Kate Gallego is mayor of Phoenix, the fifth largest city in the United States.
She is sure-footed, determined, and never let what some might have seen as challenging circumstances stop her.
She won her second term in 2020 easilywith more than60 percentof the vote.
Mayor Kate Gallego, of Phoenix, Arizona.
But still, the world being what it is, she doubted herself.
I had to ask myself, Why is that?
And it’s not mine.
Mayor Gallego’s Office
Despite holding a high-profile role, Gallego has been relatively low key, giving only a few interviews.
It’s been quite a journey for me, she says.
If I had heard from other women who’d had similar journeys, it would’ve made it easier.
Mayor Gallego’s Office
In whatever leap you’re taking.
If you don’t recognize yourself in anyone who’s ever done it, it’s harder.
Kate Gallego:It was very challenging to balance.
I had a lot of emotions in a relatively short amount of time.
I had a baby, a marriage ended, and my mom had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
I also did miss being out in the community.
What was your biggest personal challenge in your run for mayor?
I was on the city council, and it was the only job I had.
I didn’t have a backup plan.
If I wasn’t mayor, what would I do for a living?
And so I wanted to ensure I had the chance to win.
Just seeing that women had not been particularly successful created a lot of doubts for me.
Politics is not about what’s fair, it’s about who the voters believe will deliver.
And so I spent way too long deciding.
People who might have considered me had already committed elsewhere.
What stopped you believing in yourself?
I was very embarrassed about my marriage ending while I was pregnant.
We’d been trying to have a baby for a while.
Did you ever face questions that you felt people would never ask a man?
I was married to a congressman, we had a kid together, and then got divorced.
And everyone was like, Well, are you going to get out of public life?
Are you just going to focus on your family?
No one asked him that question.
It was never a second of a question with a man having a baby that he might want to.
Speaking of parenthood, how did you find your journey into motherhood?
I definitely didn’t see it coming.
But it’s actually been a source of strength for me.
Were you able to take much time away from your work?
I did meetings from home.
We’re doing 12 weeks, and you don’t have to take them consecutively.
It makes us, I think, one of the most competitive employers for parents in the Phoenix area.
You were on the city council for a long time.
Early on in my life it didn’t seem like something that was possible or attainable.
That helps you see it’s more possible for you.
What are you most proud of in terms of your work as mayor?
I want to take a moment to go back to my own story.
I bought my first house at the peak of the real estate market in 2008 in Phoenix.
I was very proud of myself, relatively young, buying a condo.
But then I saw so much of what little wealth I had evaporate when the market crashed.
Through that key in of project I’m hoping to leave Phoenix a much stronger city.
What is your ambition going forward?
What is the legacy you want to leave behind?
I’ve had wonderful role models, including Governor Napolitano who helped me see what’s possible.
Perhaps I’m just getting started right now.
What would you say to young women dreaming of their own careers or even entering politics?
Don’t wait until your personal life is flawless because it’s never going to be perfect.
I’m so glad I went for it.
