Biography
Senator Suzi Oppenheimer has earned a reputation in the Legislature as an energetic and vocal advocate for environmental protection, child care, education, health care, fiscal reform and the arts. Her record of community service, local government experience, and leadership on statewide issues has enabled her to work in a bipartisan manner to address the concerns of constituents. Senator Oppenheimer chairs the Senate Democratic Task Force on Women's Issues. In past years, she has held hearings around the state on the issue of women in the work force, violent crime against women on college campuses, domestic violence as a health care issue, teen pregnancy prevention, family life and sex education in the schools, and alternative financing mechanisms for child care. In addition, Senator Oppenheimer cosponsored "Kieran's Law", which protects children and families by providing for criminal background checks for nannies who care for children in the home. In 2004, Senator Oppenheimer served on the Special Joint Conference Committee on Budget Reform which successfully negotiated major reforms to the budget process. The package requires voter approval in November of 2005. The Senator has sponsored dozens on reform proposals for many years. In past years, she has sponsored or cosponsored numerous pieces of legislation that have been signed into law including the clinic access bill, school violence bill, bill to make hate crimes illegal, the ban on assault weapons, measures on osteoporosis prevention, and reform of notice provisions for condemnation. Senator Oppenheimer has played a leadership role in the Senate on environmental issues advocating for passage of environmental funding programs, sponsoring legislation, and supporting environmental efforts in Westchester. She sponsored legislation to create the Bi-State Long Island Sound Committee, which helps coordinate policy in Connecticut and New York. The Senator is the Treasurer of the Legislative Women's Caucus. This bipartisan group, comprised of the women legislators in both legislative houses, addresses public policy issues which especially affect women and children. Senator Oppenheimer sits on the Boards of the Child Care Action Campaign, the Westchester Community Opportunity Program, the Mental Health Association of Westchester, the Displaced Homemaker Program at Westchester Community College, St. Bernard's Center for Learning, the Westchester Jewish Committee, plus several other boards.Prior to her election to the Senate, Suzi Oppenheimer served four terms as Mayor of the Village of Mamaroneck. She also served as President of the Westchester Municipal Officials Association and President of the Westchester Municipal Planning Federation. Before her election as mayor, she was President of the Mamaroneck League of Women Voters and President of the PTA of the Central School in Mamaroneck.Senator Oppenheimer received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Connecticut College for Women. In addition, she became one of the first women to earn a Masters Degree from Columbia University's Graduate School of Business. Upon receiving her degree, she worked on Wall Street as an industry analyst for L. F. Rothschild & Company. The Senator is married to Martin J. Oppenheimer, a partner in Proskauer, Rose, a New York City law firm. The Oppenheimer's reside in Mamaroneck. They have four adult children; Marcy, Evan, Josh and Ali.She is in her 11th term in the State Senate, consistently winning reelection by margins over 60%. The New York Times has called her "one of the Senate's bright lights."