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Quick facts for kids Gina Raimondo
Official portrait, 2021

40th United States Secretary of Commerce
In office March 3, 2021 – January 20, 2025
President	Joe Biden
Deputy	Don Graves
Preceded by	Wilbur Ross
Succeeded by	Howard Lutnick
75th Governor of Rhode Island
In office January 6, 2015 – March 2, 2021
Lieutenant	Dan McKee
Preceded by	Lincoln Chafee
Succeeded by	Dan McKee
30th Treasurer of Rhode Island
In office January 4, 2011 – January 6, 2015
Governor	Lincoln Chafee
Preceded by	Frank Caprio
Succeeded by	Seth Magaziner

Personal details
Born	Gina Marie Raimondo (1971-05-17) May 17, 1971 (age 54) Smithfield, Rhode Island, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Andrew Moffit (m. 2001)
Children	2 Cecilia R Moffit and Thompson R Moffit
Education	Harvard University (BA) New College, Oxford (MA, DPhil) Yale University (JD)
Signature

Gina Marie Raimondo (born May 17, 1971) is an American businesswoman, lawyer, and politician. She served as the 40th United States Secretary of Commerce from 2021 to 2025. Before that, she was the 75th Governor of Rhode Island from 2015 to 2021. She was the first woman to be governor of Rhode Island.

Gina Raimondo grew up in Rhode Island. After finishing law school, she started her career in venture capital. This means she helped invest in new businesses to help them grow. In 2000, she helped start Point Judith Capital, which was Rhode Island's first company of its kind.

In 2010, Raimondo entered politics. She was elected general treasurer for the state. In this role, she focused on improving the state's pension system. Pensions are like savings plans for retired public workers.

In 2014, Raimondo was elected governor. She was reelected in 2018. As governor, she led Rhode Island's first response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, President Joe Biden chose her to be the Secretary of Commerce. In this role, she helped create the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Early Life and Education

Gina Marie Raimondo was born in 1971 in Smithfield, Rhode Island. She is the youngest of three children. Her father worked at a watch factory that closed when she was 12. This happened because the company moved its work to China. This experience taught her about the importance of jobs and the economy.

Raimondo went to LaSalle Academy in Providence. She was one of the first girls to attend this Catholic school. She graduated at the top of her class.

She then went to Harvard College. She graduated in 1993 with a degree in economics. While at Harvard, she played rugby. She later joked that playing rugby was good training for a career in politics!

Raimondo also studied at New College, Oxford in England as a Rhodes Scholar. She earned a Ph.D. in sociology there. Later, she earned a law degree from Yale Law School in 1998. She said that working at housing and poverty clinics made her want to study law.

Starting Her Career

After law school, Gina Raimondo worked for a federal judge. Then, she worked at a venture capital firm in New York. Venture capital firms invest money in new businesses that are just starting.

In 2001, Raimondo moved back to Rhode Island. She helped start Point Judith Capital. This was the first venture capital firm in Rhode Island. At Point Judith, she focused on health care investments. The firm grew to manage over $100 million and helped more than 20 businesses grow.

Rhode Island's General Treasurer (2011–2015)

Becoming Treasurer

In 2010, the current general treasurer decided to run for governor. Gina Raimondo announced she would run for the treasurer position. She said it was a "professional job, not a political job." She was the only Democratic candidate.

Raimondo focused her campaign on her business background. She promised to use her power to encourage banks to invest more. She also wanted to help people learn about managing money. She won the election on November 2, defeating her Republican opponent.

Key Actions as Treasurer

One of her main goals was to fix Rhode Island's public employee pension system. This system provides retirement money for state workers. In 2010, the system didn't have enough money. Raimondo worked to change the rules for pension investments.

In 2011, she released a report called "Truth in Numbers." This report suggested making some changes to benefits to help the pension system. A new law, the Rhode Island Retirement Security Act (RIRSA), was passed in 2012. This law helped improve the pension system.

Raimondo in 2012

Ocean State Investment Pool

Raimondo created the Ocean State Investment Pool (OSIP). This program helps the state and local towns manage their money better. It helps them invest their daily funds more wisely. This can lead to better returns and help towns save money.

Fighting Payday Loans

Raimondo also worked to lower the highest interest rate allowed on payday loans in Rhode Island. Payday loans are small, short-term loans with very high interest. She believed these loans trapped people in debt. She wrote articles and spoke out to support laws that would protect people from these loans.

Governor of Rhode Island (2015–2021)

Raimondo at her inauguration in 2015

Winning Elections

In 2014, Raimondo ran for governor of Rhode Island. She won the Democratic primary election. Then, she won the general election with 41% of the votes. She was the first woman to become governor of Rhode Island.

She was reelected in 2018. This time, she won with more than half of the votes. She also served as the chair of the Democratic Governors Association.

What She Did as Governor

As governor, Raimondo worked to cut taxes every year. She also removed many state rules, making it easier for businesses. She raised the state's minimum wage to $11.50 per hour. She also created a law that gave workers paid sick leave.

She started the largest infrastructure program in Rhode Island's history. This means she invested in roads, bridges, and other important public structures. She also made community colleges tuition-free for students. Raimondo appointed more judges of color than any previous governor. This included the first Black woman to serve on the Rhode Island Supreme Court.

Leading During COVID-19

As governor, Raimondo was in charge of Rhode Island's first response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She worked with CVS, a large pharmacy chain, to increase COVID-19 testing. Rhode Island became one of the states with the highest rates of testing per person.

Public Opinion

At first, her approval ratings were low. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, her ratings went up a lot. In April 2020, a poll showed that 76% of Rhode Islanders approved of her work to keep people safe during the crisis.

National Politics

In early 2020, Gina Raimondo supported Michael Bloomberg for president. She became a national co-chair for his campaign. When Bloomberg dropped out, she quickly supported Joe Biden for president. She said it was time for the party to unite behind Biden.

Some people even suggested she could be Biden's running mate for vice president.

Secretary of Commerce (2021–2025)

Becoming Secretary

First official portrait of Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo

After the 2020 election, Gina Raimondo was considered for a role in President Biden's team. On January 7, 2021, Biden announced he would nominate her to be the United States Secretary of Commerce. The Senate approved her nomination on March 2, 2021.

Vice President Kamala Harris swears in Gina Raimondo as Secretary of Commerce Wednesday, March 3, 2021.

She was sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris on March 3, 2021. As Secretary of Commerce, she became known as a strong negotiator. She played a key role in getting the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed.

Raimondo is seen as a "moderate technocrat." This means she focuses on practical solutions and working with different groups. She has been praised for working well with business leaders. She has also been called the government's main person for AI policy.

Chip Policy

As Secretary of Commerce, Raimondo helped lead the U.S. response to the global chip shortage. Chips, or semiconductors, are tiny parts needed for almost all electronics. She pushed for laws to increase chip manufacturing in the U.S. She believes that a lack of chips is a national security risk. She also worked to stop companies like Nvidia from selling advanced AI chip technology to China.

Raimondo answers questions with Press Secretary Jen Psaki in the White House briefing room, April 2021

Working with Other Countries

Gina Raimondo with Antony Blinken, Stavros Lambrinidis, Margrethe Vestager, and Valdis Dombrovskis, before the inaugural U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC)

In September 2021, Raimondo said that China was not respecting the intellectual property rights of U.S. companies. She also said China created barriers for American businesses.

In 2022, her department put controls on exports to Russia. This was to stop Russia from getting military technology. She warned that Chinese companies selling chip technology to Russia would face consequences.

Gina Raimondo with Philippine President Bongbong Marcos

From August 27 to 30, 2023, Raimondo visited China. She met with Chinese leaders to discuss trade and business issues. In March 2024, she visited the Philippines. She announced that U.S. companies would invest over $1 billion there. This investment would include training for Filipinos in digital skills and artificial intelligence.

Personal Life and Recognition

Gina Raimondo married Andrew Kind Moffit in 2001. They have two children and live in Providence, Rhode Island. She is a Catholic.

Raimondo is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, which is a group that studies global issues. She has received awards from different organizations. In 2014, she was elected as an alumni fellow of Yale University.

She also helps her community. She is the vice chair of the board for Crossroads Rhode Island, which helps people experiencing homelessness. She has also served on the boards of La Salle Academy and Family Service of Rhode Island.

Images for kids

Gina Raimondo's signature