Originally from Chicago, Senator Gail Schwartz fell in love with Colorado at the age of 12 on the top of Longs Peak. She earned a Bachelors of Science in Marketing from the University of Colorado School Of Business. She is a graduate of the Harvard University Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program, the Council of State Governments Legislative Academy, and the Legislative Energy Horizon Institute of the University of Idaho. Prior to her political career, professionally Senator Schwartz worked on community economic development and ski area planning. She served as the Director of Development for the Pitkin County Housing Authority and a corporate officer market analyst at Sno-Engineering Inc.
In 1995, Governor Roy Romer appointed Senator Schwartz to the Colorado Commission on Higher Education representing the Western Slope. After serving on the Commission, she was elected to the University Of Colorado Board Of Regents from the 3rd Congressional District in 2000 where she served for six years and including two years as Vice Chair. In 2006, Gail was elected to the Colorado State Senate from eleven counties of Senate District 5, and was re-elected for a final four-year term in 2010.
Senator Schwartz is the Senate Caucus Majority Whip, Chair of the Senate Agriculture, Natural Resources and Energy Committee, Vice-Chair of the Capital Development Committee, and a member of the Senate Local Government Committee. She holds a variety of state and national committee and board appointments including the Colorado Tourism Board and the Interbasin Compact Committee addressing water resources.
As a resident of Pitkin County and the Roaring Fork Valley for over forty years, Senator Schwartz has dedicated herself to making the seven counties of Senate District five the best possible place to live, work, raise a family, and educate our children. She is committed to preserving Colorado’s majestic environment, while protecting water, natural resources, and agricultural lands. She has a distinguished legislative record promoting energy diversification including local renewable energy generation, efficiency, and expanding Colorado’s energy portfolio resources. Sen. Schwartz has actively supported rural economic development, access to rural broadband and quality rural schools through the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) Program.
Current Appointments
- Colorado Senate Majority Whip
- Agriculture, Natural Resources and Energy Committee, Chair
- Local Government Committee, Member
- Capital Development Committee, Vice Chair
- Water Resources Review Interim Committee, Chair
- Colorado Tourism Board, Member
- Colorado Foundation for Water Education, Member
- InterBasin Compact Committee (IBCC), Legislative Representative
- Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Oversight Committee, Chair
- National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL) Energy Supply Taskforce, Member
- National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL) Environment Committee, Vice Chair
- Council of State Governments (CSG) WestTrends Board, Member
- Council of State Governments (CSG) West - Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee for the 2013-14 Biennium, Chair
- Rotary Club of Aspen
- El Pomar Regional Council
- Joint Select Committee on the Implementation of Amendment 64 Taskforce Recommendations
Former Appointments
- Joint Select Committee Appointments: Redistricting, Severance Tax, Economic Development, and Health Care
- Green Jobs Advisory Council, Member
- Energy Council Executive Committee, Member
- CollegeInvest, Member
- Colorado Early Learning Opportunities Commission, Member
- Council of State Governments (CSG) West - Energy and Public Lands Committee, Member
State Senate District 5 includes 7 counties:
Population: 141,583
District 5 Counties
- Chaffee
- Delta
- Eagle
- Gunnison
- Hinsdale
- Lake
- Pitkin
