Amanda Aguirre facts for kids

Amanda Aguirre, born on February 6, 1953, is a politician from the Democratic Party. She served as an Arizona State Senator from 2006 to 2010. Before that, she was an Arizona State Representative for District 24 from 2003 to 2006. In May 2012, Aguirre announced her plan to run for a seat in the U.S. Congress, representing Arizona's 3rd congressional district.

About Amanda Aguirre

Amanda Aguirre has always been deeply involved in public health. She focused a lot on health issues that affect people living near the U.S.-Mexico border. Amanda lives in Yuma, Arizona. Education has been a very important part of her life. Her parents were both elementary school teachers, and they taught her the importance of serving her community. This helped shape her Democratic values. In her free time, Amanda enjoys traveling, reading, playing guitar, and kayaking on the Colorado River. She also loves spending time with her significant other and her cat, Nafta.

Her Education Journey

Amanda Aguirre earned her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in chemistry from the University of Sonora in Hermosillo, Mexico. Later, in 1981, she received her master's degree from California State University, Los Angeles. Her master's studies focused on nutrition, especially how to help children with developmental disabilities who had feeding problems.

Amanda Aguirre's Career in Politics

Amanda Aguirre made history in February 2003. She became the first woman and the first Hispanic person to represent District 24 in the Arizona State House of Representatives. This district includes Yuma and La Paz Counties. The Yuma County Board of Supervisors first appointed her to this role. A year later, she was elected by voters to serve a full term in the House. In 2006, she was elected to the Arizona State Senate, where she continued to serve.

Making a Difference with Laws

Amanda Aguirre was very successful in helping pass important laws. Many of these laws had support from both political parties. One of her most well-known achievements was creating an Autism Task Force. This group was set up to look at how state agencies, schools, and other organizations worked together to help people with autism. They also suggested ways to make these services better.

She also championed a law passed in 2008 called "Steven's Law." This law made sure that private medical insurance companies had to cover services for autism treatment. This was a big step forward for families needing support for autism.

Working on Important Committees

Governor Jan Brewer chose Amanda Aguirre to be part of her Advisory Group for Behavioral Health. This group had five members from both political parties. Their job was to look at how the state provided mental health services and suggest improvements.

In 2008 and 2009, Aguirre was asked to co-chair the In-Home Care Study Committee. This was a significant role because she was the only Democrat to co-chair a joint committee in a legislature mostly controlled by Republicans. She also served as a ranking member on the Senate Healthcare and Medical Liability Reform Committee. Currently, she is on the advisory board for the Northern Arizona University Interdisciplinary Health Policy Institute. This board includes twelve of the most important healthcare decision-makers in Arizona.

Community Involvement

Beyond her work in the legislature, Amanda Aguirre has been active in her community. She helped organize clean-up efforts for illegal dumping sites in her district. She also hosted events across the county to help children get their immunizations.