Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
Former Lt. Governor of Maryland
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
7 p.m.
Fowler Hall (Stewart Center)

As Maryland’s first woman Lt. Governor, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend took on issues ranging from improving schools and fighting crime to economic development and healthcare for children and seniors.

Her economic development leadership helped return more than $2.6 billion to state taxpayers, including the first reduction of Maryland’s personal income tax rate in 30 years. At the same time, its job creation rate rose from 44th to 15th in the nation.

In her education role, Townsend created programs focused on citizenship and community service. As Maryland’s point person on criminal justice, she brought together law enforcement and community leaders to reduce violent crime at record rates and recruit young people for community policing.

Townsend also focused on getting better healthcare for families, improving access to insurance and affordable prescription drugs for the state’s neediest children and seniors. Before being elected Lt. Governor, she served as deputy assistant attorney general of the United States. In that role, she ignited the Police Corps, a program to give college scholarships to young people who pledge to work as police officers for four years after graduating.

Townsend has taught foreign policy at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, she has published numerous articles and serves on the boards of directors of several academic and civic organizations.

An adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s School of Public Policy, Townsend served as President of Operation Respect, an organization dedicated to teaching children personal and social responsibility.