Kesha Ram

Vermont Senator | United States

In 2006, Vermont State Senator runnning from Chittenden County, Ram got her start in politics when introducing Bernie Sanders and Barack Obama at Ira Allen Chapel in Burlington. Then Senator Barack Obama encouraged her to run for office, and two years later, they shared a ballot. And in 2006, she became the youngest legislator in the country. When Kesha was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives in 2008, she became the first person of color in history to represent Burlington. During her time in the legislature, she served on several committees, including Ways & Means; Housing & Military Affairs; and as Vice Chair of Natural Resources & Energy. She has passionately championed affordable homeownership, green job creation, paid family leave, expansion of early and higher education opportunities, criminal justice reform, and civil rights. She spearheaded tax relief to first-time homebuyers, worked to protect victims of domestic and sexual violence, and sought to ensure that Vermonters are not forced to choose between a paycheck and taking care of a sick child.

Kesha currently works as a consultant for towns, school districts, and organizations seeking to improve equity and inclusion in their organizations and policies. She also serves on the boards of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and the Vermont Natural Resources Council. Previously, she was the Civic Engagement Specialist for the City of Burlington, empowering residents to engage in city governance. She was also the Legal Advocacy Director for Steps to End Domestic Violence, where she supported victims of violence in the courtroom and throughout family and criminal legal proceedings. She has also proudly served as a preschool teacher at the Burlington Children’s Space.

Kesha attended the University of Vermont, where she was elected Student Body President and graduated with honors with degrees in Natural Resource Planning and Political Science.