Kesha Ram Hinsdale | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Ram Hinsdale in 2022 | |
| Majority Leader of theVermont Senate | |
| Assumed office January 8, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Alison Clarkson |
| Member of theVermont Senate | |
| Assumed office January 6, 2021 Serving with Thomas Chittenden andGinny Lyons | |
| Preceded by | Tim Ashe Debbie Ingram |
| Constituency | Chittenden (2021–2023) Chittenden Southeast (2023–Present) |
| Member of theVermont House of Representatives | |
| In office January 7, 2009 – May 11, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Multi-member district |
| Succeeded by | Brian Cina Selene Colburn |
| Constituency | Chittenden 3-4 (2009–2013) Chittenden 6-4 (2013–2016) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1986-08-02)August 2, 1986 (age 38) Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Relatives | Shreela Flather (aunt) Ganga Ram (great-great-grandfather) |
| Education | University of Vermont (BA,BS) Harvard University (MPA) |
| Website | Campaign website |
Kesha Ram Hinsdale (born August 2, 1986) is an American activist and politician who is the majority leader of theVermont Senate. She served in theVermont House of Representatives from 2009 to 2016, representing the Chittenden 6-4 District (numbered Chittenden 3-4 before 2012), which encompasses the Hill Section ofBurlington and theUniversity of Vermont.[1] In her early career, Ram was the youngest member of the House of Representatives and the youngest state legislator in the country. She is the youngestIndian American to ever serve in state elected office.
In 2016, Ram finished third in the Democratic primary forlieutenant governor of Vermont.[2] In 2020, Ram finished second in the Democratic primary race for the six at-large State Senate seats from Chittenden County.[3] In the November general election, she was one of five Democrats elected to the State Senate, along with oneProgressive. She is a great-great-granddaughter of SirGanga Ram.[4]
Born to a Jewish mother and Hindu father,[5] Ram grew up in Los Angeles, California, where her parents ran an Irish pub.[6] SirGanga Ram, her great-great-grandfather, was a supervising engineer and philanthropist inBritish India and her aunt isShreela Flather, a life peer in theBritish House of Lords. She graduated fromSanta Monica High School in 2004. After graduating, she moved from California to Vermont to attend theUniversity of Vermont, where she graduatedmagna cum laude in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in natural resource planning and a Bachelor of Arts in political science. She was awarded aTruman Scholarship. While at the University of Vermont she served as student body president. Her first elected position was as Student Council President in fifth grade.[7] Ram earned aMaster of Public Administration from theHarvard Kennedy School in 2018.[8]
She has served as the legal director for Women Helping Battered Women (now known as Steps to End Domestic Violence).[9][10] Much of her work has centered on advocacy forpeople of color andimmigrants in Vermont. She served as the public engagement specialist for the Burlington Community and Economic Development Office (CEDO)[11] and interim director for Organizational Development at the Center for Whole Communities. She is a board member of the Center for Whole Communities, Emerge Vermont, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, and theVermont Natural Resources Council.[12]
Elected to the state House of Representatives at age 22 to represent the University District and Hill Section of Burlington, she represented the district from 2009 to 2016. She served as Clerk of the House General, Housing, and Affairs Committee from 2009 to 2011. She served as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee from 2011 to 2015. She served as the Vice Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee from 2015 to 2016. She led efforts to establishAbenaki tribal recognition, to create driver's privilege cards available to undocumented immigrants, to criminalizerevenge porn[13] and stalking, to establish energy siting standards, and to expand first-time homeownership tax credits.
On October 11, 2015, Ram announced her candidacy forlieutenant governor of Vermont.[14] The incumbent, RepublicanPhil Scott, had earlier announced that he would run forgovernor. On October 26, 2015, Ram held a campaign kickoff in Burlington that was attended by many House colleagues and former governorMadeleine Kunin.[15] She was endorsed by U.S. RepresentativesAmi Bera andAnnie McLane Kuster,[12] as well as Democracy for America. She came in third in the primary, behindHouse SpeakerShap Smith and the winner, SenatorDavid Zuckerman.
In 2020, Ram ran for theVermont Senate.[3] In the primary, she finished second in the contest for the six at-large seats from Chittenden County.[3] In the November general election, she finished third, and was one of five Democrats elected to the State Senate, along with oneProgressive.[16]
In 2022, Ram won reelection to the Vermont Senate. In 2024 she was elected Vermont Senate majority leader.[17]
In January 2022, Ram Hinsdale announced her intention to run for the Democratic nomination in the2022 United States House of Representatives election in Vermont, competing for the seat vacated byPeter Welch.[18] However, in May 2022, she withdrew from the race and instead endorsedBecca Balint, thepresident pro tempore of the Vermont Senate.[19]
In August 2021, Kesha Ram married Jacob Hinsdale,[20] the member of a prominent Vermont property management and real estate development family, where he serves as one of the firm's executives.[21][22]
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