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Gale
Candaras, an attorney, has a twenty-year record of
exemplary public service. She resides in Wilbraham with
her husband, a law professor. She has a grown son, who
is also an attorney. All three are products of public
schools. Prior to her election to the Massachusetts
State Senate, representing the 1st Hampden
and Hampshire District, Gale Candaras represented
Wilbraham, Springfield and East Longmeadow for ten years
as State Representative for the 12th Hampden
District, the largest district in the state. Before
being elected State Representative in 1997, Gale served
Wilbraham as a local volunteer on the Finance Committee,
Planning Board and Board of Selectmen. Her work in
local government gave Gale valuable insights into the
issues facing our cities and towns.
Gale first came to Massachusetts to
attend Western New England College School of Law after
graduating from Fairleigh Dickinson University, where
she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from the Honor’s
College, magna cum laude. Gale is admitted to
practice law in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey,
and New York. Gale took post-doctoral courses in Elder
Law, Medicaid Planning and Estate Taxation at Western
New England College to prepare her to legislate in the
complex legal and regulatory environment facing
seniors. In 2006, Gale passed important legislation
that will save seniors thousands of dollars.
Gale’s professional experience includes
work in New York City’s financial district at Goldman
Sachs where her responsibilities ranged from preparing
the Division’s budget to serving as the compliance
liaison between the legal department and the trading
floor. Gale has worked for several law firms and
practiced family and business law in Hartford and
Springfield.
Gale’s leadership improves the lives of
the people she serves. Her achievements can be seen
throughout the District. From Parks to Libraries to
Court Houses to Hospitals, Gale has fought hard to get
more equitable funding for Western Massachusetts and, in
2006, Gale’s effort yielded record amounts of education
and local aid as well as funding for a county-wide, oral
health pilot project for all preschoolers.
Gale is a tireless advocate for the
issues important to Western Massachusetts. She was the
lead sponsor on a tough drunk-driving bill, supported by
our District Attorney, and passed one of the toughest
anti-drag-racing bills in the country, which helped our
City residents.
Gale last month was named Senate Chair of
the legislature’s Joint Committee on Children, Families
and Persons with Disabilities by Senate President
Therese Murray. In addition to her chairmanship
appointment, she was named Vice-Chair of both the Joint
Committee on Health Care Financing—a committee through
which nearly every health care related bill must
pass—and the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and
Professional Licensure. Gale was also assigned to the
Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight, and the
Joint Committees on the Judiciary; Public Safety and
Homeland Security; and Public Service.
Last Updated
02/22/2010
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