Andrea Conte

Andrea Conte (born 1941) is the First Lady of Tennessee, the wife of Governor Phil Bredesen (2003 - present). She is a 1968 graduate of the University of Washington and a registered nurse. In addition to her interests as First Lady, she is an avid Nashville Predators fan, and an avid walker who competes in marathons as a walker around the country.

Early history and education

Andrea Conte was born February 13, 1941 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts to Louis and Roaslie Conte. She spent her childhood in Great Barrington, and graduated from Searles High School in 1958. She trained as a nurse at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, MA, receiving her RN in 1961 and subsequently her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Washington in Seattle in 1968. After moving to Nashville, she attended night classes at the University of Tennessee downtown campus (now Tennessee State University Avon Williams campus) and received an M.B.A degree in 1983.

Marriage and Family

Andrea Conte and Philip Bredesen were married in Wheatley, Oxfordshire, England on November 22, 1974; Bredesen was working in the United Kingdom at the time. She has retained her own name. Following their marriage, Ms. Conte obtained a job with Hospital Corporation of America in Nashville, TN, and the couple moved to Tennessee 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 across Tennessee (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 of Tennessee.

Kidnapping

On December 7, 1988 she was kidnapped [Nashville Banner, December 7, 1988] and injured in the parking lot of her retail shop in Nashville 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]