Christine Scanlan

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Christine Scanlan
Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 56th district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 2, 2008[1]
Preceded by	Dan Gibbs
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Tim
Residence	Dillon, Colorado[2]
Profession	nonprofit executive

Christine Scanlan (born c. 1964^[2]) is a legislator in the U.S. state of Colorado. A Democrat appointed to a vacancy in the Colorado House of Representatives in 2007, Scanlan represents House District 56, encompassing Eagle, Lake and Summit Counties, including the skiing communities of Vail and Breckenridge.^[3]

Contents 1 Early career 2 Colorado House of Representatives 2.1 2007 legislative appointment 2.2 2008 legislative session 2.3 2008 election 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Early career

Scanlan was born in Littleton, Colorado,^[4] and graduated from Columbine High School.^[5] Currently a resident of Dillon, Colorado,^[2] she holds a bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in nonprofit organization management from Regis University. While in school, Scanlan worked as a ski lift operater and children's ski instructor in Keystone, Colorado to help pay college expenses.^[5]

Since 1994, she has worked for the Keystone Center,^[6] a nonprofit focusing on science education and dispute resolution,^[7] by 2007 becoming their Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. In that capacity, Scanlan oversaw both Keystone's administrative offices and Keystone Science School's campus-based programs.^[6]

Scanlan, who had served with the Summit School District Accountability Committee,^[2] was appointed from among ten applicants to fill a vacancy on the Summit School District Board of Education in April 2004^[8] and was elected to a full term in November 2005, taking the highest vote total among the seven candidates for three school board seats.^[9] She was named the board's vice-president in November 2005^[10] and then named its president in November 2007.^[11] During her tenure on the board of education, Scanlan was critical of standards set by the No Child Left Behind Act,^[12] and was a proponent of greater engagement with the local Spanish-speaking community.^[2][13] In 2007, Scanlan served on a state commission on education that provided recommendations to Gov. Bill Ritter on improving Colorado public schools.^[5]

Scanlan is married; she and her husband, Tim, have three daughters, Catherine, Julia, and Elise,^[4] who attend Summit County public schools.^[2]

[edit] Colorado House of Representatives

[edit] 2007 legislative appointment

In December 2007, Rep. Dan Gibbs was appointed by a vacancy committee to the Colorado State Senate seat vacated by Joan Fitz-Gerald, leaving his seat vacant. ^[14] Scanlan was selected over five other applicants to fill the remainder of Gibbs' two-year term; a majority of the thirteen members of the vacancy committee present chose her on the first ballot.^[15] Her appointment made her the 21st woman in a 40-member Democratic House caucus that thus became majority-female.^[16] After being appointed to the legislature, Scanlan reduced her work load at the Keystone Center to a part-time position, but remained president of the Summit School Board^[5] through 2008.^[17]

[edit] 2008 legislative session

For the 2008 legislative session, Scanlan has stated that her legislative priorities include "the bark beetle, Interstate 70, economic and education issues." She intends to run for a full term in the 2008 general elections,^[15] and to continue serving on the Summit School District board, although stepping down from her role as president.^[4] Scanlan was also appointed by House Speaker Andrew Romanoff to replace Dan Gibbs on the Colorado Tourism Office Board of Directors.^[18]

For her first legislative session, in 2008, Scanlan was appointed to the House Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources Committee and the House Transportation and Energy Committee.^[19] Scanlan has pressed for extension of the Colorado Forest Restoration Act, a program providing funding to local groups to mitigate forest damage and wildfire danger brought about by expanding bark beetle infestations in Colorado,^[20] and is sponsoring, with Sen. Gibbs, a measure to expand the program.^[21] She has also sponsored legislation to create incentives for businesses that harvest and make products from trees killed by bark beetles,^[22] and incentives for small businesses to provide health insurance.^[23]

Scanlan sponsored bills to create an income tax donation checkoff for the Colorado Healthy Rivers Fund,^[24] to extend the Colorado Passenger Tramway Board,^[25] and to bring safety standards for school busses in line with federal requirements.^[26] She also plans on sponsoring education reform legislation,^[5] and has supported replacing Colorado's CSAP exams with national EXPLORE, PLAN and ACT tests in upper grades.^[27]

With Sen. Gibbs, Scanlan was a prominent opponent of several proposals to charge tolls along the I-70 mountain corridor within her district.^[28][29]

[edit] 2008 election

Scanlan has announced her intention to run for a full term in the state house in November 2008; she is expected to face Republican Muhammad Ali Hasan.^[5] In April 2008, Scanlan was accompanied by House Speaker Andrew Romanoff on a "midterm progress report" tour of her house district.^[23]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Keystone Center Bio