Ken Salazar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ken Salazar
Official portrait, 2022
United States Ambassador to Mexico
In office September 14, 2021 – January 7, 2025
President	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Christopher Landau
Succeeded by	Ronald D. Johnson
50th United States Secretary of the Interior
In office January 20, 2009 – April 12, 2013
President	Barack Obama
Deputy	David J. Hayes
Preceded by	Dirk Kempthorne
Succeeded by	Sally Jewell
United States Senator from Colorado
In office January 3, 2005 – January 20, 2009
Preceded by	Ben Campbell
Succeeded by	Michael Bennet
36th Attorney General of Colorado
In office January 12, 1999 – January 3, 2005
Governor	Bill Owens
Preceded by	Gale Norton
Succeeded by	John Suthers
Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources
In office 1990–1994
Governor	Roy Romer
Preceded by	Hamlet Barry
Succeeded by	James Lochhead
Personal details
Born	Kenneth Lee Salazar (1955-03-02) March 2, 1955 (age 70) Alamosa, Colorado, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Hope Hernandez
Children	2
Relatives	John Salazar (brother)
Education	Colorado College (BA) University of Michigan (JD)
Occupation	Lawyer politician diplomat
Signature

Kenneth Lee Salazar (born March 2, 1955) is an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat. He served as the United States Ambassador to Mexico from 2021 to 2025. Before that, he was the 50th United States Secretary of the Interior under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013.

A member of the Democratic Party, he also served as a United States Senator for Colorado from 2005 to 2009. Salazar was the Attorney General of Colorado from 1999 to 2005. He made history as the first Latino Senator to represent Colorado in 2005.

In December 2008, President-elect Obama chose Salazar to be the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. The Senate approved his nomination in January 2009. He later resigned from this role in April 2013. After leaving government, he became a partner at a major international law firm. In 2016, he led Hillary Clinton's team preparing for a possible presidential transition.

In May 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Salazar to be the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. The Senate confirmed his nomination in August 2021. He officially started his role in September 2021.

Early Life and Education

Ken Salazar was born in Alamosa, Colorado. His parents were Emma Montoya and Enrique Salazar. His older brother is former Congressman John Salazar. He grew up near Manassa in the San Luis Valley of Colorado.

Salazar graduated from Centauri High School in 1973. He then attended Colorado College, earning a degree in political science in 1977. He received his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1981. Later, he received honorary law degrees from Colorado College and the University of Denver. After finishing school, Salazar began working as a private lawyer.

Salazar's family roots go back to the Hispanos of New Mexico. These roots are from before New Mexico and Colorado became part of the Southwestern United States. He identifies as a Mexican American.

Public Service Career

Serving Colorado's Cabinet

In 1986, Salazar became the Chief Legal Counsel for Colorado Governor Roy Romer. In 1990, Governor Romer appointed him to his Cabinet. He became the director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources.

In this role, he helped create the Great Outdoors Colorado Amendment. This program set up a large land conservation effort. He also started the Youth in Natural Resources program. This program gave young people chances to learn about Colorado's natural resources.

He also made changes that required mining and petroleum companies to better protect the environment. He helped plan the redevelopment of Denver's South Platte River Valley. This project turned a neglected area into a lively economic center.

Colorado's Attorney General

In 1994, Salazar returned to private law practice. In 1998, he was elected as Colorado's state attorney general. He was reelected in 2002. As attorney general, he made police operations more efficient. He also created new law enforcement units. These included the Gang Prosecution Unit and the Environmental Crimes Unit.

He worked to make consumer protection and anti-fraud laws stronger. He also focused on protecting children.

As Colorado Attorney General, he led investigations into important events. This included the 1999 Columbine High School massacre. He received an award for his courage in this work. His office also handled several environmental cleanup cases.

United States Senator

In 2004, Salazar decided to run for the U.S. Senate. He ran for the seat left open by Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell. Salazar is known as a moderate politician. He sometimes took positions that differed from his party's main views.

He won the election against Pete Coors and became a U.S. Senator on January 3, 2005.

Salazar while serving as a U.S. Senator (109th Congress)

Salazar was a key member of a group of senators. They worked on the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007. This bill aimed to help undocumented immigrants become citizens. It also sought to increase funding for border security.

In 2005, Salazar was part of the Gang of 14. This group of moderate senators found a way to compromise on judicial appointments. This helped avoid a major political conflict in the Senate.

He worked to limit natural gas drilling on the Roan Plateau in Colorado. This area is important for its environment. He also worked to get benefits for Rocky Flats workers. These workers became ill after working at a former nuclear weapons plant.

Salazar resigned from his Senate seat on January 20, 2009. This was after he was confirmed as the Secretary of the Interior.

Secretary of the Interior

Salazar during a media conference of the Obama-Biden transition, on December 17, 2008.

Salazar accepted President Obama's offer to become the Secretary of the Interior. The Senate confirmed his appointment on January 20, 2009.

As Secretary of the Interior, Salazar was in charge of many important agencies. These included the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. He also oversaw the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Salazar served as a Secretary of the Interior

Salazar was one of two Hispanic members in Obama's Cabinet. He was the second Hispanic Interior Secretary in U.S. history. He worked to make national parks and monuments welcoming to all communities. He helped create new monuments to honor important figures and places. These included Cesar Chavez and Harriet Tubman.

Some environmental groups were concerned about his ties to the coal and mining industries. However, others praised his commitment to conservation.

Maria Burks, commissioner of the National Parks of New York Harbor, and Ken Salazar at the Statue of Liberty in May 2009.

In January 2009, Salazar said he was thinking about reopening the Statue of Liberty's crown to tourists. The crown had been closed since the September 11, 2001 attacks. It reopened later that year.

He also approved Cape Wind in April 2010. This was the first commercial wind power project in public waters. During his time as secretary, he supported many renewable energy projects. He approved over 11,000 megawatts of renewable energy on public lands. This included the first solar energy projects on public lands.

Salazar also worked to improve safety rules for offshore oil and gas drilling. This was especially important after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. He introduced new safety initiatives and reforms.

He also created new partnerships to build and improve urban parks. These parks were in cities like New York City, Denver, and Chicago. During his term, seven new national parks were created. This included Pinnacles National Park in California. Ten new national monuments were also established.

In January 2013, Salazar announced he would resign as Secretary of the Interior. His replacement, Sally Jewell, took office in April 2013.

Ambassador to Mexico

Salazar in 2021

On June 15, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Salazar to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. The Senate confirmed his nomination on August 11, 2021. He was sworn in on September 2, 2021. On September 14, 2021, Salazar officially presented his credentials to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico. He served in this role until January 2025.

Electoral History

See also

In Spanish: Ken Salazar para niños

• List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress