Senator Gail Schwartz earned a degree in Marketing from the University of Colorado School of Business. In her professional career, she gained experience as a corporate officer, small business owner, housing developer and market analyst.
Specifically, Gail has a background in community economic assessment and ski area planning throughout North America. She has consulted for numerous financial institutions in the Western United States, and served as the director of development for the Pitkin County Housing Authority for four years. In 1995, Gail was appointed to the Colorado Commission on Higher Education by Governor Roy Romer.
She was elected to the University of Colorado Board of Regents from Congressional District 3 in 2000, where she served as a member for four years and the Vice Chair for two. In 2006, she was elected to the Colorado State Senate from Senate District 5, and was re-elected for another four-year term in 2010. Gail is also a graduate of the Council of State Governments Legislative Academy and the Harvard University Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program.
As a resident of her eleven county district and the Roaring Fork Valley for nearly forty years, Gail has dedicated herself to making Senate District 5 the best possible place to live, work and raise a family. Gail is committed to preserving Colorado’s majestic environment and protecting her district’s water, natural resources, and agricultural lands.
Gail is a strong advocate for innovative approaches and creative solutions that serve to strengthen local businesses, expand rural health care, and grow economic opportunities in communities throughout her district.
She has a distinguished record in working to promote energy diversification and create new jobs by encouraging energy conservation, efficiency, and expanding Colorado’s energy portfolio with solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and bio-mass resources. Above all, Gail has always championed P-20 Education, dedicating much of her career to enhancing educational opportunities. To her credit, Senate District 5 will soon have ten new “BEST” schools.
Her current appointments in the Colorado State Senate include:
- Agriculture, Natural Resources and Energy Committee, Chair
- Capital Development Committee, Member
- Legislative Legal Committee, Member
- Transportation Legislative Review Committee, Member
- Joint Select Committee on Redistricting, Member
- Council of State Governments – West Trends Committee, Member
- Energy Council Executive Committee, Member
- Water Resources Review Committee, Chair
- Green Jobs Advisory Council, Member
- College Invest, Member
- Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Oversight Committee, Member
- Colorado Early Learning Opportunities Commission
She is a wife, mother, grandmother, businesswoman, educator, community leader, and enjoys spending time outdoors.
About Senate District 5:
View a browsble map of State Senate District 5 (courtesy of comaps.org)
State Senate District 5 includes 11 counties:
Population: 119,884
District 5 Counties
- Alamosa
- Chaffee
- Conejos
- Costilla
- Delta
- Gunnison
- Hinsdale
- Mineral
- Pitkin
- Rio Grande
- Saguache