Katherine M. Sheehan (born December 5, 1963) is an American politician and attorney serving as the 75th

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It is located on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River. Albany is the oldes ...

. Prior to being elected Mayor, Sheehan served as City Treasurer from 2010 to 2013. On September 10, 2013, she defeated Corey Ellis in the Democratic primary for mayor of Albany. She later won the general election, becoming the first female mayor in Albany's history. She was re-elected in 2017 and 2021.

Early life and education

Sheehan was born outside

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

and grew up in the Midwest. She is one of six children. Sheehan earned a bachelor of science degree in journalism from

Bowling Green State University Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is a Public university, public research university in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The main academic and residential campus is south of Toledo, Ohio. The university has nationally recognized progr ...

in 1985. In 1994, she earned a

Juris Doctor A Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Doctor of Law (JD) is a graduate-entry professional degree that primarily prepares individuals to practice law. In the United States and the Philippines, it is the only qualifying law degree. Other j ...

from the Albany Law School.

Career

After graduating from law school, she began working in the Albany office of Bond, Schoeneck & King. In 1996, Sheehan took a position at Intermagnetics General Corporation in

Latham, New York Latham is a Hamlet (New York), hamlet and census-designated place in Albany County, New York, Albany County, New York (state), New York, United States. It is located along U.S. Route 9 in New York, U.S. Route 9 in the Administrative divisions of ...

. She helped negotiate the sale of the company to Philips Medical Systems. In 2009, Sheehan was elected City Treasurer of Albany, New York.

Mayor of Albany

On November 17, 2012, Sheehan announced herself as a 2013 candidate for mayor. In May 2013, longtime Albany Mayor Gerald Jennings announced that he would not seek a sixth term in the fall elections. Sheehan defeated former Common Councilor Corey Ellis in a Democratic mayoral primary on September 10, 2013. Sheehan won the Democratic nomination with 7,468 votes (65.72%) to Ellis's 3,294 votes (29%). On November 5, 2013, Sheehan won the general election with over 83% of the total vote. When she took office on January 1, 2014, she became the first female mayor in the history of the city. During Sheehan's tenure, the city's total debt decreased from $140.1 million in 2014 to $106.8 million in 2018. The city installed red-light cameras at various intersections in 2015. In 2017, Sheehan announced a $1 million vacant building grant program. In February 2017, Sheehan—along with Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy and Congressman Paul Tonko—was criticized by Bishop Edward Scharfenberger for supporting and attending a rally for Planned Parenthood despite being a Roman Catholic politician. In her 2017 re-election bid, Sheehan faced opposition from Common Council President Carolyn McLaughlin and Common Councilor Frank Commisso Jr. in the Democratic primary. Sheehan won the primary with 51 percent of the vote. Sheehan was re-elected Mayor on November 7, 2017, winning 70 percent of the vote; Commisso received 22 percent of the vote as an independent candidate.

Personal life

Sheehan and her husband, Bob, were married in 1992. The Sheehans have an adopted son named Jay. In January 2018, the Sheehans purchased a house in the Ten Broeck Triangle section of the Arbor Hill neighborhood.

References

External links

Office of the city treasurer

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheehan, Kathy 1963 births 2016 United States presidential electors 2020 United States presidential electors 21st-century American women politicians 21st-century mayors of places in New York (state) Albany Law School alumni American Roman Catholics Bowling Green State University alumni City and town treasurers in the United States Living people Mayors of Albany, New York New York (state) Democrats Women in New York (state) politics Women mayors of places in New York (state) 2024 United States presidential electors