Representative Kyrsten Sinema 2007 Arizona Faculty

Kyrsten Sinema is an Arizona native, born and raised in a border region.  An avid student, she graduated college with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work at the age of 18.  While advocating for marginalized and oppressed communities in the state, she earned her master’s degree in Social Work and later went on to graduate cum laude with her juris doctorate from Arizona State University.  In addition, she was hired as an adjunct professor in the School of Social Work at ASU at the age of 26 to teach master’s level courses in fundraising and political and social policy.  Kyrsten was elected to the House of Representatives in 2004, after nearly a decade of professional practice as a social worker and social justice advocate.  She serves as the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, and serves on the House Homeland Security and Property Rights Committee and the House Natural Resources and Public Safety Committee.  She also serves on the Governor’s Commission to Prevent Violence against Women.

Shortly after her election in 2004, Kyrsten and former State Representative Steve May formed Arizona Together, the statewide coalition to defeat Arizona’s same-sex marriage ban. During the course of the two years leading up to the 2006 election, Kyrsten led the campaign’s effort to raise nearly $3 million, research, craft, and deliver a winning message, and build a broad-based, statewide coalition of community leaders, organizations, and businesses. 

Currently, Kyrsten is serving her second term in the House, teaching at Arizona State University, practicing criminal defense law, consulting with states on LGBTQ legislation and initiatives, and as an associate faculty with the Center for Progressive Leadership.  She also serves on a number of national and local boards, including as a board member of the Progressive Democrats of America (as the only state legislator on the board), a member of the Host Committee of the Young Elected Officials Network, on the Steering Committee of HRC Arizona, as Board President of Community Outreach and Advocacy for Refugees, board member of the Arizona Death Penalty Forum, board member of Girls for a Change, and others.  She is the recipient of numerous state awards for her social justice work.

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