Board of Directors
Applications to serve on the 2025-2026 Board of Directors are due July 10. Women state legislators may click here to apply and be considered by the Nominating Committee.
Women In Government’s Board of Directors is composed of 14 sitting women state legislators who provide fiscal oversight, make strategic decisions and guide activities for the organization. The Board is geographically diverse and is made up of even numbers of Democrats and Republicans, reflecting Women In Government’s non-partisan nature.
Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes (D-MD)
Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes (D-MD)
Chair
Speaker Pro Tempore Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes represents Maryland’s House District 37A. Delegate Sample-Hughes serves as House Chair for the Special Joint Legislative Committee to Select the State Treasurer; House Chair for the Joint Committee on Workers’ Compensation Benefit & Insurance Oversight; and Chairs the Workers’ Compensation Subcommittee. Delegate Sample Hughes is a member of many committees in her legislature and belongs to the Women Legislators of Maryland, the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland and Maryland Veterans Caucus.
Senator Patricia Rucker (R-WV)
Senator Patricia Rucker (R-WV)
First Vice Chair
Senator Patricia Rucker represents West Virginia Senate District 16. Senator Rucker currently serves as Chair of the School Choice Committee and is a member of the Health and Human Resources Committee, the Judiciary Committee and the Outdoor Recreation Committee. Senator Rucker also serves as chairs the Minority Issues Interim Committee and is a member of the following Interim Committees: Agriculture & Rural Development; Children & Families; Health; Judiciary; Workforce Development & Labor Issues.
Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D-CO)
Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D-CO)
Second Vice Chair
Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet served in the Colorado House for 7 years before moving to the Senate, where she was recently elected President Pro Tempore. She represents Senate District 21 and serves on Judiciary, Legislative Audit, and Health & Human Services Committees. Her legislative priorities are centered on youth, mental health, and healthcare.
Representative Heather Crawford (R-SC)
Representative Heather Crawford (R-SC)
Treasurer
Representative Heather Crawford was elected to office in 2012 representing District 68. She currently serves on the Ways and Means Committee in the South Carolina General Assembly. Representative Crawford is the Chair of the Ways and Means - Sales & Use Tax and Income Tax Subcommittee.
Representative Danielle Gregoire (D-MA)
Representative Danielle Gregoire (D-MA)
Secretary
Representative Danielle Gregoire represents the 4th Middlesex district in Massachusetts and serves on the following House committees: Ethics, Operations Facilities and Security, Rules. She also serves on the Joint Committee on Rules. Representative Gregoire grew up in Massachusetts and received a Juris Doctorate from Suffolk University Law School.
Representative Lauren Matsumoto (R-HI)
Representative Lauren Matsumoto (R-HI)
Immediate Past Chair
House Minority Leader Representative Lauren Matsumoto represents Hawai’i’s 38th District. Representative Matsumoto currently serves on the Housing Committee, the Legislative Committee, and the Transportation Committee. Representative Matsumoto is a co-convener of the Hawai’i Women’s Legislative Caucus.
Representative Pamelya Herndon (D-NM)
Representative Pamelya Herndon (D-NM)
Representative Pamelya Herndon represents House District 28 in New Mexico. Representative Herndon earned her Juris Doctor from University of Texas School of Law and is currently the Vice Chair of the House & Human Services Committee, while also serving on the following committees in varying capacities: House Appropriations & Finance, Legislative Health & Human Services, Economic & Rural Development & Policy, Transportation & Infrastructure Revenue Subcommittee and the Legislative Finance Committee.
Representative Janie Lopez (R-TX)
Representative Janie Lopez (R-TX)
Representative Janie Lopez is serving her second term in Texas House District 37 and is the first Republican Hispanic elected in this district. Representative Lopez is a member of the following committees in Texas: Environmental Regulation, Juvenile Justice & Family Issues and Sustainable Property Tax Relief, Select Study.
Senator Mattie Hunter (D-IL)
Senator Mattie Hunter (D-IL)
Assistant Majority Leader Mattie Hunter represents Illinois' 3rd Senate District that includes parts of Chicago. She is vice chair of the Senate Executive Appointments and Public Health Committees and serves on the Senate Appropriations-Public Safety and Infrastructure, Energy and Public Utilities, Executive, and Health and Human Services Committees.
Senator Karin Housley (R- MN)
Senator Karin Housley (R- MN)
Senator Karin Housley has served in the Minnesota Senate since 2012. She represents District 33, which includes the communities of northern Washington County. Senator Housley currently serves as the ranking minority lead on the Capital Investment committee and an Assistant Republican Caucus Leader. She also serves on the Housing and Homelessness Prevention and Jobs and Economic Development committees.
Senator Charlane Oliver (D-TN)
Senator Charlane Oliver (D-TN)
Senator Charlane Oliver is serving her first term representing Tennessee’s 19th Senatorial District in Nashville. Senator Oliver is a member of the Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, Government Operations Committee, Join Education, Health and General Welfare Committee, as well as the Joint Judiciary and Government Committee.
Representative Nancy Tate (R-KY)
Representative Nancy Tate (R-KY)
Representative Nancy Tate represents House District 27 in Kentucky and serves on various committees, including Small Business & Information Technology, Agriculture, BR Sub. on Personnel, Public Retirement, & Finance. She also serves on many Caucuses in her legislature, including the Engage and Empower Caucus, Women's Caucus, Aerospace/Aviation Caucus, and many others.
Senator Amanda Cappelletti (D-PA)
Senator Amanda Cappelletti (D-PA)
Senator Amanda Cappelletti represents Pennsylvania’s 17th Senatorial District. Senator Cappelletti is the Chair of the Senate State Government Committee and serves as a member on the following committees: Communications & Technology, Senate Environment Resources & Energy, Health & Human Services and Senate Judiciary.
Representative Christie Carpino (R-CT)
Representative Christie Carpino (R-CT)
Representative Christie Carpino is the House Republican Caucus Chair and currently serves the 32nd House District. Representative Carpino serves on the Public Health Committee, the Government Administration and Elections Committee, the Regulations and Review Committee, as well as the Legislative Management Committee.