Our Governors

David M. Apatang

David M. Apatang

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Assumed office: Governor Apatang was sworn into office on July 24, 2025, following the death of Governor Arnold Palacios, for whom Governor Apatang served as Lieutenant Governor.     

Early Years: Governor Apatang was born on July 10, 1948, on Guam.    

Education: George Washington High School

Career: Before serving as Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Governor Apatang served as the Mayor of Saipan from January 2015 to January 2023. He also served three terms in the Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature from January 1999 to January 2011 and served as a member of the Saipan, Northern Islands Municipal Council of the Northern Marianas Commonwealth from January 1997 to January 1999. Prior to his career as a public servant, Governor Apatang retired from the United States Army as a First Sergeant after a 20-year career as a recruiter, platoon sergeant, operations officer, station commander, drill sergeant, and Equal Opportunity NCO.

 

About the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Nickname: America's Best Kept Secret

Capital: Sipan 

Population: 51,120

Size: 183.5 square miles

Economic drivers: tourism, garment manufacturing, and fishing

Did you know? The Indigenous people of both the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam are the Chamorro (SHUH-mah-roh) people.

Larry Rhoden

Larry Rhoden

South Dakota

Elected South Dakota’s 34th governor in 2024. 

Early Years: Born in 1971 and grew up on the family ranch and farm in rural Hamlin County, South Dakota.

Education: Governor Rhoden graduated from the Sunshine Bible Academy in 1977. 

Career: After high school, he served in the South Dakota National Guard from 1978 to 1985. He later led the Board of Directors for the area Cenex before serving in the South Dakota House of Representatives from 2001 to 2008, spending four years as majority leader. After being term-limited, Rhoden was elected to the state senate. In 2018, former Governor Kristi Noem announced that Rhoden would be her running mate as lieutenant governor.

Follow the governor on Twitter and Facebook. Learn more on her official website.

 

About South Dakota

Nickname: The Mount Rushmore State

Capital: Pierre

Population: 858,649

Size: The state covers 78,116 square miles

Economic drivers: Service industries (retail, finance, health care), agriculture, tourism.

Did you know? In 1991, the state opened the George S. Mickelson Trail, a 109-mile rail trail in the Black Hills.

Pula’ali’i Nikolao Pula

Pula’ali’i Nikolao Pula

American Samoa

Elected: American Samoa's 9th governor in 2024

Early Years: Born 1955, in American Samoa

Education: Graduated from Marist Brothers High School in American Samoa. He later studied at Menlo College in California, as well as Brigham Young University in Utah, served a mission in Samoa in 1978, and completed his education at George Mason University in Virginia.

Career: Served as the special assistant for Hawaii U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye (1981-1992). Afterwards, he Joined the office of American Samoa delegate Fofō Iosefa Fiti Sunia, assisted the Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate, and was the staff director for the U.S. House subcommittee on public works and transportation.

In 1993, he joined the United States Department of the Interior and worked for the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) as a policy desk officer. He was named the Director of the OIA in 2002 and became the first Samoan ever to hold the position. He also served as the chairman of the U.S.-Federated States of Micronesia Joint Economic Management Committee, the Federated States of Micronesia and Marshall Trust Fund Committee, and the U.S.-Marshall Islands Joint Economic Management and Financial Accountability Committee. Pula served as the Acting Assistant Secretary of Insular Affairs for a period of nine months in 2009 and for a second time in 2014. He stepped down as OIA Director in 2022

Learn more on the Governor’s official website.

 
About American Samoa

Nickname: Let God Be First

Capital: Pago Pago

Population: 54,194

Size: The state covers 77 square miles

Economic drivers: territorial government, tuna cannery

Did you know? About 30 ethnic Samoans from American Samoa have played in the National Football League, and more than 200 in NCAA Division I college football.

Bob Ferguson

Bob Ferguson

Washington

Elected Washington’s 24th Governor in 2024.

Early Years: Born 1965, in Seattle (fourth generation Washingtonian)

Education: Bishop Blanchet High School; University of Washington;  Juris Doctor from the New York University School of Law.

Career: King County Council (2004-2013); 18th Attorney General of Washington (2013-2025) 

Follow the Governor on Twitter and Facebook

Learn more on the Governor’s official website

 
 
 
About Washington

Nickname: The Evergreen State

Capital: Olympia

Population: 7.3 million

Size: The state covers 71362 square miles

Economic drivers: High technology, aircraft manufacture, lumber and wood products, agriculture, tourism

Did you know? Washington has led the nation in apple production since the 1920s.

Kelly Armstrong

Kelly Armstrong

North Dakota

Elected North Dakota’s 34rd governor in 2025

Early Years: Born 1976, in Dickinson, North Dakota

Education: Graduated from North Dakota State University, received an MBA from Stanford University.

Career: Consultant with McKinsey & Company; provided seed capital for accounting software company Great Plains Software in Fargo, North Dakota, led a company buyout; sold Great Plains Software to Microsoft, where he subsequently worked as Senior Vice President of Microsoft Business Solutions Group.

Follow the Governor on Twitter and Facebook

Learn more on the Governor’s official website.

 
About North Dakota

Nickname: Peace Garden State

Capital: Bismarck

Population: 756,927

Size: The state covers 70,698 square miles

Economic drivers: Agriculture is the largest industry; petroleum, food processing, technology

Did you know? It is the only state with a state-owned bank (Bank of North Dakota, Bismarck) and a state-owned flour mill (North Dakota Mill and Elevator, Grand Forks).

Former Governor Dennis Daugaard

Former Governor Dennis Daugaard

Former South Dakota Governor

Dennis Daugaard was sworn in as governor of South Dakota on January 8, 2011, and was sworn in for his second term on January 6, 2015.

John Hickenlooper

John Hickenlooper

Former Colorado Governor

John Hickenlooper served as the 42nd Governor of Colorado from 2011 to 2019. He served as the Chair of the Western Governors' Assocation in 2014. His Chair initaitve was entitled We All Go Togeather. 

Former Hawaii Governor David Ige

Former Hawaii Governor David Ige

Former Gov. David Ige served as the Chief Executive of Hawaii from 2014 to 2022. He served as the Chair of the Western Governors' Assocation in 2018, when he led the Biosecurity and Invasive Species Initative. 

Former Oregon Gov. Kate Brown

Former Oregon Gov. Kate Brown

Former Gov. Kate Brown served as the Chief Executive of Oregon from 2015 to 2023. 

Spencer Cox

Spencer Cox

Utah

Early Years: Cox was born in Mt. Pleasant, Utah in 1975. Growing up, he worked on the family farm milking cows, moving irrigation pipe, plowing fields, and hauling hay.

Education: After graduating from North Sanpete High School, Cox moved to Mexico for two years as a volunteer for his church. Upon his return, Cox received an associate’s degree from Snow College, a bachelor’s degree in political science from Utah State University, and later a Juris Doctor from Washington and Lee Law School.

Career: Cox began his career at the Utah law firm Fabian & Clendenin (now Fabian Vancott). Several years later, Cox moved to Fairview – just six miles from his hometown – to join the family telecom business, CentraCom, where he served as Vice President and General Counsel. His career in public service began with a position on the city council, before being elected mayor of Fairview and later Sanpete County Commissioner. Then, following a nine-month stint in the Utah House of Representatives, Cox was selected by Governor Gary Herbert to succeed Greg Bell as Utah’s eighth Lieutenant Governor.

Follow the Governor on FacebookTwitter, InstagramYouTube, and LinkedIn and learn more on his official website.

About Utah

Nickname: Beehive State

Capital: Salt Lake City

Population: 2.9 million

Size: The state covers 84,899 square miles

Economic drivers: High-tech, petroleum and coal, tourism

Did you know? Over 70 percent of the land in Utah is owned by the federal government (BLM, Utah State Trustland, U.S. National Forest, U.S. National Park, U.S. National Monument, National Recreation Area or U.S. Wilderness Area).

Greg Gianforte

Greg Gianforte

Montana

Early Years: Gianforte was born in San Diego, Calif., in 1961, but fell in love with Montana after visiting the state for a school trip.

Education: Gianforte attended Upper Merion High School in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, before going on to study at Stevens Institute of Technology, earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s in computer science.

Career: Gianforte spent 34 years in the private sector, beginning his career at AT&T Bell Laboratories in the early 1980s. He co-founded Brightwork Development Inc., where he served as  president for eight years. In 1994, Gianforte sold Brightwork to McAfee Associates, staying on as North American vice president. He left shortly thereafter to form another company of his own – RightNow Technologies – headquartered in Bozeman, Montana. In 2012, eight years after going public, Gianforte sold RightNow to Oracle for over $1.8 billion. Gianforte’s political career began in 2017 when he was elected to represent Montana in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Follow the Governor on Facebook and learn more on his official website.

About Montana

Nickname: The Treasure State

Capital: Helena

Population: 1.033 million (2015)

Size: The state covers 147,000 square miles

Economic drivers: Agriculture, travel and tourism, timber, mining

Did you know? Montana is the fourth largest state after Alaska, Texas, and California

Former Governor Lemanu Palepoi Sialega Mauga

Former Governor Lemanu Palepoi Sialega Mauga

American Samoa

Early Years: Born in 1949 in the village of Nu’uuli, Mauga was later bestowed the traditional High Chief title “Lemanu” by his family in Sa’ilele of Sua County, American Samoa.

Education: Mauga graduted from Waianae High School in Hawaii after attending Samoana High School in American Samoa. He holds a Master of Public Administration degree from San Diego State University, a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Hawaii-Manoa, and Associate of Arts from American Samoa Community College.

Career: Mauga joined the military in 1978 and served six years in the U.S. Marine Corps, before re-enlisting through the U.S. Army and serving 17 more years in the Armed Services. Upon retiring from the military, Mauga served the American Samoa Government as a Director of Army Instructions in the Department of Education-JROTC Program. He was also Chief of the Office of Property Management, as well as Military Liaison for the Governor’s Office. Mauga then served as Senator for Sua County #2 in the American Samoa Legislature, prior to being elected Lieutenant Governor in 2012 and again in 2016.

About American Samoa

Nickname: Let God Be First

Capital: Pago Pago

Population: 54,194

Size: The state covers 77 square miles

Economic drivers: territorial government, tuna cannery

Did you know? About 30 ethnic Samoans from American Samoa have played in the National Football League, and more than 200 in NCAA Division I college football.

Laura Kelly

Laura Kelly

Kansas

Elected Kansas’ 48th governor in 2018.

Early years: Born in New York City in 1950.

Education: Holds a B.S. in psychology from Bradley University, and a M.S. in therapeutic recreation from Indiana University.

Career: Laura Kelly was elected Kansas’ 48th governor in 2018. Previously, she served in the Kansas Senate from 2005-2019. Before her political career, Gov. Kelly was the executive director of the Kansas Recreation and Park Association and worked in mental health services.

Follow the governor on Twitter and Facebook. Learn more on her official website.

 

 

About Kansas

Nickname:  The Sunflower State

Capital: Topeka

Population: 2.9 million

Size: The state covers 82,278 square miles

Economic drivers: agriculture, energy production, aerospace, automobile manufacturing,

Did you know? Musicians born in Kansas include Joe Walsh, Melissa Etheridge, Martina McBride, Janelle Monáe and the rock band Kansas.

Kevin Stitt

Kevin Stitt

Oklahoma

Elected the 28th governor of Oklahoma in 2018.

Early Years: The fourth-generation Oklahoman was born in Milton, Florida, in 1972, and grew up in Norman, Okla.

Education: Earned his B.S. in accounting from Oklahoma State University.

Career: Stitt was elected the 28th governor of Oklahoma in 2018. Previously, he founded Gateway Mortgage, which today employs 1,200 people and has 163 field offices in 41 states across the country.

Follow the governor on Twitter and Facebook. Learn more on his official website.

 

 

About Oklahoma

Nickname: Sooner State

Capital: Oklahoma City

Population: 3.9 million

Size: The state covers 69,897 square miles

Economic drivers: energy production, agriculture, manufacturing, biotechnology

Did you know? The NBA's New Orleans Hornets became the first major league sports franchise to be based in Oklahoma when the team moved to Oklahoma City for two seasons following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Jared Polis

Jared Polis

Colorado

Elected Colorado’s 43rd governor in 2018.

Early Years: Born in Boulder, Colo., in 1975; spent his high school years in San Diego.

Education: Earned his bachelor’s from Princeton in 1996. During his time there, Polis co-founded an internet service provider with fellow students that became American Information Systems and later sold for $22 million. 

Career: Polis was elected the 43rd governor of Colorado in 2018. Previously, he served Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District in Congress from 2009-2019. He is also a philanthropist, entrepreneur and founder of several businesses besides American Information Systems, including ProFlowers.

Follow the Governor on Twitter and Facebook. Learn more on his official website.

 

About Colorado

Nickname: Centennial State

Capital: Denver

Population: 5.5 million

Size: The state covers 104,094 square miles

Economic drivers: natural resources, agriculture, tourism, technology

Did you know? Denver International Airport is the fourth busiest domestic U.S. airport and thirteenth busiest world airport.

Mark Gordon

Mark Gordon

Wyoming

Elected the 33rd governor of Wyoming in 2018.

Early Years: The son of Wyoming ranchers, Gov. Gordon was born in 1957. 

Education: Earned his bachelor’s from Middlebury College in Vermont.

Career: Gordon was elected the 33rd Governor of Wyoming in 2018. Prior to that, Gordon ran several businesses including two focused on outdoor recreation and tourism. He worked in the oil and gas industry after college. He and his wife Jennie own a cow-calf operation, breeding Angus/Hereford cross cattle. He served as Wyoming State Treasurer from 2012 until 2018.

Follow the governor on Twitter and Facebook. Learn more on his official website.

About Wyoming

Nickname: Equality State (official) and the Cowboy State

Capital: Cheyenne

Population: 586,107

Size: The state covers 97,914 square miles

Economic drivers: Mineral extraction industry, travel and tourism

Did you know? Yellowstone National Park, in the northwest corner of the state, was the first designated national park in the world.

Joe Lombardo

Joe Lombardo

Nevada

Elected the 31st Governor of Nevada in 2022.

Early Years: Born in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan in 1962.

Education: Rancho High School, Las Vegas, Nevada; University of Nevada, Las Vegas for a bachelor of science in civil engineering and a master of science in crisis management. He also completed the 227th session of the FBI National Academy in 2006.

Career: Lombardo joined the United States Army after graduating from high school in 1980. During his time in the Army, he served in the Nevada National Guard and in the United States Army Reserve. He ended his military service in 1986. He joined the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department as an officer in 1988. by 1996 he was promoted to sergeant, in 2001 he was promted to lieutenant, in 2006 he was promoted to captian, and in 2011 he was promoted to assistant sheriff. In 2014 he was elected as sheriff of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. He won a second term as sheriff in 2019 before annoucning his gubernatorial campagin in 2021.    

Follow the governor on Twitter and learn more on his official website.

 

About Nevada

Nickname: Silver State

Capital: Carson City    

Population: 2.9 million

Size: The state covers 110,577 square miles

Economic drivers: Tourism, entertainment, mining, cattle ranching

Did you know? Nevada is one of only two states to significantly expand its borders after admission to the Union.

Brad Little

Brad Little

Idaho

Elected Idaho’s 33rd governor in 2018.

Early Years: The third-generation Idahoan and rancher was born in Emmet in 1954.

Education: Earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Idaho in 1977.

Career: Little was elected the 32nd Governor of Idaho in 2018. Before serving in public office, Little worked in ranching sheep and cattle, and various roles with private organizations, including as president of the Idaho Wool Growers Association. From 2001-2009 he served as a state senator, and as Lieutenant Governor from 2009 until his election as governor.

Follow the governor on Twitter and Facebook. Learn more on his official website.

 

About Idaho

Nickname: The Gem State

Capital: Boise

Population: 1.7 million

Size: The state covers 83,574 square miles

Economic drivers: agriculture, food process, lumber and wood products, mining, tourism

Did you know? Idaho's famous potato crop comprises around one-third of the nationwide yield.

Lou Guerrero

Lou Guerrero

Guam

Elected the 9th Governor of Guam in 2018. She is the first Pacific Islander woman to serve as a state or territorial governor in the U.S.

Early Years: Born in Guam in 1950.

Education: Attended Academy of Our Lady of Guam High School and moved to California to earn her bachelor’s degree in nursing at California State University, Los Angeles and her master’s degree in public health at UCLA.

Career: Leon Guerrero was elected the 9th Governor of Guam in 2018. She is the first Pacific Islander woman to serve as a state or territorial governor in the U.S. Prior to that, the nurse and Guam Senator most recently served as the Chairwoman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Bank of Guam and BankGuam Holding Company.

Follow the Governor on Twitter and Facebook. Learn more on her official website.

 

About Guam

Nickname: Land of the Chamorro

Capital: Hagatna

Population: 162,742

Size: The state covers 210 square miles

Economic drivers: tourism, Department of Defense installations

Did you know? Guam's motto, "Where America's Day Begins," refers to its geographic location—it is on the other side of the International Dateline from Hawaii, and therefore a day ahead of the rest of the U.S.

Gavin Newsom

Gavin Newsom

California

Elected the 40th governor of California in 2018. 

Early Years: The fourth-generation San Franciscan was born in 1967.

Education: Attended Redwood High School and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Santa Clara University.

Career: Newsome was elected the 40th Governor of California in 2018.  Prior to that, he served as Mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011, when he became the 49th Lieutenant Governor of California. He previously had founded the PlumpJack Group after college, which managed 23 wineries, restaurants and hotels.

Follow the Governor on Twitter and Facebook. Learn more on his official website.

 

About California

Nickname: The Golden State

Capital: Sacramento

Population: 39 million

Size: The state covers 163,696 square miles

Economic drivers: Technology, agriculture, film industry, international trade, tourism, energy

Did you know? The famous "Hollywood" sign was installed in 1923 as "Hollywoodland" to advertise a subdivision near the top of Mount Lee. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce took over the sign in 1943 and removed the last four letters.

Kristi Noem

Kristi Noem

South Dakota

Elected South Dakota’s 33rd governor in 2018, in the process becoming the first female to serve as governor in state history.

Early Years: Born in 1971 and grew up on the family ranch and farm in rural Hamlin County, South Dakota.

Education: Graduated from South Dakota State University with her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.

Career: Noem was elected South Dakota’s 33rd Governor in 2018, in the process becoming the first female to serve as governor in state history. Before her election, she served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and prior to that served as Assistant Majority Leader in the South Dakota House of Representatives.

Follow the governor on Twitter and Facebook. Learn more on her official website.

 

About South Dakota

Nickname: The Mount Rushmore State

Capital: Pierre

Population: 858,649

Size: The state covers 78,116 square miles

Economic drivers: Service industries (retail, finance, health care), agriculture, tourism.

Did you know? In 1991, the state opened the George S. Mickelson Trail, a 109-mile rail trail in the Black Hills.

Michelle Lujan Grisham

Michelle Lujan Grisham

New Mexico

Elected New Mexico’s 32rd governor in 2018.

Early Years: The 12th-generation New Mexican was born in Los Alamos in 1959.

Education: Received an undergraduate degree from the University of New Mexico, and a law degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law.

Career: Prior to serving three terms in Congress, Gov. Lujan Grisham served as a cabinet secretary for three different New Mexico governors. She also started her own small business and was elected as a Bernalillo County Commissioner. On Nov. 6, 2018, she became the first Democratic Latina elected state chief executive in the history of the United States.

Follow the Governor or Twitter and Facebook. Learn more on her official website.

 

About New Mexico

Nickname: Land of Enchantment

Capital: Santa Fe

Population: 2.08 million

Size: The state covers 121,589 square miles

Economic drivers: Oil and gas production, tourism

Did you know? In the 11th and 12th centuries A.D., Chaco Canyon was the center of a regional system covering over 40,000 square miles.

Former Governor Jay Inslee

Former Governor Jay Inslee

Washington

Elected Washington’s 23rd governor in 2012; reelected in 2016

Early Years: Born 1951, in Seattle (fifth generation Washingtonian)

Education: Ingraham High School; University of Washington; law degree from Willamette University.

Career: State House of Representatives; U.S. House of Representatives; regional director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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Learn more on the Governor’s official website

 
 
 
About Washington

Nickname: The Evergreen State

Capital: Olympia

Population: 7.3 million

Size: The state covers 71362 square miles

Economic drivers: High technology, aircraft manufacture, lumber and wood products, agriculture, tourism

Did you know? Washington has led the nation in apple production since the 1920s.

Josh Green

Josh Green

Hawaii

Elected Hawaii’s 9th Governor in 2022

Early Years: Born February 11, 1970, in Kingston, New York

Education:  Quaker Valley High School; Swarthmore College for a Bachelor of Science in anthropology; Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center at Pennsylvania State University for a Doctor of Medicine

Career: After completing his residency in 2000, Green joined the National Health Service Corps and was stationed in Hawaii as a physician for the Big Island. He practiced family medicine and worked in emergency rooms. At times, he was the only physician in the island's rural areas. He has been awarded Physician of the Year by the Hawaii Medical Association twice in his career, first in 2009, and again in 2022 for his leadership and service during the COVID-19 pandemic. Green was elected to the Hawaii House of Representatives in 2004 and the Hawaii Senate in 2008. In 2018, Green was elected as lieutenant governor of Hawaii alongside incumbent Democratic governor David Ige. He has remained a physician in Hawaii’s rural emergency departments while serving in public office and returns to the Big Island to practice medicine.

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Learn more on the Governor’s official website

 
 
About Hawaii

Nickname: The Aloha State

Capital: Honolulu

Population: 1.4 million

Size: The state covers 10,931 square miles

Economic drivers: tourism, agriculture

Did you know? Hawaii is the 11th-least populous state, but the 13th-most densely populated of the 50 U.S. states.

Jim Pillen

Jim Pillen

Nebraska

Elected Nebraska’s 41st governor in 2022

Early Years: Born 1955, in Columbus, Nebraska

Education: Lakeview Junior-Senior High School; University of Nebraska–Lincoln for a Bachelor of Science degree in animal science; Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine for a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

Career: Pillen is a practicing veterinarian and also works as chair of Pillen Family Farms. Pillen has also worked as president of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, chaired the Columbus Community Hospital Board of Directors, and served on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

 
 
About Nebraska

Nickname: Cornhusker State

Capital: Lincoln

Population: 1.9 million

Size: The state covers 77,358 square miles

Economic drivers: agriculture (beef, pork, corn, soybeans), freight transport, manufacturing, insurance

Did you know? Kool-Aid was created in 1927 by Edwin Perkins in the city of Hastings, which celebrates the event the second weekend of every August with Kool-Aid Days.

Greg Abbott

Greg Abbott

Texas

Elected Texas’s 48th Governor in 2014; reelected in 2018

Early Years: Born 1957, in Wichita Falls, Texas

Education: Duncanville High School; University of Texas at Austin; Vanderbilt University Law School.

Career: State District Judge in Harris County; Justice on the Texas Supreme Court; longest-serving Attorney General of Texas.

 

 
 

 

About Texas

Nickname: The Lone Star State

Capital: Austin

Population: 27.8 million

Size: The state covers 268,581 square miles

Economic drivers: energy, agriculture, technology, retail, construction

Did you know? Houston is one of only five American cities with permanent professional resident companies in all of the major performing arts disciplines: the Houston Grand Opera, the Houston Symphony Orchestra, the Houston Ballet, and The Alley Theatre.

Former Governor Arnold Palacios

Former Governor Arnold Palacios

Northern Mariana Islands

Elected: Gov. Palacios was elected as the 11th Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in 2022. 

Early Years: Gov. Palacio was born on August 22, 1955 in Saipan, Mariana Islands

Education: Mt. Carmel School; Portland State University for a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Management.

Career: Before being elected as Governor, Palacios served four terms in the House of Representatives and served as Speaker of the House of Representatives during the 16th Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature from January 2008 to January 2010. After that, he served as the Secretary of Lands and Natural Resources from February 2012 to January 2015. He also served as the Senate President during the 20th Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature from January 2017 to January 2019 and as Senate Vice President during the 19th Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature from January 2015 to January 2017. 

Learn more on the Governor’s official website

 

 

About the Northern Mariana Islands

Nickname: America's Best Kept Secret

Capital: Saipan

Population: 53,467

Size: The state covers 179 square miles

Economic drivers: Tourism, garment manufacturing

Did you know? Team sports popular in the U.S. were introduced to the islands by American soldiers during World War II. Baseball is the islands' most popular sport.

Lolo Matalasi Moliga

Lolo Matalasi Moliga

American Samoa

Elected American Samoa’s 57th governor in 2012, reelected in 2016

Early Years: Born 1949, in born in Ta’u, Manu’a, American Samoa

Education: Manu'a High School (American Samoa); Chadron State College; master's degree in public administration from San Diego State University

Career: Teacher and elementary school principal; Director, American Samoa Government Budget Office; American Samoa’s chief procurement officer; American Samoa House of Representatives; American Samoa Senator; President, Development Bank of American Samoa

Follow the Governor on Facebook

Learn more on the Governor’s official website

 
 
About American Samoa

Nickname: Let God Be First

Capital: Pago Pago

Population: 54,194

Size: The state covers 77 square miles

Economic drivers: territorial government, tuna cannery

Did you know? About 30 ethnic Samoans from American Samoa have played in the National Football League, and more than 200 in NCAA Division I college football.

Tina Kotek

Tina Kotek

Oregon

Elected as Oregon’s 39th governor in 2022.

Early Years: September 30, 1966 in York, Pennsylvania

Education: Dallastown Area High School; University of Oregon for a Bachelor of Science in religious studies; University of Washington for master's degree in international studies and comparative religion 

Career: Before being elected to office, Gov. Kotek worked as the policy director of Children First for Oregon, prior to which she was a public policy advocate for the Oregon Food Bank. She also co-chaired the Human Services Coalition of Oregon during the 2002 budget crisis and served as the co-chair of the Governor's Medicaid Advisory Committee. In 2006, she was elected to represent Oregon House District 44. She was re-elected in 2008 and in 2010 with over 80% of the vote. in 2013, Kotek was elected to as Speaker of the House, becoming the first out lesbian to serve as a legislative speaker in the United States. She was re-elected for the two-year sessions in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021. She is the longest-serving speaker of the House in Oregon history.  

Follow the Governor on Twitter and Facebook

Learn more on the Governor’s official website

 
About Oregon

Nickname: Beaver State

Capital: Salem

Population: 4.1 million

Size: The state covers 98,381 square miles

Economic drivers: Agriculture, forestry, technology, salmon fishing, tourism

Did you know? Oregon's only national park, Crater Lake National Park, is comprised of the caldera surrounding Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the country

Former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum

Former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum

Former North Dakota Governor

Elected North Dakota’s 33rd governor in 2016

Early Years: Born 1956, in Arthur, North Dakota

Education: Earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of North Dakota in 2001 and a Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 2003.

Career: Before his election to the U.S. House of Represetnatives (2019-2024), Armstrong was a partner at Reichert Armstrong, with offices in Grand Forks and Dickinson. He served from 2013 to 2018 as the North Dakota state senator from the 36th district and chaired the North Dakota Republican Party from 2015 to 2018.

Follow the Governor on Twitter and Facebook

Learn more on the Governor’s official website.

 
About North Dakota

Nickname: Peace Garden State

Capital: Bismarck

Population: 756,927

Size: The state covers 70,698 square miles

Economic drivers: Agriculture is the largest industry; petroleum, food processing, technology

Did you know? It is the only state with a state-owned bank (Bank of North Dakota, Bismarck) and a state-owned flour mill (North Dakota Mill and Elevator, Grand Forks).

Katie Hobbs

Katie Hobbs

Arizona

Elected: Arizona’s 24th governor in 2022

Early Years: Born 1969, in Tempe, Arizona

Education:  Seton Catholic High School in Chandler, Arizona;  Northern Arizona University, where she received a bachelor's degree in social work; Arizona State University, where she received a master's degree in social work

Career: Hobbs has been a social worker since 1992. She specializes in domestic violence, mental health, and homelessness. Most recently, Hobbs was the chief compliance officer for Sojourner Center, one of the nation's largest domestic violence centers. She is an adjunct faculty member of social work at Paradise Valley Community College and Arizona State University.

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Learn more on the Governor’s official website

 
 
 
About Arizona  

Nickname: Grand Canyon State

Capital: Phoenix

Population: 6.8 million

Size: The state covers 113,990 square miles

Economic drivers: Manufacturing, copper mining, agriculture, cattle, cotton, tourism

Did you know? Monument Valley has been featured in many films, including Stagecoach, The Searchers, Easy Rider, Forrest Gump, and The Eiger Sanction

Mike Dunleavy

Mike Dunleavy

Alaska

Elected Alaska's 12th governor in 2018.

Early Years: Born, 1961, in Scranton, PA.

Education: Received his undergraduate degree from Misericordia University in Pennsylvania, and earned his master’s degree in education from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Career: Gov. Dunleavy was elected the 12th Governor of Alaska in 2018. He spent nearly two decades in northwest Arctic communities working as a teacher, principal and superintendent. He also served in the Alaska Senate before being elected governor.

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About Alaska

Nickname: The Last Frontier

Capital: Juneau

Population: 738,432

Size: The state covers 663,268 square miles

Economic drivers: oil and gas industry, export of seafood, tourism

Did you know? Thanks to its myriad islands, Alaska has nearly 34,000 miles of tidal shoreline.

Gary Herbert

Gary Herbert

Utah

Elected Utah’s 17th governor in 2009, currently the nation's longest-serving governor.

Early Years: Born, 1947, in born in American Fork, Utah.

Education: Graduated from Orem High School, served a two-year mission for the LDS Church in the Eastern States Mission, and attended Brigham Young University.

Career: Served in the Utah Army National Guard, opened his own real estate firm, served 14 years on the Utah County Commission in 1990, served as presidents of the Utah Association of Counties and Utah Association of Realtors. Prior to becoming the state's chief executive, Governor Herbert served as lieutenant governor for five years. 

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Learn more on Utah.Gov

 

About Utah

Nickname: Beehive State

Capital: Salt Lake City

Population: 2.9 million

Size: The state covers 84,899 square miles

Economic drivers: High-tech, petroleum and coal, tourism

Did you know? Over 70 percent of the land in Utah is owned by the federal government (BLM, Utah State Trustland, U.S. National Forest, U.S. National Park, U.S. National Monument, National Recreation Area or U.S. Wilderness Area).

Former Montanna Governor Steve Bullock

Former Montanna Governor Steve Bullock

Montana

Elected Montana's 24th governor in 2012, reelected in 2016

Early Years: Born 1966, in Missoula; raised in Helena

Education: Graduated from Helena High School in 1984; received undergraduate degree from Claremont McKenna College; law degree with honors from Columbia University Law School.

Career: Legal counsel to the Secretary of State of Montana; Executive Assistant Attorney General and acting Chief Deputy Attorney General of Montana; adjunct professor, George Washington University Law School; Attorney General of Montana

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Learn more on Montana.gov

 

About Montana

Nickname: The Treasure State

Capital: Helena

Population: 1.033 million (2015)

Size: The state covers 147,000 square miles

Economic drivers: Agriculture, travel and tourism, timber, mining

Did you know? Montana is the fourth largest state after Alaska, Texas, and California

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