Kathleen Brown

Kathleen Brown
Born	(1945-09-25) September 25, 1945 San Francisco, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Lawyer, politician
Years active	1975–present
Known for	29th Treasurer of California (1991–1995), 1994 California gubernatorial candidate

Kathleen Lynn Brown (born September 25, 1945) is an American lawyer and political figure who held the position of the 29th Treasurer of California from 1991 until 1995. She was an unsuccessful candidate for governor of California in the 1994 gubernatorial race.

Early life and education

A native of San Francisco, Brown is the youngest among four siblings of former California Governor Pat Brown (1959–1967) and sister to Jerry Brown, who served twice as Governor of California (1975–1983, 2011–2019). She earned her degrees from Stanford University and Fordham University School of Law.

Political career

Brown’s political journey began with her election to the Los Angeles City Board of Education in 1975, where she secured re-election in 1979. Later, she was a member of the Los Angeles Board of Public Works between 1987 and 1989.

California State Treasurer

In the 1990 election cycle, Brown emerged victorious in the Democratic primary against Wesley Sanders, then serving as Compton’s city treasurer, and went on to defeat the Republican incumbent Thomas W. Hayes in the general election. Hayes, who had been appointed just a year prior, sought to associate her campaign with the unpopularity of her brother through political advertisements.

Branding herself as the "financial Brown," she capitalized on a considerable fundraising lead. Her strong backing from women voters and robust support in Northern California played a key role in securing her win.

1994 gubernatorial election

During the 1994 governor’s race, Brown challenged incumbent Republican Pete Wilson. She became the third member of her family to vie for this office, following her father and brother. Her campaign motto was "America's Best Treasurer to Revive America's Worst Economy," emphasizing state economic concerns. Steve Glazer, a senior advisor on her campaign, later joined the California State Senate.

Polling in spring 1994 showed Brown leading Wilson by 51 to 39 percent; however, as California’s economy improved later that year, the contest tightened considerably. Ultimately, Brown was defeated by Wilson. The Los Angeles Times remarked that she "changed issues too often and ran out of money." Although there was speculation about her running again in 1998, she chose not to enter that race.

Post-political career

Brown currently holds a partnership at law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. Prior to this role, she directed public finance operations for Goldman Sachs’ Midwest division. Her previous positions include serving as president of private banking at Bank of America from 1995 to 2000 and leading public sector and infrastructure investments at Goldman Sachs from 2001 through 2010. Remaining active in public sector banking within California presented potential conflicts of interest.

She also sits on the board of directors for Sempra Energy, which owns Southern California Gas Company, notable for its involvement in the Aliso Canyon gas leak incident.

Personal life

Brown has three children from her first marriage to George Rice; they later divorced. She married Van Gordon Sauter, former President of CBS News, with whom she shares five adult children. Their dog, Sutter, was given to Jerry Brown and became recognized as California's First Dog starting in 2011.

External links

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