{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder | name = Nancy Keenan | office = 14th Montana Superintendent of Public Education | image = Nancy Keenan.png | image_size = 200px | caption = Keenan at the 2012 DNC | term_start = January 2, 1989 | term_end = January 1, 2001 | predecessor = Ed Argenbright | successor = Linda McCulloch | state_house1 = Montana | district1 = 66th | term_start1 = January 7, 1985 | term_end1 = January 2, 1989 | predecessor1 = Jim Jensen | successor1 = Rob Blotkamp | state_house2 = Montana | district2 = 89th | term_start2 = January 3, 1983 | term_end2 = January 7, 1985 | predecessor2 = Joe Kanduch, Sr. | successor2 = Cal Winslow | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1952|2|14}} | birth_place = Anaconda, Montana, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | alma_mater = Montana State University,<br />Bozeman<br />University of Montana,<br />Missoula }}
'''Nancy Keenan''' (born February 14, 1952) is an American politician, and was from 2015 until 2019 the executive director of the Montana Democratic Party.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nancy Keenan |url=https://www.umt.edu/mansfield/about/advisory-board-and-fellows/bio-keenan-nancy.php |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=Mansfield Center, University of Montana |language=en}}</ref> Prior to that, she was elected to several terms in the Montana House of Representatives (1983–1989) and as superintendent of the Montana Office of Public Instruction (1989–2001). She also served as president of the abortion rights organization NARAL Pro-Choice America from 2004 to 2013.
==Biography== Keenan was born in Anaconda, Montana to Ann and P. J. Keenan.<ref name="helena">{{Cite web|url=https://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/keenan-s-comfortable-in-her-own-skin/article_f880f92f-32e4-5475-83d9-73f5cf372811.html|title=Keenan's comfortable in her own skin|author=Erin P. Billings|website=Helena Independent Record|date=22 October 2000 |access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref> She earned an undergraduate degree in education from Montana State University and a master's degree from the University of Montana. Keenan began her career as a special-education teacher before winning election to the Montana House of Representatives.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/about-us/about-nancy-keenan.html |title=A Featured Profile of Nancy Keenan :: NARAL Pro-Choice America |access-date=2011-10-19 |archive-date=2011-11-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111102081559/http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/about-us/about-nancy-keenan.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1988 she won the first of three terms as the statewide elected Superintendent of the Montana Office of Public Instruction. She served until 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.juneauforkids.com/node/20 |title=Nancy Keenan Endorses Denise for Superintendent of Public Instruction | Denise Juneau for State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Democrat |access-date=2009-06-19 |archive-date=2008-09-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919084347/http://www.juneauforkids.com/node/20 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2000, Keenan ran for Montana's at-large congressional district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat. She was defeated by Republican Denny Rehberg.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/specials/election2000/states/montana.html | work=The New York Times | title=Montana Campaigns}}</ref> From 2003-2004, Keenan worked as the Education Policy Director of the organization People For the American Way (PFAW).
Keenan became president of NARAL Pro-Choice America in 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/news/press-releases/2004/pr111904_keenan.html |title=NARAL Pro-Choice America Announces Nancy Keenan as New President |access-date=2009-06-19 |archive-date=2009-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090613004204/http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/news/press-releases/2004/pr111904_keenan.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> As president, Keenan advocated for access to abortion, but she has also attempted to change the nature of the debate around abortion rights issues in the United States. For example, in 2006, she said that while abortion rights and anti-abortion people don't agree on abortion "we should be able to agree that we can reduce unintended pregnancies" by (as a NARAL ad stated) "guaranteeing women's access to birth control, including the 'morning-after' pill, making sure our kids receive honest, realistic sex education, and increasing support for family-planning services."<ref>[https://archive.today/20120911180116/http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2006/03/06/naral/print.html] </ref> In a speech presented on the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Keenan asked supporters to acknowledge "a woman's right to choose is a morally complex issue, and a lot less black and white than it's been made out to be." She discussed the pro-choice position in terms of moral values.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/assets/files/roe35_texas_speech.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2009-06-19 |archive-date=2009-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615031110/http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/assets/files/roe35_texas_speech.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18214695|title=Roe V. Wade Turns 35|newspaper=NPR.org|access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref> She reiterated the position that reducing unintended pregnancy is a "core moral value" in her speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.<ref>{{YouTube|XhiOvwZc13c}}</ref> On August 22, 2012, it was announced that she would be a speaker at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/08/ledbetter-baldwin-longoria-to-address-dem-convention-132764|title=Ledbetter, Baldwin, Longoria to address Dem convention|website=Politico.com|date=21 August 2012 |access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref> In April 2015, it was announced that Keenan would take over as executive director of the Montana Democratic Party, effective April 20, 2015.<ref>{{cite news |last=Johnson |first=Charles S. |date=13 April 2015 |title=Montana Dems name Keenan as party's new executive director |url=http://helenair.com/news/politics/montana-dems-name-keenan-as-party-s-new-executive-director/article_97ea3881-ebed-5c83-b6a1-f5c6b0ef936d.html |newspaper=INDEPENDENT-RECORD |location=Helena |access-date=13 April 2015}} </ref>
''Washingtonian Magazine'' named Nancy Keenan as one of the 100 most powerful women in Washington, DC in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://washingtonian.com/2006/06/01/june-2006-the-list-of-the-top-100-most-powerful-women/|title=June 2006: The List of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women |website=Washingtonian.com|date=1 June 2006|access-date=11 December 2021}}</ref> She has appeared on MSNBC<ref>{{YouTube|Hhry_gJK1l8}}</ref> and other news broadcasts, and is frequently quoted by ''The Washington Post'', ''The New York Times'', Associated Press, and other news services.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{C-SPAN|86251}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Keenan, Nancy}} Category:1952 births Category:American feminists Category:American abortion-rights activists Category:Living people Category:Democratic Party members of the Montana House of Representatives Category:Montana State University alumni Category:People for the American Way people Category:People from Anaconda, Montana Category:Superintendents of public instruction of Montana Category:University of Montana alumni Category:Women state legislators in Montana Category:20th-century members of the Montana Legislature Category:20th-century American women politicians