Jane Swift facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jane Swift
Swift in 2001
Acting Governor of Massachusetts
In office April 10, 2001 – January 2, 2003
Preceded by	Paul Cellucci
Succeeded by	Mitt Romney
69th Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
In office January 7, 1999 – January 2, 2003
Governor	Paul Cellucci
Preceded by	Paul Cellucci
Succeeded by	Kerry Healey
Secretary of Consumer Affairs of Massachusetts
In office July 29, 1997 – February 5, 1998
Governor	Paul Cellucci
Preceded by	Michael T. Duffy
Succeeded by	Daniel Grabauskas
Member of the Massachusetts Senate from the Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin district
In office January 3, 1991 – January 3, 1997
Preceded by	Peter C. Webber
Succeeded by	Andrea Nuciforo
Personal details
Born	Jane Maria Swift (1965-02-24) February 24, 1965 (age 60) North Adams, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Chuck Hunt ​ ​ (m. 1994; died 2021)​
Children	3
Education	Trinity College (BA)

Jane Maria Swift (born February 24, 1965) is an American politician and leader in nonprofit organizations. She served as the 69th lieutenant governor of Massachusetts from 1999 to 2003. During this time, she also became the acting governor from April 2001 to January 2003.

Jane Swift was the first woman to serve as governor of Massachusetts. When she became acting governor, she was 36 years old. This made her the youngest female governor in U.S. history at that time.

Early Life and Education

Jane Swift grew up in a big family in North Adams, Massachusetts. Her grandmother came to the United States from northern Italy after World War I. Her grandfather was from Plymouth, Massachusetts, with family roots in Ireland and on the Mayflower.

She learned about politics from her father, Jack Swift. He ran the family heating and cooling business. He was also active in the Republican Party in Berkshire County. Jane's mother was a teacher in local schools.

Swift went to public schools in North Adams. In 1987, she graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. She earned a degree in American studies. During college, she worked in the dining hall and for a school department. She also played on the women's rugby team.

Political Career and Public Service

Swift as a State Senator in 1991

In 1990, at just 25 years old, Jane Swift made history. She was the youngest woman ever elected to the Massachusetts Senate. She represented the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden Massachusetts Senate district from 1991 to 1997.

Working for Education Reform

Swift was very involved in changing education laws. She helped pass the Education Reform Act of 1993. This law created the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS). MCAS was one of the first statewide programs to measure how well students were learning.

Many people praised her work as a senator. She focused on making government more responsible. She also worked on managing money wisely and improving education and social services.

Moving to Other Roles

In 1996, Swift decided not to run for the Senate again. Instead, she ran for United States Congress in Massachusetts. She lost to the current Democratic Congressman, John Olver.

After that, Swift worked as an executive for the Massachusetts Port Authority. This agency manages ports and airports. In 1997, Governor Bill Weld appointed her as Massachusetts' secretary of consumer affairs. She held this job until she was elected lieutenant governor in 1998.

Her campaign for lieutenant governor was special because she was young. She was also pregnant with her first child, Elizabeth. Elizabeth was born just a few weeks before election day.

Challenges as Lieutenant Governor

As lieutenant governor, Swift faced many challenges as a working mother in a high-profile job. She was criticized for using staff members to help care for her daughter. She was also criticized when her State Police detail used a helicopter to avoid traffic. This happened when her baby was sick on Thanksgiving.

Swift asked for an ethics review herself. It found she had broken state rules by using staff for childcare. She paid a fine. However, she was cleared of wrongdoing for the helicopter use and other claims. Years later, some reporters noted that she faced unfair criticism because she was a woman in power.

Serving as Governor

Swift (left) with Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao in October 2001

Swift became acting governor of Massachusetts in April 2001. This happened when Governor Paul Cellucci was appointed as the U.S. Ambassador to Canada. In Massachusetts, if the governor's office becomes empty, the lieutenant governor steps in. They serve as acting governor without officially taking the full title.

Swift was pregnant with twins when she became governor. She made history again when her twin daughters, Lauren and Sarah, were born. She was the first sitting governor in U.S. history to give birth while in office. She even continued to make decisions during her maternity leave. She once led a meeting by phone while on bed rest.

Responding to Major Events

Swift earned praise for her actions after the September 11 attacks in 2001. She also managed the money problems that followed in Massachusetts. On the day of the attacks, Swift made sure that voting places stayed open for an election. She then led a statewide effort to prevent more attacks. She also urged Congress to create the Department of Homeland Security.

The Boston Herald newspaper praised her response. They said she was "steady, stable, calming, decisive." After it was found that some hijackers boarded planes in Boston, Swift faced pressure. She then asked the head of Massport to resign.

Massachusetts faced a large budget problem after the attacks. Swift cut nearly $300 million from programs. She also stopped almost $600 million in planned spending. She was praised for handling the budget crisis without raising taxes a lot.

Challenges and Decisions

Her time as acting governor also had some disagreements. In February 2002, she was criticized for not reducing the prison sentence of Gerald Amirault. He was convicted in a 1986 case and had served 16 years. Her decision went against the state parole board's advice.

Swift received a grade of B in 2002 for her money policies. This grade came from the Cato Institute, a research group.

2002 Governor's Race

In October 2001, Swift announced she would run for a full term as governor. In January 2002, she chose Patrick Guerriero as her running mate. He was the first openly gay candidate for lieutenant governor in the nation.

Even though she was praised for her actions after September 11, Swift's popularity was hurt. This was due to some political mistakes and personal issues. Many Republicans thought she could not win the election. They encouraged businessman Mitt Romney to run for governor instead.

In March 2002, a poll showed Romney far ahead of Swift. On March 19, 2002, Swift announced she would not seek her party's nomination. She said it was for family reasons and for the good of the state. Three hours later, Romney announced his candidacy. He later won the election.

Swift's official portrait was put on display in the Massachusetts State House in 2005.

Life After Politics

Swift (left) with Governor Maura Healey in 2023

Swift (center) in 2024, dressed-up for a Dunkin'-related skit at the South Boston St. Patrick's Day Breakfast with Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll (left) and Governor Maura Healey (right)

After leaving public office, Jane Swift moved back to the Berkshires. She continued to work in Boston and across the U.S. She became an executive and consultant in education. She also worked as a partner in a company that invests in education technology.

She has received several honorary doctorates. She was also a fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Swift often speaks about women in public service. She also talks about the challenges of balancing work and family. She wrote for Working Mother Magazine. She also taught leadership studies at Williams College.

Swift and her husband owned a horse farm in Williamstown, Massachusetts. They lived there with their three daughters before moving to Vermont. From 2011 to 2017, Swift was the CEO of Middlebury Interactive Languages. In 2019, she became the president of LearnLaunch, a nonprofit that helps education innovation.

Today, Swift is the President of Education at Work. This organization helps college students get work experience. She also serves on various boards.

Swift's charity work focuses on issues important to women and girls. She has served on boards and advised groups like:

• Sally Ride Science
• School of Leadership – Afghanistan
• Oxfam America's Sisters on the Planet VoteRunLead
• Champlain College

In 2008, Swift ran the Boston Marathon. She ran to raise money for Boston Children's Hospital. In 2015, she supported legalizing same-sex marriage in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Personal Life

In 1994, Jane Swift married Charles T. Hunt III. He was a dairy farmer and a physical education teacher. They had three daughters. Two of their daughters were born while Swift was acting governor. This made her the first sitting governor to give birth while in office.

Her oldest daughter, Elizabeth, graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in 2021. Her other two daughters, Lauren and Sarah, graduated from high school in 2019. Swift's husband, who was the first First Gentleman in Massachusetts history, passed away on December 21, 2021.

Images for kids

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  Swift (left) with Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao in October 2001

See also

In Spanish: Jane Swift para niños