Inside Profile of Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona

Chairing last weekend's annual winter meeting of the National Governors Association (NGA) was its first female chair in the influential organization's 97-year history: Democratic Governor Janet Napolitano of Arizona.

Among past chairs of the NGA are President Bill Clinton, Democratic Party Chair Howard Dean, former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, former Virgina Gov. Mark Warner, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, and current Senators Thomas Carper (D-DE), George Voinovich (R-OH), and Lamarr Alexander (R-TN).

Gov. Napolitano has an utterly outstanding record of leadership in her beloved Arizona. A pro-business, pro-choice centrist Democrat, she turned a $1 billion budget deficit that she inherited in 2003 when elected as governor, into a $300 million surplus by 2006... without raising taxes. And yet, she was reelected by a healthy margin in 2006.

In November 2005, Time magazine named her one of the 5 best U.S. governors. Gov. Napolitano is at the forefront of the battle to reform U.S. immigration laws and to enforce border security.

But none of these are the most interesting item on her resume. In 1991, Janet Napolitano was law professor Anita Hill's attorney when Hill memorably testified against the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Gov. Napolitano is a fascinating woman and a strong, accomplished leader whose career, sadly and unfairly, has occasionally been stymied by gossipy whispers about her personal life.

Take the time to learn about this emerging Democratic leader on the national level at my new article, Inside Profile of Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona.