Gina Raimondo
40th U.S. Secretary of Commerce and former Governor of Rhode Island
Gina M. Raimondo was sworn in as the 40th U.S. Secretary of Commerce on March 3, 2021.
As Secretary of Commerce, she was focused on a simple but vital mission — make America more competitive by spurring good-paying jobs, empowering entrepreneurs to innovate and grow, and advancing our economic and national security. The Department of Commerce, under her leadership, made historic investments in Internet access, manufacturing, economic development, workforce training, supply chain resiliency, and climate readiness through the implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act.
Under Secretary Raimondo’s leadership, the Department of Commerce has invested $39 billion in incentives for leading-edge chip manufacturing and $11 billion for research and development under the CHIPS program, putting the United States on the path to produce roughly 20% of the world’s leading-edge logic chips by 2030. She announced more than $40 billion in grants to connect more than 3 million Americans to quality, affordable Internet during her tenure and more than $500 million for Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs that will supercharge local economies and transform regions into globally competitive innovation centers. Further, the Department has supported more than $6 billion in grant and contract projects to boost coastal and climate resilience and upgrade key infrastructure nationwide, announced the largest investment to support minority and underserved businesses in the Department’s history, pioneered targeted technology controls to prevent adversaries from using the most advanced U.S. technology for military modernization and human rights violations, and established the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity which united 14 countries to contribute to cooperation, stability, prosperity, development, and peace within the region.
The Secretary has also taken a leading role in ensuring the responsible development of artificial intelligence. She has stood up the U.S. AI Safety Institute in the Department of Commerce, which has partnered with leading American AI companies to test major new models prior to deployment for potential risks to public safety and national security. Under her leadership, the Department has released industry-standard guidance on topics ranging from red teaming, to generative AI, and synthetic content, spearheaded federal efforts to mitigate national security threats presented by AI, and launched the international network of AI Safety Institutes. Raimondo has been called “America’s Point Woman on AI", the “MVP of President Biden’s AI Executive Order”, and named one of TIME Magazine’s Most Influential People in AI.
She was featured on 60 Minutes for her leadership on national security issues, including U.S. semiconductor chip production, advanced technology export controls, and economic relations with China. She has been recognized as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, and a 2024 CNBC Changemaker. She also received the CIA Director’s Award, the Brennan Center Legacy Award, the Business Executives for National Security Eisenhower Award, and the Atlantic Council Distinguished Leadership Award.
Raimondo was formerly the 75th Governor of Rhode Island and its first woman governor. As governor, she kick-started the state’s economy and made record investments in infrastructure, education, and job training by focusing on creating economic opportunities and good-paying jobs for all Rhode Islanders. Raimondo’s wrote a “turnaround case study in how a state government with little going its way can become something of a benchmark,” according to Bloomberg. During her first term in office, she kick-started the state’s economy and created thousands of jobs. In 2017, the New York Times declared that, “Ms. Raimondo’s frenzy of economic and job development is striking.” Raimondo also made record investments in infrastructure and education. Under her leadership, Rhode Island became one of the first states in the country to offer tuition-free community college for every high school graduate. Raimondo was also nationally recognized for her outstanding leadership during the COVID 19 pandemic, making Rhode Island the face of successful recovery efforts. She was re-elected by the widest margins in a generation and the first Governor of Rhode Island in decades to win the majority of the vote.
She also served as the Chair of the Democratic Governor’s Association (DGA). During her term, she rebuilt the entire DGA leadership team, bolstered the fundraising, communications, and research teams, and grew the digital program exponentially. She also raised the most money in an off-year election in the organization’s history, a 40 percent increase from previous years. Raimondo successfully helped and funded Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards re-election effort and helped to elect Andy Beshear of Kentucky. She created and launched an annual Economic Development and Policy Mission to Israel for Democratic Governors.
Prior to her role as Governor, Raimondo was elected to serve as General Treasurer of Rhode Island, receiving the largest number of votes of any statewide candidate. When Raimondo took office as General Treasurer she restructured the state's $7 billion underfunded pensions, allowing Rhode Island to “avert pension disaster without raising taxes” (New York Times) and designed a first of its kind retirement system to ensure retirement security for the states public employees and teachers.
For her service in Rhode Island, Raimondo has been recognized as one of Fortune’s 50 Greatest Leaders (2016) and was named a Brave Thinker by The Atlantic (2012). She’s received countless awards from national organizations, including: Outstanding Achievement in State Tax Reform from the Tax Foundation (2018), Manhattan Institute’s Urban Innovator (2012), New Englander of the Year from The New England Council (2016), Economic Patriot Award from the Concord Coalition (2017), B4Stage4 Award from Mental Health America (2019) and BIO Governor of the Year (2017). In 2018, her efforts to support youth in Rhode Island’s foster care system with job training and career preparation received the Harvard Kennedy School’s Innovations in American Government Award.
Raimondo earned her degree in economics from Harvard University and a doctorate from Oxford University through a Rhodes Scholarship. She is also a graduate of Yale Law School and clerked for US District Judge Kimba Wood. The 2016 recipient of Yale Law School’s prestigious Alumni Award of Merit, Governor Raimondo is an alumni fellow on the Yale Board of Trustees. She sits on the Council of Foreign Relations and serves on the Truth Initiative’s Board of Directors.
Prior to her service in state government, she founded Point Judith Capital, a venture capital firm in her home state of Rhode Island, where she led the firm’s healthcare practice.
She is married to Andy Moffit and they have two children, Ceci and Tommy.
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