Indian-origin Arizona State Senator Priya Sundareshan has been nominated for the prestigious Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award by EMILYs List, recognising her bold leadership on issues like voting rights, environmental protection, and reproductive rights.
As the representative for Arizona's 18th Senate District, Sundareshan has emerged as a powerful voice in state politics, fiercely opposing extreme abortion bans and introducing a bill to protect contraception access.
Serving as Minority Leader in the Arizona Senate, she plays a pivotal role on key committees and was honoured with the Rising Environmental Leader Award in 2023.
Sundareshan, born to an Indian-American family in Tucson, Arizona, has built a career blending law, sustainability, and advocacy.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from MIT in 2006, followed by a Juris Doctor and a Master's in natural resource economics from the University of Arizona in 2011.
Her legal career includes roles at the Environmental Defence Fund, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman in Washington, DC, and PA Consulting Group in Cambridge, MA.
A mother of two, Sundareshan is dedicated to science-based policy solutions and making a lasting impact on her community.
The Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award, named after the former Arizona Congresswoman and gun control advocate, will be presented later this year by EMILYs List .
