Christine Gregoire facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Christine Gregoire
Official portrait, 2006
22nd Governor of Washington
In office January 12, 2005 – January 16, 2013
Lieutenant	Brad Owen
Preceded by	Gary Locke
Succeeded by	Jay Inslee
Chair of the National Governors Association
In office November 15, 2010 – July 17, 2011
Preceded by	Joe Manchin
Succeeded by	Dave Heineman
16th Attorney General of Washington
In office January 13, 1993 – January 12, 2005
Governor	Mike Lowry Gary Locke
Preceded by	Ken Eikenberry
Succeeded by	Rob McKenna
Director of the Washington State Department of Ecology
In office January 1, 1988 – January 6, 1992
Governor	Booth Gardner
Succeeded by	Chuck Clarke
Personal details
Born	Christine O'Grady (1947-03-24) March 24, 1947 (age 78) Adrian, Michigan, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Mike Gregoire ​ (m. 1974)​
Children	2
Education	University of Washington (BA) Gonzaga University (JD)

Christine Gregoire (born March 24, 1947) is an American politician. She served as the 22nd Governor of Washington from 2005 to 2013. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

Gregoire was the second woman to be governor of Washington. She was also the state's first woman attorney general. She led the National Governors Association from 2010 to 2011.

Early Life and Education

Christine Gregoire was born in Adrian, Michigan. She grew up in Auburn, Washington. Her mother, Sybil Grace Jacobs, worked as a cook.

After high school, Christine went to the University of Washington. She earned a degree in speech and sociology in 1969. Later, she studied law at Gonzaga University School of Law and became a lawyer in 1977.

Starting Her Legal Career

Gregoire began her career as a lawyer helping the state's main lawyer, called the attorney general. She focused on cases where children were being abused. She worked to help move children from unsafe homes to relatives or foster families. She later became the first woman to be a Deputy Attorney General.

In 1988, Governor Booth Gardner chose Gregoire to lead the Washington State Department of Ecology. This department works to protect the environment. During her time there, she helped make a plan to clean up nuclear waste at the Hanford Site.

Leading the Department of Ecology

Gregoire was the director of the Department of Ecology for four years. She helped create a group called the Pacific States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force. This group worked with Canada to handle concerns about oil spills along the West Coast.

Cleaning Up Hanford

While at the Department of Ecology, Gregoire worked on cleaning up the Hanford Site. This was a nuclear facility that made plutonium for World War II and the Cold War. Over many years, it created a lot of dangerous radioactive waste.

In 1989, Washington State, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) signed an agreement. This agreement set goals for cleaning up the Hanford site.

Working with Native American Tribes

Gregoire also played a key role in improving relationships with Washington's Native American tribes. After a difficult court case about fishing rights, Governor Gardner wanted to build stronger ties. Gregoire helped create the Centennial Accord. This agreement brought the state and tribes together to discuss shared interests, especially about natural resources.

Washington's Attorney General

In 1992, Gregoire was elected as Washington's Attorney General. She was the first and only woman to hold this job. She was reelected two more times.

As Attorney General, Gregoire worked on many important issues. She focused on helping children, improving the system for young people, and creating new rules for state government ethics. She also helped people who were victims of identity theft.

Tobacco Settlement Agreement

One of Gregoire's biggest achievements was her work on the tobacco industry. She helped lead a group of state attorneys general to negotiate a huge settlement. Tobacco companies agreed to pay over $206 billion to states over 25 years. This money helped states pay for health care costs related to smoking.

Washington State received a large share of this settlement, about $4.5 billion. This money was used for children's health services and programs. It also helped fund anti-tobacco advertising and education.

Governor of Washington (2005–2013)

Official portrait of Gregoire, painted by Michele Rushworth

Christine Gregoire became the Governor of Washington in 2005. She won a very close election against Dino Rossi. The election was so close that it needed several recounts. After a long legal process, Gregoire was declared the winner by a very small number of votes.

2008 Governor Election

Gregoire at a campaign stop in August 2008

Sgt. Leroy Petry, visits Governor Gregoire in her office in Olympia.

In 2008, Gregoire ran for reelection against Dino Rossi again. She supported Barack Obama in the presidential election, which helped bring out many Democratic voters. Gregoire won the election with 53% of the vote.

Key Changes as Governor

Education

As governor, Gregoire made big changes to Washington's education system. She worked to improve early learning programs for young children. She also focused on making sure students were ready for college.

She signed bills to create an Early Learning Council and a Department of Early Learning. These groups worked to strengthen programs for children and families. Gregoire also led a committee to rethink Washington's education system for the modern world. This group suggested investing in early learning, improving math and science teaching, and helping every student succeed.

Public Health

Gregoire worked to make health care more affordable and accessible in Washington. She proposed changes to how the state bought health care services. She aimed to lower health care costs for citizens.

She signed the "Cover All Kids Law" in 2007, which helped more children get health care coverage. She also supported the federal Affordable Care Act. This law aimed to expand health insurance coverage to more people, especially those with lower incomes. Gregoire helped set up a health insurance exchange in Washington, one of the first states to do so.

Environment

Gregoire focused on cleaning up Puget Sound, aiming to make it healthier for fish, swimming, and digging for shellfish. In 2007, she created the Puget Sound Partnership to help achieve this goal.

She also took action to fight climate change. In 2009, she ordered state actions to reduce greenhouse gases. In 2011, she signed a law that moved Washington state away from using coal for power.

LGBT Rights

Gregoire supported equal rights for LGBTQ+ people in Washington. In 2006, she signed a bill that protected people from discrimination based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. In 2007, she signed a law giving same-sex couples domestic partnership rights.

Later, she signed a bill that gave state-registered domestic partners the same rights as married couples. Washington voters approved this measure in a statewide vote. In 2012, Gregoire announced her support for same-sex marriage. She signed a bill allowing it, and voters approved it later that year.

Transportation

Gregoire worked on many transportation projects. In 2006, she signed a law requiring fuel suppliers to include biodiesel and ethanol in their fuels. This was the first such requirement in the nation.

She also supported building two major projects: a new 520 floating bridge and a deep bore tunnel to replace the aging State Route 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle. She also helped create the nation's first "electric highway," a network of electric vehicle charging stations.

Life Sciences Discovery Fund

In 2005, Gregoire created the Life Sciences Discovery Fund. This fund gives money for research in health and agriculture. It uses money from the tobacco settlement she helped secure. This fund helps find cures for diseases and improve farming.

Aerospace

Gregoire worked to boost Washington's aerospace industry. She formed the Aerospace Council to develop training and research in this field. Washington is home to many aerospace companies, including Boeing.

Government Reforms

Gregoire worked to make state government more efficient. She signed a budget that included reforms to the pension system. She also merged several state agencies to save taxpayer money.

Great Recession

Gregoire (center), stands with Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels (left) and U.S. Senator from Illinois Barack Obama (right) at a rally for Obama's presidential campaign at KeyArena on February 8, 2008.

Gregoire in 2010 at a memorial dedication for the victims of the 2009 Lakewood police officer shooting.

Governor Gregoire and Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber announce the Columbia River Crossing plan in 2011.

During the Great Recession, Gregoire launched plans to help Washington's economy. She created the "Washington Jobs Now" package to create jobs. She also increased unemployment benefits and supported federal efforts to invest in infrastructure. She worked to streamline government and cut costs.

Gregoire also focused on increasing exports from Washington. She led trade missions to Europe, China, and Japan to help state businesses sell their products globally.

After Being Governor

After her term ended in January 2013, Christine Gregoire continued to be active. She became a public speaker.

She joined the board of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. This center does important research to find cures for diseases.

From 2014, Gregoire spent time at the Harvard Institute of Politics. She talked with students about leadership in government.

Challenge Seattle

In 2015, Gregoire helped start Challenge Seattle. This group is an alliance of leaders from large businesses in the region. As its CEO, Gregoire works to improve education, housing, and transportation in the Seattle area.

Personal Life

Christine Gregoire is married to Michael Gregoire. They have two daughters, Courtney and Michelle. Courtney was appointed to the Seattle Port Commission in 2013.

In 2003, Gregoire was diagnosed with breast cancer at an early stage. She had surgery and recovered. She sometimes talks about her experience with cancer when discussing health care.

Awards and Honors

• In 2007, Governing magazine named Gregoire one of its "Public Officials of the Year."
• She has received honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from Gonzaga University, Washington State University, and the University of Washington.

Electoral History

See also

In Spanish: Christine Gregoire para niños

• List of female state attorneys general in the United States
• List of female governors in the United States