Madeleine Kunin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Madeleine Kunin
United States Ambassador to Liechtenstein
In office March 14, 1997 – August 16, 1999
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	M. Larry Lawrence
Succeeded by	J. Richard Fredericks
United States Ambassador to Switzerland
In office August 19, 1996 – August 16, 1999
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	M. Larry Lawrence
Succeeded by	J. Richard Fredericks
United States Deputy Secretary of Education
In office 1993–1996
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	David T. Kearns
Succeeded by	Marshall S. Smith
77th Governor of Vermont
In office January 10, 1985 – January 10, 1991
Lieutenant	Peter Plympton Smith Howard Dean
Preceded by	Richard A. Snelling
Succeeded by	Richard A. Snelling
75th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont
In office January 10, 1979 – January 10, 1983
Governor	Richard A. Snelling
Preceded by	T. Garry Buckley
Succeeded by	Peter Plympton Smith
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives
In office January 5, 1973 – January 5, 1979 Serving with Evelyn Jarrett (1973–1975), Mary Evelti (1975–1979)
Preceded by	George Little Jr., Evelyn Jarrett
Succeeded by	Mary Evelti, Pamela Erkson
Constituency	Chittenden 1-8 (1973–1975), Chittenden 4-8 (1975–1979)
Personal details
Born	Madeleine May (1933-09-28) September 28, 1933 (age 91) Zürich, Switzerland
Political party	Democratic
Spouses	Arthur Kunin ​ ​ (m. 1959; div. 1995)​ John Hennessey Jr. ​ ​ (m. 2006; died 2018)​
Education	University of Massachusetts Amherst (BA) Columbia University (MA) University of Vermont (MA)

Madeleine Kunin (born September 28, 1933) is an American diplomat, author, and politician. She was born in Switzerland. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

Kunin served as the 77th governor of Vermont from 1985 to 1991. She was Vermont's first and only female governor. She was also the first Jewish governor of Vermont. Later, she served as the United States Ambassador to Switzerland from 1996 to 1999. Since 2003, Kunin has been a special professor at the University of Vermont.

Who is Madeleine Kunin?

Early Life and Education

Madeleine Kunin was born on September 28, 1933, in Zürich, Switzerland. Her family were German Jews who had sought safety in Switzerland. She moved to the United States when she was a child.

She studied history at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She earned her bachelor's degree there in 1956. Later, she received two master's degrees. One was from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. The other was in English from the University of Vermont.

Before becoming a politician, Kunin worked as a journalist. She wrote for The Burlington Free Press. She also worked as a tour guide at the World's Fair. For a time, she was a part-time college professor. She was very active in her community. She focused on topics like women's rights, children, and reading.

Starting Her Political Journey

In 1972, Kunin first tried to join the Burlington city council. She was not elected that time. However, later that same year, she was elected as a Vermont State Representative. This meant she became a member of the Vermont state legislature.

In her first term, she worked on the Government Operations Committee. After being re-elected in 1974, her fellow lawmakers chose her as the Minority Whip. This is a leader for the minority party in the legislature. She also joined the Appropriations Committee. This committee handles how the state's money is spent.

After winning a third term in 1976, she became the Chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee. She was the first woman to hold this important position. A conservative Republican named Emory A. Hebard was a mentor to her. He helped her gain important responsibilities.

Becoming Lieutenant Governor

In 1978, Kunin was elected as the 75th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont. She served two terms in this role. She worked with the Republican Governor, Richard A. Snelling.

As Lieutenant Governor, she was mainly the President of the State Senate. She also worked with people across the state. She created studies and made suggestions to the Governor and Legislature. These ideas covered topics like energy and daycare. She often gave speeches throughout Vermont during this time.

Governor of Vermont

In 1982, Kunin ran for governor against Richard A. Snelling. She did not win that election. However, in 1984, Snelling did not run again. This time, Kunin won the election. She became the first female governor of Vermont. She served three terms as governor.

In 1986, she ran for her second term. She won with 47 percent of the vote. Her opponents included Peter Plympton Smith and Bernie Sanders.

Madeleine Kunin is the first woman in U.S. history to be elected governor of a U.S. state three times. As governor, she focused on important issues. These included protecting the environment, improving education, and helping children. She also appointed the first woman to the Vermont Supreme Court. She helped create Vermont's family court system.

Due to budget cuts and a difficult economy, she decided not to run for re-election in 1990.

Diplomat and Author

After her time as governor, Madeleine Kunin joined President Bill Clinton's team. From 1993 to 1997, she served as the United States Deputy Secretary of Education. This meant she helped lead the U.S. Department of Education.

In 1996, she became the U.S. Ambassador to her home country, Switzerland. She also served as Ambassador to Liechtenstein. During her time as Ambassador, there were discussions about Swiss banks and money from World War II. The U.S. government supported those seeking justice.

Kunin is also a published author. Her books include Coming of Age: My Journey to the Eighties (2018) and The New Feminist Agenda: Defining the Next Revolution for Women, Work, and Family (2012). She also wrote Pearls, Politics, and Power: How Women Can Win and Lead (2008). Her book Living a Political Life (1995) tells the story of her career.

Personal Life

Madeleine Kunin lives in Burlington, Vermont. She has four children, including her daughter Julia Kunin. She was married to Arthur Kunin, and they divorced in 1995. In 2006, she married John W. Hennessey Jr., a professor.

Her brother was the late Edgar May. He was a journalist who won a Pulitzer Prize. He also served in the Vermont House and Senate.

Awards and Honors

Madeleine Kunin has received more than twenty honorary degrees. These are special awards from universities.

In 1995, she received the Foreign Language Advocacy Award. This award recognized her support for education. It also honored her work for equal access for all children. She was also recognized for fair salaries for teachers.

See also

• List of U.S. state governors born outside the United States