Janet Napolitano

Getting to Know AZ's Governor

by Danielle D'Adamo

Spunky. Witty. Captivating. Visionary. All of these words aptly describe one of the most influential women in Arizona. Known for her powerful rhetoric and unwavering desire to help women, children and families, Governor Janet Napolitano is truly an inspiration to many Valley women. Yet there is another side to this local political powerhouse many Arizonans don't know about. A woman who survived breast cancer, hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro and is even an unabashed Monty Python fan. Phoenix Woman was lucky enough to have a heart-to-heart with the governor to talk about how she got from there to here-and to find out what makes Janet, Janet.

"Most Likely to Succeed"

Like many Arizonans, the governor is a transplant. Napolitano was born in New York City but her parents moved the family to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she grew up with her brother and sister. Her wit and charisma is all her own-although, she does credit her father for her sense of humor. Growing up, family time was key in the Napolitano house and conversation flowed easily around the dinner table where no subject was off limits.

"The best way to describe my family life would be to describe our family dinners," says Napolitano. "Each night, we would all sit around the dining room table and talk about what we'd done that day. We would talk about school, events, politics and news." Spending time together as a family was important to Napolitano and helped her become interested in public service. But as a child, she wanted to be a band director. "I obviously chose a different path," says Napolitano. "But I played clarinet in the symphonic band and in the Albuquerque Youth Symphony."

Always a hard worker and a competitive student, Napolitano graduated from Sandia High School in Albuquerque in 1975 and was voted "Most Likely to Succeed." Her academic drive led her to major in political science at her father's alma mater, Santa Clara University in California, where graduating summa cum laude, she became the university's first woman valedictorian in 1979.

After graduating from University of Virginia Law School in 1983, she moved to Arizona to clerk for Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Mary Schroeder. "I could already see the growth in Arizona and the potential the state had," says Napolitano. "I was excited to jump into the mix."

Her professional career progressed in a blur: prosecuting attorney, U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona, Arizona State Attorney General and finally finding her home as Arizona's 21st governor.

During her term as attorney general, she was confronted with the unwelcome news she had breast cancer. Ever the committed and ambitious woman, not even breast cancer could slow Napolitano down. Her mastectomy was scheduled three weeks before she was scheduled to address the 2000 Democratic National Convention. Napolitano remembers the pain being so bad she could hardly stand up, but with the nation's eye on her recovery, she persevered. "Work and family helped me focus on other things while I battled the cancer," says Napolitano. "I am very grateful for all the support I had from family, friends and Arizonans."

Her fortitude and go-getter attitude has earned Napolitano notable recognition as a national leader in improving education and promoting innovation. The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) awarded her the Governor of the Year award in recognition of her passionate support of the biosciences in 2007, and Time Magazine named her one of the five top governors in the U.S. in 2005.

Amidst all her accomplishments and recognitions, however, she remains unassuming as ever, easily recognizable by her boisterous laugh and upbeat attitude. "I always try to look at the 'now,'" says Napolitano. "You can't change the past. I am grateful for the experiences I've had, good and bad. I believe one must learn from mistakes and always press forward."

Off the Clock

"I am always Governor," says Napolitano. "Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week-and I love what I do." Still, everyone needs a break. So how does this workaholic keep her head above water and find some peace and relaxation? "When I come home at night, I read all the papers, memos, legislative bills and letters that accumulated during that day," she says. "Then I read a good book. I always read two books at a time-one fiction and one nonfiction. Right now, I'm reading The Road to Disunion by William Freehling, and for fiction, I'm reading Dust by Martha Grimes."

When she has a few free hours on the weekend, the governor makes it a point to spend time with close friends and enjoy dinner and a movie-she's an avid movie fan-or the opera. Napolitano enjoys the outdoors as well, especially hiking and river rafting. "I also play tennis twice a week," she says. "And that's a firm commitment. My staff knows not to schedule anything that conflicts with my tennis time!"

But one of her greatest achievements has to be climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. "It was exhilarating and extremely tiring at the same time," Napolitano recalls. "One of the most memorable experiences of my life. It really pushed me to my limits." Battling breast cancer, tackling Mt. Kilimanjaro and finding the opportunity to read two books at a time, the governor is full of surprises. One of the most delightful revelations about this vivacious woman who finds humor in anything is the fact that she is a lifetime member of the Girl Scouts of America. "It's true, I am a Life Scout," she says. "Ask me any camp song. I can sing it!"

A Voice for Domestic Violence

While "Spamalot" may make her laugh, one issue, domestic violence, is no laughing matter to the governor. She remains a fierce protector of children and families. "I have always been committed to protecting Arizona's youth and to strengthening families," she says. "Domestic violence is an issue of public health and public safety. It's not a private, individual problem."

The lack of shelter services in Arizona was a huge problem for years. There was a time when two out of every three requests for housing went unmet. Last year marked a milestone for the Governor in that she was able to announce for the first time that domestic violence shelter services were now available in every Arizona county. In total, more than 1,000 emergency shelter beds are currently available at 37 shelters throughout Arizona. "I firmly believe that no one should be driven back into the arms of an abuser," says Napolitano.

Domestic Violence by the Numbers

According to the Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence:

• As of June 30, 2008, there are 52 domestic violence related deaths for 2008 in Arizona.
• There were 125 domestic violence related deaths for 2007 in Arizona.
• According to DES, in the state fiscal year of 2007, reports show:
• Domestic violence shelters received 22,804 calls on their hotline.
• Domestic violence shelters provided 261,415 nights of emergency shelter to 10,787 adults and children.
• Between 25 and 31 percent of American women report being physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives, and from three million to 10 million children witness that abuse each year. (FVPF Fact Sheet)
• A study of 8th and 9th-grade male and female students found that 25 percent had been victims of nonsexual dating violence and 8 percent had been victims of sexual dating violence. (FVPF Fact Sheet)

Napolitano stresses that the important thing to remember is that domestic violence is more than just a family matter-it's a community issue. To stop the cycle of violence early, the first steps are awareness and prevention. "As a community, we need to be aware of domestic violence and how to end it," she says. "One of the biggest barriers to overcome is the social stigma and shame victims feel, as well as the lack of accountability for offenders."

The reality that domestic violence is still sweeping Arizona and the lack of education is a priority for the governor. So what can we do to help? "Anyone can take part in supporting victims and holding offenders accountable," says Napolitano. "Managers can institute office policies on domestic violence in the workplace; faith leaders can speak out from the pulpit and educate their congregations about this issue; health care providers can perform universal screening of all patients (adults and children) for domestic violence; parents and teachers can provide support and mentorship in high schools for teens to learn about healthy relationships. The possibilities are endless."

A firm advocate for women, children and families, Napolitano has certainly made her mark on Arizona. Whether she's delivering an empowered speech on the importance of education or cracking Monty Python jokes, she is an accomplished woman who only has time to look to the future. And maybe munch on a Girl Scout cookie or two.

7 Things You Don't Know About Our Governor

Janet Napolitano ...

• is a lifetime member of the Girl Scouts of America.
• hiked the Himalayas and climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro.
• was voted "Most Likely to Succeed" in high school.
• is a breast cancer survivor.
• is an ardent Monty Python fan.
• plays the clarinet, and her childhood ambition was to become a band director.
• is an opera buff.

Danielle D'Adamo is Assistant Editor of Phoenix Woman.