Catherine Cecilia Maher, known as Ceci Maher (née Queeney; born November 19, 1953) is an American executive and politician. She currently serves as a member of the
Connecticut State Senate, representing
District 26, which encompasses
Darien,
New Canaan,
Redding,
Ridgefield,
Stamford,
Weston,
Westport and
Wilton, for the
Democratic Party.
Early life and education
Maher was born Catherine Cecilia Queeney on November 19, 1953, in
New Jersey to John Hart Queeney and Rosalie (née Kirby) Queeney. She was one of six children and was primarily raised in
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford () is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut, outside of Manhattan. It is Connecticut's second-most populous city, behind Bridgeport. With a population of 135,470, Stamford passed Hartford and New Haven in population as of the 2020 ...
were she attended the local schools. She completed a
Bachelor of Science in
Fashion Merchandising at
University of Massachusetts Amherst. In 1995, Maher completed a
Master's degree in
Social Work
Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...
at
Columbia University in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
.
Career
In 1977, Maher started her career at
Lord & Taylor, and worked several years for department stores such as
Target Corporation. More recently, she was the executive for various non-profit organizations in
Connecticut, such as
Sandy Hook Promise
After the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, multiple gun laws were proposed in the United States at the federal and state levels. The shooting renewed debate about gun control. The debates focused on requiring background checks on all firear ...
.
Politics
In 2019, Maher unsuccessfully ran for
Board of Selectman of
Wilton, Connecticut. In 2022, she was endorsed by the
Democratic Party for
Connecticut State Senate. She was elected in the primary election on November 8, 2022, succeeding incumbent
Will Haskell. Maher assumed office January 4, 2023 where she currently serves as chair of the Children's commission and vice chair of the Higher Education & Employment Advancement commission. She is also a member of Energy & Technology, Human Services, Internship and Judiciary commissions.
Personal life
On September 7, 1980, she married Gordon Roberts Maher, a
Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs () is an American multinational investment bank and financial services company. Founded in 1869, Goldman Sachs is headquartered at 200 West Street in Lower Manhattan, with regional headquarters in London, Warsaw, Bangalore, H ...
banking executive. He passed away on October 5, 2020. Maher has three grown children and resides in
Wilton, Connecticut.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maher, Ceci
Connecticut state senators
1953 births
Living people