Meet Kim

Kim was elected the 73rd Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts in 2022 alongside Governor Maura Healey, making them the first-ever all-female executive team in Massachusetts.

Kim is an integral part of Team Massachusetts, working alongside Governor Healey to grow the Massachusetts economy, make our state a more affordable place to live, work and retire, and ensure we remain the number one state in the nation for innovation in health, climate, and culture. 

Together, they passed the state’s first tax cuts in more than 20 years, advanced historic investments in housing, and ensured free community college for all. From improving transportation and investing in our clean energy and life sciences economy to making early childhood education more accessible, Maura and Kim are building a better tomorrow for every Massachusetts resident.

Mayor of Salem

Kim's record of success as Mayor made her a widely respected leader and trusted ally among local officials across the state and nation. Serving as Salem’s first woman Mayor from 2006 to 2023, Kim ushered in one of the most economically prosperous periods in Salem’s history through her innovative finance and spending efforts, expanded the use of technology, and delivered savings to taxpayers. She led the revitalization of Salem’s historic downtown and worked collaboratively with local partners and state officials to bring in significant public and private investments, including a new MBTA train station, a new state courts complex, and a new ferry and waterfront port at Salem Wharf. Kim led efforts to make Salem a national leader in the offshore wind sector.

Kim put her values to work to make Salem a more inclusive and welcoming city. Under her leadership, Salem was celebrated for advancing civil rights and supporting the LGBTQ+ community, garnering an impressive 100 percent score on the Municipal Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign. She stood up for students and teachers, veterans, immigrants, and seniors, and continues to keep her focus on their needs as Lieutenant Governor.

Her Path to Public Service

Kim is married to a union bricklayer and proud mom to three adult children. She is the daughter of a Navy cook from Lynn and accountant’s assistant from Trinidad, spending her childhood in a number of states before going to Salem State University to study government and become a stand-out athlete on the women’s basketball team.

While in college, working in Salem’s Planning Department opened Kim’s eyes to the ways our government can have a profound and positive impact on people’s daily lives. Kim took a position as Beverly’s Community Development Director and went on to earn her law degree from the Massachusetts School of Law. In 1998, after a few years in private practice, Kim was tapped by the new City Manager in Chelsea to serve as the city’s Chief Legal Counsel and later as Deputy City Manager, helping to turn the city around and regain fiscal solvency after bankruptcy in the early 1990s.

Prior to becoming Mayor of Salem, Kim served on the Salem City Council from 1999 to 2003.