Olympia Snowe

Olympia Snowe is a businesswoman and politician who served as a United States Senator from Maine from 1995 to 2013. Before her tenure in the Senate, she was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1979 to 1995. Snowe, a member of the Republican Party, became widely known for her ability to influence the outcome of close votes, including whether to end filibusters. In 2006, she was named one of America's Best Senators by Time Magazine. Snowe was known for her ability to compromise and her strong sense of bipartisanship. Throughout her Senate career, she was considered one of the most moderate members of the Senate. Notably, Snowe was the first woman in American history to serve in both chambers of a state legislature and both chambers of Congress.

On February 28, 2012, Snowe announced that she would not seek re-election in November 2012 and retired when her third term ended on January 3, 2013. She cited hyper-partisanship leading to a dysfunctional Congress as the reason for her retirement from the Senate. Snowe is a senior fellow for the Bipartisan Policy Center and co-chairs its Commission on Political Reform. She has been recognized for her efforts to promote bipartisanship and address political polarization.

Apart from her legislative career, Snowe founded the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute in 2015, focusing on developing young women's leadership skills. She has also authored the book "Fighting for Common Ground: How We Can Fix the Stalemate in Congress," highlighting her dedication to fostering bipartisan dialogue. Snowe has been a keynote speaker at prestigious institutions and organizations, sharing her insights into bipartisanship and leadership at venues including Princeton University, University of Missouri, St. Louis, Oregon Historical Society, Duke Sanford School of Public Policy, and Harvard Law School.