee. She also serves on the House Military Affairs and Public Safety Committee.

Kyrsten holds both a law degree and a Master's degree in Social Work from Arizona State University, and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in the School of Justice and Social Inquiry at ASU. She is an adjunct professor in the School of Social Work at ASU and practices law when not in session. Kyrsten also serves as faculty for the Center for Progressive Leadership, teaching tomorrow's community leaders about the political process.

Kyrsten has worked on initiatives in Arizona and around the country for a number of years, and in 2006 chaired Arizona Together, the first and only successful effort in the country to defeat a same-sex marriage ballot initiative. In 2008, she chaired Protect Arizona’s Freedom, the coalition that defeated Ward Connerly’s effort to place an initiative on the state ballot to eliminate equal opportunity programs. She continues to consult with political groups around the nation on electoral and legislative strategy.

Rep. Sinema was chosen last year as one of 32 state lawmakers nationwide, and the only legislator from Arizona, for the White House Health Reform Task Force. As a member of the Task Force, Sinema has worked with Arizonans to help shape national health reform so that middle-class families can have access to quality and affordable health care. The historic passage of health reform in Congress was signed into law on Tuesday, March 23rd 2010.

Kyrsten serves on numerous community and national boards, including People for the American Way, Board President of Community Outreach and Advocacy for Refugees, the YWCA of Maricopa County, the Center for Progressive Leadership, and the Young Elected Officials’ Network. Kyrsten is the recipient of awards for her political leadership, including the NAACP Civil Rights Award, AZ Hispanic Community Forum Friend of the Year, Planned Parenthood Legislative CHOICE Award, Sierra Club’s Most Valuable Player, and the AZ Public Health Association Legislator of the Year.

Kyrsten is a 2009 Aspen-Rodel Fellow in Leadership. In May 2010, she completed the Harvard Kennedy School of Government’s Women in Power: Leadership in a New World program, and in 2008 was chosen to participate in the Harvard Kennedy School of Government’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government program. In 2006, she was a Center for Policy Alternative Flemming Fellow, and in 2005 was selected as a American Council of Young Political Leaders delegate to Morocco.

Kyrsten is a strong voice for the community at the national level, appearing on CNN, MSNBC, and FOX News. She speaks regularly at national conferences on a variety of issues including health care, immigration, equal rights, ballot initiatives, messaging strategy, and coalition building.

Kyrsten's first book, Unite and Conquer: How to Build Coalitions that Win and Last, was released in July 2009 by Berrett-Koehler Publishers.