- Andrea Conte
Andrea Conte (born 1941) is the
First Lady ofTennessee , the wife of GovernorPhil Bredesen (2003 - present). She is a 1968 graduate of theUniversity of Washington and a registerednurse . In addition to her interests asFirst Lady , she is an avidNashville Predators fan, and an avid walker who competes inmarathon s as a walker around the country.Early history and education
Andrea Conte was born
February 13 ,1941 inGreat Barrington, Massachusetts to Louis and Roaslie Conte. She spent her childhood in Great Barrington, and graduated fromSearles High School in 1958. She trained as a nurse at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, MA, receiving her RN in 1961 and subsequently herbachelor’s degree innursing from theUniversity of Washington in Seattle in 1968. After moving toNashville , she attended night classes at theUniversity of Tennessee downtown campus (nowTennessee State University Avon Williams campus) and received anM.B.A degree in 1983.Marriage and Family
Andrea Conte and Philip Bredesen were married in
Wheatley, Oxfordshire ,England onNovember 22 ,1974 ; Bredesen was working in theUnited Kingdom at the time. She has retained her own name. Following their marriage, Ms. Conte obtained a job withHospital Corporation of America in Nashville, TN, and the couple moved toTennessee in 1975. They have one son, Benjamin (b. 1980).Activities as First Lady
As
first lady , she has continued her work on victim's rights issues, a commitment arising out of her 1988 kidnapping. In 2004, she walked 605 miles acrossTennessee (from Memphis to Bristol) to spotlight and raise funds for child advocacy centers in her state. She also heads a project to restore the Tennessee Governor's Residence. She is a frequent speaker on these and other subjects both in and outside ofTennessee .Kidnapping
On
December 7 ,1988 she was kidnapped [Nashville Banner, December 7, 1988] and injured in the parking lot of her retail shop inNashville She fought, and was able to escape the kidnapper’s car as it drove on the road. The kidnapper was not identified or captured immediately. The following year he killed a woman in a Nashville park and was captured fleeing. Under questioning he admitted to the Conte kidnapping as well. Following her experience, Ms. Conte founded a non-profit organization,You Have the Power , to assist victims in dealing with the criminal justice system and to advocate for victim's rights.References
External links
* [http://Tennessee.gov/firstlady Official First Lady Website]
* [http://andreawalks.com AndreaWalks - Website of Andrea Conte’s walk across Tennessee]
* [http://yhtp.org You Have the Power Website]
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