Angie Paccione facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Angie Paccione
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Paccione in 2006
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| Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 53rd district |
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| In office January 8, 2003 – January 10, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Bob Bacon |
| Succeeded by | Randy Fischer |
| Executive Director of Colorado Department of Higher Education | |
| Assumed office January 10, 2019 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Angie Veronica Paccione
February 21, 1960 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Stanford University |
Angie Paccione (born February 21, 1960) is an American politician. She used to be a state lawmaker in Colorado. She also ran for a seat in the U.S. Congress in 2006.
Before her political career, Paccione was a talented basketball player. She played in college at Stanford University and then professionally in the 1980s. Later, she became a high school coach and teacher. She also earned a Ph.D. in education and taught at Colorado State University.
In 2002, Angie Paccione entered politics as a Democrat. She served two terms in the Colorado House of Representatives. There, she represented the western part of Fort Collins. She became the House Majority Caucus Chair. Her main focus in the legislature was on issues important to young people and higher education.
In 2006, she was the Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress in Colorado's 4th Congressional district. She lost a close election to the Republican incumbent. After a brief attempt to run again in 2007, Paccione decided to join a business consulting firm instead.
In 2019, Colorado Governor Jared Polis chose Paccione for an important role. She became the executive director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education. The Senate Education Committee approved her for this position without any opposing votes.
Early Life and Education
Angie Paccione was born in the South Bronx area of New York City. She was raised by a single mother. Her family later moved outside the city. Paccione attended Cornwall Central High School in Orange County.
High School Sports Star
In high school, Paccione was a standout athlete. She played basketball, volleyball, and soccer. She was especially good at basketball. In 1977, she was part of the USA Women's Select National Team. Parade Magazine also named her to their First All-American Team.
When she was a sophomore, she tried out for the first U.S. Olympic women's basketball team in 1976. She made it very far in the tryouts but was not chosen for the final team.
College and Professional Basketball
After graduating high school in 1978, Paccione received a full scholarship to Stanford University. While at Stanford, she played college basketball for four years. She graduated in 1983 with a degree in political science. She also completed studies in psychology.
After college, Paccione played professional basketball. She played for the Columbus Minks in the Women's American Basketball Association. The league later closed down.
Moving to Colorado and Teaching Career
In 1985, Paccione moved to Colorado. She worked at a center for troubled girls for two years. Then, she earned her teaching license from the University of Denver. She was even given the Future Teacher Award by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education.
Paccione taught social studies at Smoky Hill High School in Aurora, Colorado. She taught there for four years, from 1987 to 1991. From 1991 to 1995, she was a dean of students. This role involved managing student attendance and behavior. While at Smoky Hill, she made history by coaching a high school boys' varsity basketball team. She was the first woman in Colorado to do so in a large school.
Graduate Studies and University Work
In 1994, Paccione began her graduate studies at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. She worked with Project Promise, a program that trains teachers. She became the program's associate director in 1998, co-director in 2001, and director in 2002.
She earned her master's degree in 1995 and her Ph.D. in 1998. Her doctoral research looked at how people develop a commitment to diversity. Paccione taught at Colorado State University. She supervised student teachers and taught courses on diversity, technology, and education. In 2003, she left her teaching role to focus on her work as a state representative.
Legislative Career
Before 2000, Paccione was not involved in politics. However, in that year, she noticed there was no Democratic candidate for Congress in her district. This inspired her to seek public office.
First Election to the State House
In 2002, Paccione decided to run for a state legislative seat. She won the Democratic primary election. Then, she was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives. She represented House District 53, which covers western Fort Collins. She was sworn in as a member of the minority party in January 2003.
Key Achievements as a Lawmaker
During her first term, Paccione successfully sponsored a law. This law allowed young people (minors) to serve on the boards of Colorado non-profit organizations. She also helped pass a measure that gives 24 college credits to high school students who complete the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program.
Paccione was re-elected for a second term in 2004. In 2005, she became the Majority Caucus Chair. This happened after the Colorado Democratic Party gained control of the assembly. She served on important committees, including the House Committee on Education. She also chaired the subcommittee on Higher Education.
In 2006, she sponsored a law to help consumers protect their credit reports. This was to prevent identity theft. During a special session on immigration, Paccione also supported laws to make penalties stronger for employers who hire illegal immigrants. She also voted to allow illegal immigrants who graduate from Colorado schools to receive in-state college tuition benefits.
Congressional Campaigns
2006 Congressional Election
In September 2005, Paccione announced she would challenge the Republican incumbent, Marilyn Musgrave, for a seat in the Fourth Congressional District. This race became very competitive. The Cook Report even called it a "toss-up" election.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee supported Paccione's campaign. The Denver Post also endorsed her. The race received national attention.
Paccione's campaign criticized Musgrave for focusing on social issues and her close ties to President George W. Bush. The election was very expensive, with both sides spending millions of dollars. Many prominent Democrats came to Colorado to support Paccione.
Despite polls showing a tight race, Paccione lost to Musgrave by a small margin. She finished with 43.12% of the vote, while Musgrave received 45.61%.
2008 Congressional Election
In May 2007, Paccione started raising money for a second run for Congress. She admitted that her first campaign had some weaknesses. She hired a new consulting firm to help manage her 2008 campaign.
Paccione faced other Democratic candidates, including Betsy Markey. Both Paccione and Markey had strong connections within the Colorado Democratic Party. They both sought endorsements and raised money. Paccione had a fundraising lead in the second quarter of 2007.
However, in September 2007, Paccione announced she was withdrawing from the Congressional race. She decided to accept a position with a business consulting firm called Pathways to Leadership (later renamed Verus Global). She said the opportunity to travel internationally and impact lives through leadership consulting was a key factor in her decision. Her withdrawal cleared the way for Betsy Markey to win the Democratic nomination and the general election in 2008.
Images for kids
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Paccione in 2006
