Nancy Keenan

Nancy Keenan is a politician and executive director of the Montana Democratic Party.

Keenan began her career as a special-education teacher before winning election to the Montana House of Representatives. In 1988 she won the first of three terms as the statewide elected Superintendent of the Montana Office of Public Instruction.

In 2000, Keenan ran for Montana's at-large congressional district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat. She was defeated by Republican Denny Rehberg. From 2003-2004, Keenan worked as the Education Policy Director of the organization People For the American Way (PFAW).

Keenan became president of NARAL Pro-Choice America in 2004. As president, Keenan advocated for access to abortion, but she has also attempted to change the nature of the debate around abortion rights issues in the United States to preventative reproductive health measures such as guaranteeing women's access to birth control, including the 'morning-after' pill, comprehensive sex education, and increasing support for family-planning services.

In April 2015, it was announced that Keenan would take over as executive director of the Montana Democratic Party, effective April 20, 2015.

Washingtonian Magazine named Nancy Keenan as one of the 100 most powerful women in Washington, DC in 2006. She has appeared on MSNBC and other news broadcasts and is frequently quoted by The Washington Post, The New York Times, Associated Press, and other news.