Jared Polis

Jared Polis
U.S. Department of the Interior · Public domain · source
Name	Jared Polis
Birth date	May 12, 1975
Birth place	Boulder, Colorado, U.S.
Alma mater	Princeton University (A.B.)
Occupation	Politician, entrepreneur, philanthropist
Party	Democratic Party
Office	Governor of Colorado
Term start	January 8, 2019
Spouse	Marlon Reis (m. 2021)

Jared Polis

Jared Polis is an American politician, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who has served as the governor of Colorado since 2019. He previously represented Colorado's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives and founded several technology and education companies. Polis is known for his involvement in digital commerce, education reform, and progressive policy initiatives within the Democratic Party.

Early life and education

Polis was born in Boulder, Colorado to parents active in local civic life and business; his family has roots connected to Denver and the broader Front Range region. He attended public schools in Colorado before enrolling at Princeton University, where he completed an A.B. with a senior thesis and engaged with organizations on campus, linking him to alumni networks and cultural institutions associated with Ivy League universities. At Princeton he studied within programs that intersect with public policy and economics, and he graduated into the dot-com era amid expanding technology hubs such as Silicon Valley and expanding venture capital markets like those centered in New York City.

Business career and entrepreneurship

Polis launched his entrepreneurial career by co-founding and investing in internet-based ventures during the late 1990s and early 2000s, participating in markets connected to e-commerce platforms and online services. He founded an online greeting card company, which later sold to a larger media entity, and established a prepaid college tuition company that interfaced with municipal and nonprofit stakeholders in the higher education financing sector. His investments and executive roles linked him to startup ecosystems including accelerators and investment firms operating in Denver, Boulder, Colorado, and national markets such as Silicon Valley. Polis also served on corporate boards and philanthropic foundations that interacted with institutions like KIPP Schools and statewide educational initiatives in Colorado.

Political career

Polis first entered electoral politics with a successful bid for United States House of Representatives in 2008, representing Colorado's 2nd congressional district, which includes Boulder, Colorado, parts of Broomfield, and other Front Range communities. In the House he served on committees that engaged with issues touching on trade, technology, and educational policy, collaborating with colleagues from delegations including representatives from California, New York, and Massachusetts. Polis championed legislation related to digital rights, net neutrality debates that involved stakeholders like Federal Communications Commission debates, and student finance reforms that intersected with programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education. He won reelection multiple times and built relationships with caucuses such as the Congressional Progressive Caucus and committee members from the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Governorship

Polis won the 2018 gubernatorial election in Colorado and assumed office in January 2019, succeeding a governor affiliated with the Republican Party. As governor he worked with the Colorado General Assembly, including interactions with the Colorado House of Representatives and the Colorado Senate, to advance state-level initiatives. His administration navigated statewide responses to crises including public health emergencies involving the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance and wildfire seasons affecting Front Range and mountain communities tied to agencies like the U.S. Forest Service. Polis's gubernatorial tenure has involved appointments to statewide boards and commissions, engagement with municipal leaders from Denver and Colorado Springs, and coordination with federal agencies including the Department of Homeland Security on cross-jurisdictional matters.

Political positions and policy initiatives

Polis has promoted policy priorities centered on renewable energy deployment aligned with regional efforts by utilities and regulators such as the Public Utilities Commission (Colorado), school finance reform linked to Colorado Department of Education initiatives, and cannabis regulatory frameworks following statewide legalization measures administered by the Colorado Department of Revenue. On healthcare, he supported expansions consistent with discussions involving the Affordable Care Act and state-level marketplaces that coordinate with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Polis has emphasized technology-driven education reforms that partner with charter networks like KIPP and research institutions including University of Colorado system campuses. His stance on immigration, housing affordability, and labor policy has intersected with municipal plans in Boulder, Colorado and metropolitan planning organizations in the Denver metro area.

Personal life and philanthropy

Polis is openly gay and has been a prominent figure in LGBTQ civic networks, linked to advocacy organizations and cultural institutions across Colorado and nationally. He founded philanthropic initiatives and foundations that support accelerated learning programs, early childhood education models influenced by research from institutions such as Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and partnerships with local nonprofits in the Front Range. Polis and his family have participated in philanthropic efforts addressing homelessness, educational access, and entrepreneurship support tied to community development organizations in Denver and Boulder, Colorado. He married Marlon Reis in 2021, a writer and activist connected to environmental and animal welfare movements with ties to national organizations and regional advocacy groups.

Category:Governors of Colorado Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Colorado Category:Princeton University alumni