Claire Shulman

Claire Shulman
17th Borough President of Queens
In office 1986–2002
Preceded by	Donald Manes
Succeeded by	Helen Marshall
Personal details
Born	February 23, 1926 (1926-02-23) (age 85) Brooklyn, New York
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Dr. Melvin Shulman
Children	one, Dr. Ellen S. Baker
Residence	Beechhurst, Queens, New York

Claire K. Shulman (born February 23, 1926 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American politician. She was the borough president of Queens, New York (New York City) from 1986 until 2002; the first woman to hold this position in New York City's history.

She was a registered nurse before getting into politics. She met her future husband, Mel Shulman, a doctor, while both were working at Queens Hospital Center. Claire Shulman took office in February 1986 after the resignation of scandal-tarred Queens borough president, Donald Manes, who later committed suicide. She was elected to a full term later that year and again in 1989, 1993 and 1997. She retired in 2001 and was succeeded by Helen Marshall.

Affiliations

Claire Shulman currently serves as a member of the boards of directors of New York Hospital Queens and St. Mary's Healthcare System for Children.

She also assisted the Queens Zoo in obtaining its first bald eagle. The zoo's current bald eagles, Mel and Claire II, are named after Shulman and her husband.^[1]

Cancer

A breast cancer survivor, she lost both breasts in separate mastectomies.

Family

She and her husband, Dr. Melvin Shulman, reside in Beechhurst, Queens, New York. They have one daughter, Dr. Ellen S. Baker, an astronaut ^[2] and a veteran of three Space Shuttle voyages, including one that docked with the Russian space station Mir.

References

1. ^ New York Zoos and Aquarium website
2. ^ "A Vision for Education": Speech by New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, The Wharton Club, August 11, 1995

External links

• City Hall News (03/12/2007)
• New York Times 1996 article

Preceded by Donald Manes

Borough President of Queens 1986–2002

Succeeded by Helen Marshall

Persondata
Name	Shulman, Claire
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	February 23, 1926
Place of birth	Brooklyn, New York
Date of death
Place of death