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Jennifer Mulhern GranholmCanadian-born American politician, 47th Governor of Michigan.
Date of Birth: 05.02.1959
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Early Life
- Education and Political Involvement
- Legal Career and Marriage
- Political Ascension
- Governorship
- Post-Gubernatorial Career
Early Life
Jennifer Granholm was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, to Shirley Alfreda Dowden and Victor Ivar Granholm. Her father was of Swedish descent. The family moved to California when Granholm was four years old. She grew up in San Carlos, Anaheim, and San Jose and graduated from high school in 1977.
Education and Political Involvement
Granholm briefly pursued a career in Hollywood but was unsuccessful. She became a tour guide at Universal Studios and later a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1980. She attended the University of California, Berkeley, graduating in 1984 with degrees in political science and French. She went on to earn a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.
Legal Career and Marriage
Granholm clerked for Judge Damon Keith on the United States Court of Appeals. In 1986, she married Daniel Mulhern, taking his surname as her middle name. They had three children: Katherine, Cecelia, and Jack.
Political Ascension
Granholm worked as an assistant prosecutor in Wayne County, Michigan. She was elected to the Oakland County Board of Commissioners in 1992 and Wayne County Corporation Counsel in 1994. She ran for governor in 2002 and defeated former Governor James Blanchard and Representative David Bonior in the Democratic primary.
Governorship
Granholm won the general election and became Michigan's first female governor. She was reelected in 2006. Her administration faced criticism for its handling of the Detroit Metro Airport investigation and allegations that her husband received preferential treatment for his training company.
Post-Gubernatorial Career
After leaving office, Granholm served as vice chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center and a senior fellow at the University of California, Berkeley. She was also considered a potential Supreme Court nominee during Barack Obama's presidency.
