Flavia Colgan
Encyclopedia
Flavia Monteiro Colgan (b. October 18, 1977) is a Democratic
strategist, who is an active political contributor on MSNBC
and serves as a special correspondent for Extra. She resides in Los Angeles
.
and her father, Kevin Colgan, is Irish-American. They divorced two years after her birth. Shortly thereafter, Colgan's mother wed William T. Coleman III, a lawyer and partner at the law firm of Pepper, Hamilton & Scheetz. Coleman's father, Flavia Colgan's step-grandfather, is William Thaddeus Coleman, Jr.
(former Secretary of Transportation
under President
Gerald Ford
, the second African American
to hold a cabinet post, and winner of a 1995 Presidential Medal of Freedom
).
The Colemans moved from Philadelphia to Detroit. Later, Coleman would become General Counsel
to the United States Army
when his law school roommate, Bill Clinton
, was elected president. She is the step-niece of both Lovida Coleman Jr., a former Justice Department lawyer and Deputy Independent council who currently serves on the board of RAND, and Hardin Coleman.
Colgan's father taught in the School District of Philadelphia
. Every weekend she flew from Detroit to Philadelphia to be with him. At age 11, Colgan's mother moved to the Dominican Republic
where they lived in Santo Domingo.
Returning to Detroit when she was 13, she attended four different high schools. She spent her sophomore high school year in Fairfield, Iowa
. Colgan returned to school in Michigan
for her junior year at The Roeper School and completed high school at The Shipley School
, a private school in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
.
Admitted to Harvard
, she graduated with honors in 1999, earning a degree in Comparative Religion
. She returned to Philadelphia, interning under federal Judge Louis Pollak.
Prior to joining MSNBC
and Fox News, Colgan was a Democratic Party fundraiser and political consultant. Later she served as campaign manager for both David Wecht for Pennsylvania's Superior Court, and Catherine Baker Knoll
for state treasurer
. She was the first ever woman and youngest Chief of Staff to
Pennsylvania's Lt. Governor and served on Governor Ed Rendell's Senior Staff.
In 2002, she was named to the PoliticsPA
list of "Rising Stars" in Pennsylvania politics.
Some of her recent television appearances include The O'Reilly Factor
, The Montel Williams Show
, Larry King Live
and Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith
. In May 2008 Colgan became a contributor with CBS' The Early Show
and has served as co-host of a public affairs radio program in the Philadelphia area.
and a regular contributor to the The Huffington Post
, Politics PA and The Morning Call
of Allentown, Pennsylvania
. Her work has also appeared in In These Times
, Common Dreams, and The Patriot-News
of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
.
, Colgan launched Citizen Hunter, a website about social, political and community action.
Producer
Flavia Colgan is currently serving as Producer for "Cost of Construction" a documentary about the failure of corporations and government agencies to keep American workers alive and safe. She is currently on a media tour throughout the U.S. The film is receiving strong early press converage.
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...
strategist, who is an active political contributor on MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
and serves as a special correspondent for Extra. She resides in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Family
Her mother, Maria, is a native of BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and her father, Kevin Colgan, is Irish-American. They divorced two years after her birth. Shortly thereafter, Colgan's mother wed William T. Coleman III, a lawyer and partner at the law firm of Pepper, Hamilton & Scheetz. Coleman's father, Flavia Colgan's step-grandfather, is William Thaddeus Coleman, Jr.
William Thaddeus Coleman, Jr.
William Thaddeus Coleman, Jr. was the fourth United States Secretary of Transportation, from March 7, 1975 to January 20, 1977, and the second African American to serve in the Cabinet...
(former Secretary of Transportation
United States Secretary of Transportation
The United States Secretary of Transportation is the head of the United States Department of Transportation, a member of the President's Cabinet, and fourteenth in the Presidential line of succession. The post was created with the formation of the Department of Transportation on October 15, 1966,...
under President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
, the second African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
to hold a cabinet post, and winner of a 1995 Presidential Medal of Freedom
Presidential Medal of Freedom
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the President of the United States and is—along with thecomparable Congressional Gold Medal bestowed by an act of U.S. Congress—the highest civilian award in the United States...
).
The Colemans moved from Philadelphia to Detroit. Later, Coleman would become General Counsel
General Counsel
A general counsel is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a corporation or government department. The term is most used in the United States...
to the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
when his law school roommate, Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, was elected president. She is the step-niece of both Lovida Coleman Jr., a former Justice Department lawyer and Deputy Independent council who currently serves on the board of RAND, and Hardin Coleman.
Colgan's father taught in the School District of Philadelphia
School District of Philadelphia
The School District of Philadelphia is a school district based in the School District of Philadelphia Education Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that includes all public schools in the city of Philadelphia. Established in 1818, it is the eighth largest school district in the nation.The School...
. Every weekend she flew from Detroit to Philadelphia to be with him. At age 11, Colgan's mother moved to the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
where they lived in Santo Domingo.
Returning to Detroit when she was 13, she attended four different high schools. She spent her sophomore high school year in Fairfield, Iowa
Fairfield, Iowa
Fairfield is a city and the county seat of Jefferson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,464 in the 2010 census, a decline from 9,509 in the 2000 census. - History :...
. Colgan returned to school in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
for her junior year at The Roeper School and completed high school at The Shipley School
The Shipley School
The Shipley School is a coeducational, independent, college-preparatory day school with approximately 835 students in pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade...
, a private school in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Bryn Mawr from Welsh for "big hill") is a census-designated place in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, just west of Philadelphia along Lancaster Avenue and the border with Delaware County...
.
Admitted to Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, she graduated with honors in 1999, earning a degree in Comparative Religion
Comparative religion
Comparative religion is a field of religious studies that analyzes the similarities and differences of themes, myths, rituals and concepts among the world's religions...
. She returned to Philadelphia, interning under federal Judge Louis Pollak.
Prior to joining MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
and Fox News, Colgan was a Democratic Party fundraiser and political consultant. Later she served as campaign manager for both David Wecht for Pennsylvania's Superior Court, and Catherine Baker Knoll
Catherine Baker Knoll
Catherine Baker Knoll was an American politician and member of the Democratic Party. She was the 30th Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, serving under Governor Ed Rendell from 2003 to 2008.-Background:...
for state treasurer
State Treasurer
In the state governments of the United States, 49 of the 50 states have the executive position of treasurer. Texas abolished the position of Texas State Treasurer in 1996....
. She was the first ever woman and youngest Chief of Staff to
Pennsylvania's Lt. Governor and served on Governor Ed Rendell's Senior Staff.
In 2002, she was named to the PoliticsPA
PoliticsPA
- Content :The website focuses on news aggregation, linking to major political news making headlines across the state. The editors write occasional features, like the weekly "Up & Down" scorecard and one-off lists like "Harrisburg's Smartest Staffer" and "Best Dressed Lobbyist" lists...
list of "Rising Stars" in Pennsylvania politics.
Television/radio
Flavia Colgan is a frequent guest and guest host on local and national talk radio including:- Michael SmerconishMichael SmerconishMichael A. Smerconish is an American radio and television personality, newspaper columnist, author and MSNBC Political Analyst. His talk radio show is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at The Big Talker 1210 AM WPHT. He began his full time radio career in 2002...
- The Air America RadioAir America RadioAir America was an American radio network specializing in progressive talk programming...
show The Young TurksThe Young Turks (talk show)The Young Turks is a progressive Internet talk show via live web stream and YouTube, and starting in late 2011, a weeknight news and political commentary program airing on Current TV. It was Sirius Satellite Radio's first original talk programming. The Young Turks claims to be the first Internet... - NPRNPRNPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
's "The Point" - The Alan Colmes ShowThe Alan Colmes ShowThe Alan Colmes Show is a nationally-syndicated American radio show hosted by commentator Alan Colmes on Fox News Radio.The show is aired on weeknights from 10:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. from Fox's New York City studios...
Some of her recent television appearances include The O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor, originally titled The O'Reilly Report from 1996 to 1998 and often called The Factor, is an American talk show on the Fox News Channel hosted by commentator Bill O'Reilly, who often discusses current controversial political issues with guests.The program was the most watched...
, The Montel Williams Show
The Montel Williams Show
The Montel Williams Show is a syndicated talk show hosted by Montel Williams. On January 30, 2008 it was announced that The Montel Williams Show would stop production on new episodes at the end of the 2007-2008 television season after seventeen years...
, Larry King Live
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
and Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith
Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith
Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith was a nightly one-hour television show on ESPN2 hosted by Philadelphia Inquirer columnist and ESPN reporter Stephen A. Smith. The show premiered on August 1, 2005. It was cancelled on January 11, 2007 because of low ratings. Smith called the cancellation a...
. In May 2008 Colgan became a contributor with CBS' The Early Show
The Early Show
The Early Show is an American television morning news talk show broadcast by CBS from New York City. The program airs live from 7 to 9 a.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday; most affiliates in the Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones air the show on tape-delay from 7 to 9 a.m. local time. ...
and has served as co-host of a public affairs radio program in the Philadelphia area.
Writing
Flavia Colgan is an editorial board member and columnist for the Philadelphia Daily NewsPhiladelphia Daily News
The Philadelphia Daily News is a tabloid newspaper that serves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The newspaper is owned by Philadelphia Media Holdings which also owns Philadelphia's other major newspaper The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Daily News began publishing on March 31, 1925, under...
and a regular contributor to the The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
, Politics PA and The Morning Call
The Morning Call
The Morning Call is a daily newspaper based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The newspaper is owned by the Tribune Company, whose other publications include the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and Baltimore Sun....
of Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
. Her work has also appeared in In These Times
In These Times
In These Times is a politically progressive monthly magazine of news and opinion published by the Institute for Public Affairs in Chicago...
, Common Dreams, and The Patriot-News
The Patriot-News
The Patriot-News is the largest daily newspaper serving the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania metropolitan area. In 2005, the newspaper was ranked in the top 100 in daily/Sunday circulation in the United States...
of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
.
Websites
In late March 2006, in conjunction with the Philadelphia Daily NewsPhiladelphia Daily News
The Philadelphia Daily News is a tabloid newspaper that serves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The newspaper is owned by Philadelphia Media Holdings which also owns Philadelphia's other major newspaper The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Daily News began publishing on March 31, 1925, under...
, Colgan launched Citizen Hunter, a website about social, political and community action.
Producer
Flavia Colgan is currently serving as Producer for "Cost of Construction" a documentary about the failure of corporations and government agencies to keep American workers alive and safe. She is currently on a media tour throughout the U.S. The film is receiving strong early press converage.