Elaine Alquist
Encyclopedia
Elaine Kontominas Alquist (born August 21, 1944, in Chicago, Illinois) is currently a Democratic
State Senator
from California's 13th Senate District. Prior to serving in the Senate, she served in the State Assembly
for 6 years.
The 13th Senate District (SD 13) is the heart of Silicon Valley in Santa Clara County and includes the cities of San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View and Gilroy.
She has been in office since December 2004. She succeeded John Vasconcellos
who, himself, succeeded Alquist's husband, the late Al Alquist
, who represented the district for 30 years. Alquist graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from MacMurray College
in 1966 and a Master of Arts degree from Washington University in St. Louis
in 1967.
.
A former small business owner, realtor and financial analyst at Stanford University, Senator Alquist is the first Greek American woman elected to both Houses of the California State Legislature.
Senator Alquist is engaged to Duncan Benas. Her family includes her sons, Peter and Bryan White, daughter-in-laws, Anju Chowdhry White and Asako Yasui White, and grandchildren, Jasmine and Logan.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
State Senator
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
from California's 13th Senate District. Prior to serving in the Senate, she served in the State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
for 6 years.
The 13th Senate District (SD 13) is the heart of Silicon Valley in Santa Clara County and includes the cities of San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View and Gilroy.
She has been in office since December 2004. She succeeded John Vasconcellos
John Vasconcellos
John B. Vasconcellos Jr. is an American politician from California and member of the Democratic Party. He represented the Silicon Valley as a member of the California State Assembly for 30 years and a California State Senator for 8 years...
who, himself, succeeded Alquist's husband, the late Al Alquist
Al Alquist
-Biography:Born in Memphis, Tennessee, the son of a Swedish immigrant who worked for the railroads, he was barely a teenager when he started carrying water to railroad work crews. He became a timekeeper, switchman, brakeman and conductor, before serving with the Army Air Forces during World War II...
, who represented the district for 30 years. Alquist graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from MacMurray College
MacMurray College
MacMurray College is a career-directed liberal arts college located in Jacksonville, Illinois. Its enrollment in fall 2011 was 548. It is from Springfield and from Chicago....
in 1966 and a Master of Arts degree from Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
in 1967.
Background
Senator Elaine K. Alquist has been a policy maker for more than 20 years. Her professional career began as an algebra and trigonometry teacher and a counselor in the public schools. In 1981, she served as PTA President and then beginning in 1983 served eight years as a member and then President of the Board of Education of the Cupertino Union School DistrictCupertino Union School District
The Cupertino Union School District covers the city of Cupertino, California, and parts of San Jose, Sunnyvale, Saratoga, Santa Clara, and Los Altos, California. The CUSD operates twenty elementary schools and five middle schools...
.
A former small business owner, realtor and financial analyst at Stanford University, Senator Alquist is the first Greek American woman elected to both Houses of the California State Legislature.
Senator Alquist is engaged to Duncan Benas. Her family includes her sons, Peter and Bryan White, daughter-in-laws, Anju Chowdhry White and Asako Yasui White, and grandchildren, Jasmine and Logan.