Lisa Brown
For State Senate
Biographical Information
Last update: 24 Sep 2009
Lisa awakened politically during high school in the midst of the Watergate scandal. In college she became the leader of one of the largest student service organizations in the country. After earning her Ph.D. in Economics, Lisa began teaching at Eastern Washington University in 1980. Continuing her volunteer and social justice activism, she helped organize and spoke at hundreds of community educational and fundraising events on topics ranging from poverty and sustainable economics to family policy and domestic violence.
Lisa's positive activism led her friends, neighbors, and colleagues to encourage her to run for office.
"I've always wanted to represent people who don't have the money to purchase access to power," Lisa explains.
A grassroots campaign led 3rd District Spokanites to elect Lisa to a state House seat in 1992. She became known as an advocate for single parents by inadvertently breaking a rule when she brought her infant son on the floor of the legislature during an evening session. She used the controversy to begin promoting family-friendly policies.
In 1996 after serving two terms in the House, Lisa successfully took on a long-time incumbent and moved to the district's senate seat. In her very first term she was appointed to serve as chairwoman of the Ways and Means Committee. Charged with creating a budget in the wake of the September 11th attack and closing the then largest deficit in state history, she rose to the challenge by passing a bi-partisan budget that closed tax loop holes while protecting the fundamental services for the needy and vulnerable. She rapidly rose to chair the Energy, Technology, and Telecommunications Committee, where she authored legislation to increase rural access to broadband internet and to expand energy assistance for low-income consumers. Lisa helped create and served on the influential Gate's commission, which was charged with reviewing Washington's beleaguered tax structure.
In 2002, Lisa was elected by her colleagues as the leader of the Democratic Caucus. In 2005, she became the first woman Democratic Senate Majority Leader in state history.
Some of her most important legislative accomplishments as Senate Majority Leader include championing legislation to:
- establish a life sciences discovery fund.
- insure all kids with health care by 2010.
- cover mental illnesses in health insurance plans at parity with physical illnesses.
- establish a nonprofit foundation to assist uninsured people with low incomes obtain free or low-cost prescription drugs.
- prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.
- create domestic partnerships for same-sex couples.
- allow school levies to pass with a simple majority rather than supermajority vote.
- provide a sales tax credit for working Washington families.
- create a Rainy Day Fund in the state budget.
These are some of the reasons why Fuse recognized Lisa Brown with a ‘Sizzle’ award in 2008 “for being a progressive rock star as the Senate Majority Leader.” Most recently she received the 2009 'Champion for Children' award from the Children's Alliance.
Lisa is honored to serve the people of Spokane by advocating for sensible policy that supports needs such as job creation, quality education, and affordable and accessible health care.
Lisa now teaches, as an Associate Professor, in the Department of Organizational Leadership at Gonzaga University. She and her teenage son Lucas enjoy their big dog Maverick, music, and year round outdoor activities in the Inland Northwest.
Education:
Ph. D. Economics, University of Colorado. B.A. Economics, University of Illinois.
Elected Experience:
WA State House of Representatives, 1992-1996. WA State Senate, 1997 - present. Former Chair of the Energy and Technology Committee. Former Chair of the Ways and Means Committee. Currently serving as the Senate Majority Leader.
