Kathy Harrington

Retired Senator Kathy Harrington was the first female Senate Majority Leader in the history of the North Carolina General Assembly. She was unanimously elected majority leader in December 2020 by her senate colleagues and was honored by their support and confidence in her ability to lead their caucus.

Serving six terms in the North Carolina Senate led to many legislative accomplishments for Senator Harrington. For over eight years, she served as one of three co-chairs of the Senate Appropriations/Base Budget Committee. As a key budget writer during those years, state budgets were passed that were balanced and shored up the state’s emergency rainy day funds. They also had tax and spending provisions that led to strong economic growth for North Carolina, resulting in it recently being named the best state for business.

Among other state senate committees, Kathy also served on:

• Appropriations/Base Budget as co-chair
• Commerce
• Ethics as co-chair
• Finance
• Governmental Operations
• Health Care
• Judiciary
• Pensions Retirement and Aging as co-chair
• Rules and Operations of the Senate
• Transportation Policy and Appropriations as co-chair

One of Senator Harrington’s most rewarding accomplishments was her collaboration with Senate and House colleagues as one of the architects creating the North Carolina Strategic Transportation Investments (STI)—part of the Senate Transportation Policy and Appropriations Committee. The STI revolutionized the way transportation dollars are spent in North Carolina. The STI uses a data-driven process to decide how and where to allocate transportation dollars. This results in providing the greatest impact while removing politics from transportation funding. It’s a model for the country.

Prior to her election to the North Carolina Senate, Kathy was very involved with her community, serving on numerous boards and committees. She continues to serve the state by sitting on several important boards.

Kathy’s broad range of experience and service in state government gives her a unique skill set when advising clients as they seek to navigate North Carolina’s many governmental and legislative offices.

Kathy resides in Gastonia, NC, with her husband Michael. They have two grown daughters.