Interviewee: Sarah Palin
Date: Sept. 24, 2008

Alaskan politics’ Joan of Arc, Sarah Louise Heath Palin is herself history in the making. Although born in Sandpoint, Idaho on February 11, 1964, she spent most of her childhood growing up in Alaska. Parents Charles “Chuck” and Sarah “Sally” Heath moved their family of six to Skagway, Alaska in 1964 when daughter Sarah was just three months of age. After a brief stay living at Eagle River, they finally settled in Wasilla. Sarah graduated from the local high school in 1982, where as co-captain and point-guard she led the basketball team to State Championship in her senior year. Her fierceness and play-to-win nature, which would be a personal trademark, have earned her the nickname “Sarah Barracuda.”

Sarah Heath then proceeded to finish her Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications-Journalism with the University of Idaho in 1987. With her eyes set on being a TV sportscaster, she secured the job she wanted working at Anchorage from 1987-1989. The year 1988 also saw her marriage to pure-Alaskan high school sweetheart, Todd Palin. Since 1988 she also helped with her husband’s commercial fishing operations. Today, she has four treasured children: Track, Bristol, Willow, Piper and Trig.

It is particularly surprising to note that the Heath family considers itself non-political, thereby according Sarah’s remarkable political acumen as self-nurtured. At a young 28 years of age, Sarah ran for a seat on the Wasilla City Council and won in 1992. Four years after, she was the bid against the three-term incumbent mayor of Wasilla, and again emerged victorious. Her first political defeat was in 2002 in seeking the Lieutenant Governor nomination for the GOP.

December 4, 2006 marked the beginning of Sarah Palin’s high profile political career.
At 42 years old, Sarah Palin became the first woman as well as the youngest Governor in Alaskan history when she unseated incumbent Frank Murkowski. Her term focused on public health and safety, education and workforce development, transportation and infrastructure development, and resource development. Recently, she has been named Chair of the National Governors Association (NGA) Natural Resources Committee. Sarah Palin was nominated by the Republican Party as its first woman and first Alaskan for the position of Vice-President in the 2008 campaigns.

Aside from her numerous efforts as a government official, she has made significant personal contributions to charitable organizations as well. In 2007, after paying $24,738 in taxes on a $166,080 income, Sarah Palin with her family still donated $3,325 for philanthropic efforts.

Sources:

http://www.adn.com/news/politics/story/510048.html