Cheryl Coakley-Rivera

Cheryl Coakley-Rivera
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 10th Hampden district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 1999
Preceded by	Anthony M. Scibelli
Personal details
Political party	Democratic
Residence	Springfield, Massachusetts

Cheryl A. Coakley-Rivera (previously Cheryl A. Rivera) is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. A Democrat, she has served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives since 1999. She represents the Tenth Hampden district, centered on her hometown of Springfield. She is currently Chair of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development.^[1]

She is an attorney and earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Western New England College School of Law in 1995. She had previously earned a BA at Northeastern University.^[1] In 1998, following the death of Anthony M. Scibelli, who had held the seat for 40 years, Coakley-Rivera ran successfully for the House of Representatives, becoming the first Hispanic woman elected to the Massachusetts legislature.^[2] She took office the following January and has been re-elected biennially ever since, taking 85% of the vote in 2008.

She was previously known as Cheryl A. Rivera. In March 2006, she changed her name in honor of her mother, Barbara Coakley Rivera, who had died the previous year. Her sister and nephew similarly changed their names.^[3]

A lesbian, she is one of seven openly LGBT members of the Massachusetts General Court, alongside Representatives Carl Sciortino (D–Medford), Kate Hogan (D–Stow), Sarah Peake (D–Provincetown), Liz Malia (D–Jamaica Plain) and Denise Andrews (D–Orange), as well as Senator Stan Rosenberg (D–Amherst).^[4][5]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Massachusetts General Court: Rep. Cheryl Coakley-Rivera". http://www.mass.gov/legis/member/car1.htm. Retrieved 2007-07-23. 
2. ^ "Rep. Cheryl Coakley-Rivera may be a top candidate for clerk-magistrate at Springfield District Court". The Republican. March 18, 2011. http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/03/rep_cheryl_a_coakley-rivera_ma.html. 
3. ^ "Lawmaker's new name a tribute". The Republican. 2006-03-24. http://www.masslive.com/chicopeeholyoke/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-3/1143190355103230.xml&coll=1. Retrieved 2008-07-23. 
4. ^ "Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute: Out Officials". http://www.glli.org/out_officials. Retrieved 2007-07-23. 
5. ^ "Senator's candid remarks described as 'courageous'". http://www.masslive.com/springfield/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-22/1246956814286390.xml&coll=1. Retrieved 2009-07-08. 

External links

• Legislative homepage

Persondata
Name	Coakley-Rivera, Cheryl A.
Alternative names
Short description	American politician
Date of birth
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death