Deborah Markowitz
Encyclopedia
Deborah "Deb" Markowitz is the Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. She was appointed by Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin. She was the Secretary of State of Vermont
. She is a member of the Democratic Party
.
, on September 14, 1961. She attended Edgemont High School
in Scarsdale, New York
and graduated with honors from the University of Vermont
, with a degree in philosophy and political science in 1983, and earned her Juris Doctorate degree from Georgetown University Law Center
in 1987, magna cum laude. After law school she returned to Vermont to clerk with Justice Louis Peck of the Vermont Supreme Court
. Following this clerkship she joined the law firm Langrock, Sperry & Wool. In 1990, the Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT) established its Municipal Law Center, for which Markowitz was hired as its first director. She has been a member of the adjunct faculty at the Vermont Law School
and Woodbury College
.
Markowitz was President of the National Association of Secretaries of State
, she is on the Board of Advisors of the Federal Election Assistance Commission
and she has been awarded an Aspen-Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership. In Vermont, Markowitz serves on the boards of the Central Vermont Community Action Agency
, the Vermont Women’s Business Center, and the Vermont Girl Scout Council. She is the founder of the Vermont Women’s Leadership Initiative.
She was first elected in 1998, defeating a two-term incumbent and becoming the first woman elected Secretary of State in the state.
, Vermont
, with her husband and three children.
Secretary of State of Vermont
The Office of the Secretary of State of Vermont is located at 128 State Street.The Secretary of State of Vermont is one of five cabinet-level constitutional officers in the U.S. state of Vermont which are elected every two years. The Office of the Secretary of State is located at 128 State St. in...
. She is a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
Early life, education and career
Markowitz was born in Tarrytown, New YorkTarrytown, New York
Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line...
, on September 14, 1961. She attended Edgemont High School
Edgemont High School
Edgemont Junior - Senior High School is a high school in Greenburgh, Westchester County, New York, serving students in grades 7 -12. Its feeder schools are Greenville School and Seely Place School, where students graduate in the sixth grade...
in Scarsdale, New York
Scarsdale, New York
Scarsdale is a coterminous town and village in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the northern suburbs of New York City. The Town of Scarsdale is coextensive with the Village of Scarsdale, but the community has opted to operate solely with a village government, one of several villages...
and graduated with honors from the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
, with a degree in philosophy and political science in 1983, and earned her Juris Doctorate degree from Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center is the law school of Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C.. Established in 1870, the Law Center offers J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees in law...
in 1987, magna cum laude. After law school she returned to Vermont to clerk with Justice Louis Peck of the Vermont Supreme Court
Vermont Supreme Court
The Vermont Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority of the U.S. state of Vermont and is one of seven state courts of Vermont.The Court consists of a chief justice and four associate justices; the Court mostly hears appeals of cases that have been decided by other courts...
. Following this clerkship she joined the law firm Langrock, Sperry & Wool. In 1990, the Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT) established its Municipal Law Center, for which Markowitz was hired as its first director. She has been a member of the adjunct faculty at the Vermont Law School
Vermont Law School
Vermont Law School is a private, American Bar Association accredited law school located in South Royalton, Vermont . The Law School has one of the United States' leading programs in environmental law, and the Law School is currently ranked #1 in Environmental Law by U.S...
and Woodbury College
Woodbury College
Woodbury College is an institute of higher learning in Montpelier, Vermont, USA. It was established in 1975.In August 2008, it merged with Champlain College, where its 125 students were transferred. The campus was purchased by the Community College of Vermont....
.
Markowitz was President of the National Association of Secretaries of State
National Association of Secretaries of State
The National Association of Secretaries of State , founded in 1904, is the oldest non-partisan professional organization of public officials in the United States, composed of the Secretaries of State of U.S. states and territories. Currently, all secretaries of state, including Washington D.C.,...
, she is on the Board of Advisors of the Federal Election Assistance Commission
Election Assistance Commission
The Election Assistance Commission is an independent agency of the United States government created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 . The Commission serves as a national clearinghouse and resource of information regarding election administration...
and she has been awarded an Aspen-Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership. In Vermont, Markowitz serves on the boards of the Central Vermont Community Action Agency
Central Vermont Community Action Council
Central Vermont Community Action Council or CVCAC is a non-profit community agency in Washington, Lamoille and Orange Counties founded in 1965 to help people achieve economic sufficiency through individual and family development...
, the Vermont Women’s Business Center, and the Vermont Girl Scout Council. She is the founder of the Vermont Women’s Leadership Initiative.
She was first elected in 1998, defeating a two-term incumbent and becoming the first woman elected Secretary of State in the state.
2010 Vermont gubernatorial election
Markowitz was a candidate in the 2010 Democratic primary for Vermont Governor. She placed third with 17,503 votes, behind the winner, Peter Shumlin, with 18,276 votes, and second-place Doug Racine, with 18,079 votes.Personal life
Markowitz resides in MontpelierMontpelier, Vermont
Montpelier is a city in the U.S. state of Vermont that serves as the state capital and the shire town of Washington County. As the capital of Vermont, Montpelier is the site of the Vermont State House, seat of the legislative branch of Vermont government. The population was 7,855 at the 2010...
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, with her husband and three children.
External links
- Vermont Secretary of State official state government site