Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) has been selected as the Center for American Women and Politics’ 2025 Honorary Senator Wynona Lipman Chair in Women’s Political Leadership. This year’s program, titled “Citizen to Changemaker: Making Your Voice Matter,” will feature a discussion on civic engagement, the power of representation, and how everyday individuals can influence meaningful political and social change.
Blunt Rochester made history in 2024 as Delaware’s first woman and first Black person elected to the U.S. Senate. Her conversation as Lipman Chair will explore how race, gender, and lived experience shape American politics—and how communities can build power by participating in democracy.
The Senator Wynona Lipman Chair was established to honor the legacy of the late New Jersey state Senator Wynona Lipman, the first Black woman to serve in the New Jersey State Senate. The chair celebrates Lipman’s trailblazing contributions while inspiring future generations of women leaders. The Center for American Women and Politics credits the governor and the state legislature for their continued commitment to preserving Lipman’s legacy and advancing women’s political leadership.
The event offers attendees the opportunity to learn from Blunt Rochester’s decades-long career in public service. Before joining the Senate, she served four terms as Delaware’s sole representative in the U.S. House of Representatives, where she sat on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and emerged as a leading advocate for worker protections and a fairer economy. A former Secretary of Labor and State Personnel Director, she has long prioritized policies supporting middle-class families and founded the bipartisan Congressional Future of Work Caucus to address workforce challenges in a changing economy.
Blunt Rochester has also played an influential role in shaping national health care policy, from lowering prescription drug costs to expanding telehealth access. She has been a consistent champion for combating the opioid crisis, bolstering the nursing workforce, and tackling health disparities in underserved communities.
Her legislative work stretches across key policy areas—including agriculture, criminal justice reform, and supply chain resilience—reflecting her commitment to ensuring economic opportunity and public health for all Americans.
The event promises a dynamic conversation on leadership, advocacy, and the expanding role of women in shaping the nation’s future.
