Institute of Politics

Kelly Ayotte represented New Hampshire in the United States Senate from 2011-2016, where she chaired the Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation Operations. She also served on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Budget, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and Aging Committees. Senator Ayotte served as the “Sherpa” for Justice Neil Gorsuch, leading the effort to secure his confirmation to the United States Supreme Court.

From 2004-2009, Senator Ayotte served as New Hampshire’s first female Attorney General. Prior to that, she served as the Deputy Attorney General, Chief of the Homicide Prosecution Unit and as Legal Counsel to Governor Craig Benson. She began her career as a law clerk to the New Hampshire Supreme Court and as an associate at the McLane Middleton law firm.

Senator Ayotte serves on the boards of Caterpillar, News Corp, BAE Systems and Bloom Energy and the advisory boards of Microsoft, Blink Health, Chubb Insurance, Revision Military and Cirtronics. She is a Senior Advisor for Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions. She also serves on the non-profit boards of the One Campaign, the International Republican Institute, the McCain Institute and NH Veteran’s Count.

In 2017, Senator Ayotte was a joint visiting fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics and the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. She is currently the Perkins Bass Distinguished Visitor at Dartmouth College. She also is a member of the Aspen Institute’s Economic Strategy and Homeland Security groups.

Senator Ayotte graduated with honors in 1990 from the Pennsylvania State University and earned a Juris Doctor degree in 1993 from the Villanova University School of Law. She is a native of New Hampshire and lives in Nashua with her husband, Joe, a retired Air Force combat pilot, and her two children Katherine and Jacob.