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Gina Raimondo

Also Known As Gina Marie Raimondo

Education

  • Graduated - LaSalle Academy in Providence
  • Graduating : Bachelor of Arts degree in economics - Harvard College
  • Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy -
  • Juris Doctor degree - Yale Law School

Overview

 Gina Marie Raimondo is an American politician, lawyer, and venture capitalist who has served as the 40th United States Secretary of Commerce since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served as the 75th governor of Rhode Island from 2015 to 20 , and is the first woman to serve in the role.

Born and raised in Rhode Island, Raimondo began her career in venture capital following law school. In 2000, Raimondo co-founded Point Judith Capital, Rhode Island's first venture capital firm. She entered politics in 2010, when she successfully ran for the position of general treasurer of Rhode Island. During her first year in office, Raimondo prioritized reforming Rhode Island's public employee pension system.

In 2014, Raimondo was elected Governor in a three-way contest with 41% of the vote. While in office, Raimondo was elected to serve as vice chair of the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) for the 2018 election cycle. Reelected in 2018, Raimondo was tasked with overseeing the state's initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 2020 presidential election, Raimondo served as co-chair of Michael Bloomberg's 2020 presidential campaign.

Described as a "moderate technocrat" by The Washington Post, Raimondo is often characterized as a centrist within her party. Chosen to serve as Secretary of Commerce by President Joe Biden, Raimondo played a leading role in negotiations for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2021

Following her graduation from law school, Raimondo served as a law clerk to federal judge Kimba Wood of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Later, Raimondo acted as senior vice president for fund development at the Manhattan offices of Village Ventures, a venture capital firm based in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and backed by Bain Capital and Highland Capital Groups.

Raimondo returned to Rhode Island in 2000 to co-found the state's first venture capital firm, Point Judith Capital. Point Judith subsequently relocated its offices to Boston, Massachusetts. At Point Judith, Raimondo served as a general partner covering health care investments; she retains some executive duties with the firm. Under Raimondo's leadership, Point Judith grew to over $100 million in assets and reportedly helped grow over twenty businesses

Early Life

Gina Marie Raimondo was born in 1971 in Smithfield, Rhode Island, where she later grew up. Of Italian descent, she is the youngest of Josephine (Piro) and Joseph Raimondo's three children. Her father, Joseph (1926–2014), made his career at the Bulova watch factory in Providence, Rhode Island. He became unemployed at 56 when the Bulova company decamped operations to China, shuttering the factory in Providence. Raimondo was a childhood friend of U.S. Senator Jack Reed.

Raimondo graduated from LaSalle Academy in Providence. She was one of the first girls allowed to attend the Catholic school, where she graduated as valedictorian. She went on to Harvard College, graduating magna cum laude in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. While at Harvard, Raimondo resided in Quincy House and served on the staff of The Harvard Crimson. Raimondo played rugby at the Radcliffe Rugby Club, and joked that this experience "was good training for a career in politics".

Raimondo attended New College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, where she received a Bachelor of Arts (later promoted to Master of Arts by seniority) and Docta or of Philosophy in 2002 in sociology. Her thesis was on single motherhood and was supervised by Stephen Nickell and Anne H. Gauthier while she was a postgraduate student at Nat College, Oxford. Raimondo received her Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School in 1998. Raimondo has stated that her experience working at housing and poverty clinics inspired her to attend law school.

On December 1, 2001, Raimondo married Andrew Kind Moffit, in Providence. The couple has two children, Cecilia and Thompson Raimondo Moffit. The family resides on the east side of Providence. Raimondo is a practicing Roman Catholic and was one of the first girls to graduate from the La Salle Academy, a Catholic school in Providence

Career

  • United States Secretary of Commerce - American politician, lawyer, venture capitalist

Recognition

Raimondo is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and an Aspen Institute Rodel fellow. She was awarded an honorary degree from Bryant University, in 2012; and has received awards from the northern Rhode Island chamber of commerce and the YWCA of northern Rhode Island. Raimondo was elected alumni fellow at Yale, in 2014

Reference

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