Clare Higgins

Mary Clare Higgins is an American politician who was a six-term mayor of Northampton, Massachusetts, from 2000 to 2011. A Democrat, she was the second woman to hold the position. Higgins became the executive director of Community Action Pioneer Valley in September 2011.

Education and background Higgins was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, one of seven siblings. As an adolescent, she moved with her family to Brooklyn, New York, where her father was active in politics. She earned her bachelor's degree in 2003 through the University Without Walls (University of Massachusetts Amherst). Higgins worked in early childhood education.

Career Higgins became involved in politics in the early 1990s, when she became a commissioner on the board of the Northampton Housing Authority.

Higgins was elected as an at-large City Councilor in 1993 and held the office until 1999; she served as president of the council for the last two years. assuming office in January 2000. She was the city's first openly lesbian mayor. Higgins resigned in September 2011 to become executive director of Community Action Pioneer Valley. The city's capital improvement fund for infrastructure was greatly expanded and used for a new water filtration plant, a senior center, a new police station, and new public works facility. an organization formed in 2006 and co-chaired by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston mayor Thomas Menino.

Higgins was recognized for her contributions by U.S. House of Representatives in 2012. She became a monthly columnist for the Daily Hampshire Gazette.