Karen Riese Fraser (born September 12, 1944) is an American politician who served as a
Democratic Washington State Senator for 24 years, representing the
22nd Legislative District, which includes
Olympia
The name Olympia may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film
* ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games
* ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...
,
Lacey
Lacey may refer to:
People Surname A–L
* Andrew Lacey (1887–1946), Australian politician
* Bill Lacey (American football) (born 1971), American football player and coach
* Bill Lacey (footballer) (1889–1969), Irish footballer
* Bob Lacey ( ...
,
Tumwater
Tumwater is a town in Thurston County, Washington, United States. The population was 25,350 at the 2020 census. It is situated near where the Deschutes River enters Budd Inlet, the southernmost point of Puget Sound; it also borders the state ca ...
, and northern
Thurston County. She held many senior leadership positions in the Senate including: Democratic Caucus Chair; Vice Chair of the Ways and Means Committee; Chair of the Capital Budget; chair of the Senate's administrative committee; and chair of policy committees pertaining to environment, energy, water, parks and recreation, shorelines,
Puget Sound
Puget Sound ( ) is a sound of the Pacific Northwest, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, and part of the Salish Sea. It is located along the northwestern coast of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected ma ...
, and state employee pensions. She served on the
Rules Committee and on many other policy committees. She was a leader in state level international relations.
Prior to serving in the Senate, she served four years as State Representative. She served as a local elected official for 15 years, including becoming the first woman mayor of Lacey, the second woman Thurston County Commissioner, and the first woman President of the
Washington State Association of Counties.
Fraser was an unsuccessful candidate for Lieutenant Governor in the 2016 primary election, which she ultimately lost to fellow Democrat
Cyrus Habib
Kamyar Cyrus Habib, (born August 22, 1981) is an American Jesuit, politician, lawyer, and educator who served as the 16th Lieutenant Governor of Washington from 2017 to 2021. As of the time of his departure from office, he was the first and onl ...
.
In October 2017, the Olympia Woodland Trail was renamed to the
Karen Fraser Woodland Trail
The Karen Fraser Woodland Trail is a paved rail trail in Thurston County, Washington that connects the cities of Olympia, Washington, Olympia and Lacey, Washington, Lacey along the abandoned Burlington Northern corridor. The trail opened in 2007 a ...
in her honor.
Education
Fraser graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor's degree in sociology and a
Master of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration (M.P.Adm., M.P.A., or MPA) is a specialized higher professional post graduate degree in public administration, similar/ equivalent to the Master of Business Administration but with an emphasis on the issues of ...
from the university's
Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs
The Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance is the school of public policy of the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. The school is named after former Washington State Governor and U.S. Senator Daniel J. Evans.
The Ev ...
. She was founder of the Legislative International Caucus.
Personal life
Fraser was born in Seattle and currently resides in Thurston County, Washington. She has one daughter and two grandchildren. She enjoys outdoor recreation, such as hiking, sailboat racing, marathon running, and travel.
See also
*
Washington State Legislature
The Washington State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a bicameral body, composed of the lower Washington House of Representatives, composed of 98 Representatives, and the upper Washington State Senat ...
References
External links
*http://www.karenfraserforltgovernor.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fraser, Karen
1944 births
Living people
Mayors of places in Washington (state)
People from Lacey, Washington
County commissioners in Washington (state)
Washington (state) state senators
Women state legislators in Washington (state)
21st-century American politicians
21st-century American women politicians
Evans School of Public Policy and Governance alumni
Members of the Washington House of Representatives