Jacqueline Coleman

Jacqueline Coleman
Born	Jacqueline Layne Coleman 9 6, 1982
Birthplace	Danville, Kentucky, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Template:Hlist
Known for	58th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky
Education	Centre College (BA) University of Louisville (MA) University of Kentucky
Children	4
Awards	Chair-elect, National Lieutenant Governors Association (2025–2026)
Website	[https://governor.ky.gov/About-Us/Pages/Lt.-Governor-Jacqueline-Coleman.aspx Official site]

Jacqueline Layne Coleman (born June 9, 1982) is an American educator and politician serving as the 58th lieutenant governor of Kentucky since December 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she serves alongside Governor Andy Beshear, having been elected as his running mate in the 2019 Kentucky gubernatorial election. Before entering politics, Coleman built a career in education as a high school teacher, administrator, and basketball coach in rural Kentucky. She also founded Lead Kentucky, a nonprofit organization focused on education policy reform. Coleman additionally served as Secretary of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet from December 2019 until October 2021. Raised on a farm in Burgin, Kentucky, she comes from a family with deep roots in Kentucky politics and public life. In August 2025, Coleman was elected chair-elect of the National Lieutenant Governors Association for the 2025–2026 year.

Early Life

Jacqueline Layne Coleman was born on June 9, 1982, in Danville, Kentucky. She was raised on a farm in Burgin, a small community in Mercer County in central Kentucky. Coleman comes from a family with significant ties to Kentucky politics. Her father, Jack Coleman, and her grandfather, also named Jack Coleman, were both involved in public life in the state.

Growing up in a rural agricultural community shaped Coleman's understanding of the challenges facing Kentucky's smaller towns and communities. Her upbringing on a farm in Burgin provided her with firsthand experience of rural life, which would later inform her policy perspectives on education and economic development in Kentucky's rural regions.

Education

Coleman attended Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. During her time at Centre College, she was a standout athlete, playing on the college's basketball team. Her athletic career at Centre helped develop leadership skills that she would carry into her subsequent careers in education and politics.

After completing her undergraduate degree, Coleman pursued graduate education, earning a Master of Arts degree from the University of Louisville. She also attended the University of Kentucky for additional graduate studies. Her academic training prepared her for a career in education, with her advanced degrees equipping her for roles in school administration and education policy.

Career

Education Career

Before entering public office, Coleman spent much of her professional life in education. She worked as a high school teacher, school administrator, and basketball coach in Kentucky. Her experience working in Kentucky's schools, particularly in rural areas, gave her an in-depth perspective on the state's education system and the challenges faced by students, teachers, and administrators. Coleman's background as a basketball coach was also a notable part of her identity, connecting her to the sports culture that plays a significant role in Kentucky communities.

Coleman left the classroom following her election as lieutenant governor in November 2019. Throughout her education career, she developed a reputation as an advocate for public education and for policies aimed at improving outcomes for students in the Commonwealth.

Lead Kentucky

Coleman founded and served as president of Lead Kentucky, a nonprofit organization dedicated to education policy reform. The organization focused on developing education leaders and advancing policy solutions to improve Kentucky's education system. Through Lead Kentucky, Coleman worked to bring together educators, policymakers, and community stakeholders to address systemic challenges in the state's schools. Her work with the nonprofit helped establish her as a prominent voice in Kentucky education policy circles prior to her entry into electoral politics.

2019 Gubernatorial Campaign

In 2018, Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear announced his candidacy for governor and selected Coleman as his running mate for the 2019 Kentucky gubernatorial election. The selection of Coleman, a relatively young educator from rural central Kentucky, was seen as a strategic choice that complemented Beshear's background as a Louisville-area attorney and statewide officeholder. Coleman's experience in education was a central theme of the Beshear-Coleman campaign, as education policy—including teacher pay and pension issues—had been a prominent political issue in Kentucky in the years preceding the election.

The Beshear-Coleman ticket ran against incumbent Republican Governor Matt Bevin and his lieutenant governor, Jenean Hampton. Education was a defining issue in the race, with widespread teacher protests and walkouts having taken place in Kentucky in 2018 in response to proposed changes to pensions and education funding. Coleman's credentials as a practicing educator lent authenticity to the ticket's education-focused message.

On November 5, 2019, the Beshear-Coleman ticket won the general election, defeating Bevin and Hampton. The victory was notable as it represented a Democratic win in a state that had been trending Republican in statewide and federal elections.

Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky

Coleman was sworn in as the 58th lieutenant governor of Kentucky on December 10, 2019, during a midnight inauguration ceremony alongside Governor Beshear. She succeeded Jenean Hampton, who had served as Kentucky's first African-American lieutenant governor under Governor Bevin.

In addition to her constitutional role as lieutenant governor, Coleman was simultaneously appointed as Secretary of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet, a position she held from December 10, 2019, until October 21, 2021. In this dual capacity, she oversaw the state's education and workforce development policies during a period that included significant disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced Kentucky schools to adopt remote learning and created unprecedented challenges for educators and students. She was succeeded as Education and Workforce Development Secretary by Mary Pat Regan, who served in an acting capacity. Coleman's predecessor in the cabinet secretary role had been Derrick Ramsey, who served under Governor Bevin.

2023 Re-election

In the 2023 Kentucky gubernatorial election, Coleman ran for re-election alongside Governor Beshear. The Beshear-Coleman ticket was successful in winning a second term, allowing Coleman to continue serving as lieutenant governor.

National Leadership Role

In August 2025, Coleman was elected chair-elect of the 2025–2026 Executive Committee of the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA). The position means Coleman is set to serve as chair of the national organization during the 2026–2027 year. The selection reflected Coleman's growing national profile among state-level executives and her engagement in bipartisan efforts related to governance and policy at the national level.

Policy Focus and Public Engagement

As lieutenant governor, Coleman has been involved in initiatives related to education, economic development, and workforce issues. In a September 2025 interview with Spectrum News, Coleman discussed topics including economics, political tension, and her personal background growing up in rural Kentucky. She has emphasized economic development as a key priority of the Beshear administration, particularly as it relates to bringing new investment and jobs to Kentucky communities.

Coleman's role has also involved engagement with education policy at the state level. Her background as an educator has continued to inform her approach to policy discussions around schools, teacher workforce issues, and student outcomes. She participated in events such as the Kentucky Teacher of the Year Ceremony, underscoring her ongoing connection to the education community.

Personal Life

Coleman resides in the Lieutenant Governor's Mansion in Frankfort, Kentucky. She is a mother of four children. Her family life has been a subject of public interest, particularly her role as both a biological and adoptive mother, which she has spoken about publicly.

Coleman has maintained connections to sports throughout her life. Her ties to basketball extend beyond her own playing career at Centre College; members of her family have also been involved in athletics. A family member, who played collegiate women's basketball at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, changed her surname to Coleman-O'Bryan in 2020, reflecting the family bonds that Coleman has fostered through adoption.

Coleman has also been involved with organizations promoting women in leadership. She has been associated with Raising Ms. President, an organization focused on encouraging girls and young women to pursue leadership roles.

Recognition

Coleman's selection as chair-elect of the National Lieutenant Governors Association in August 2025 represented a significant recognition of her leadership among her peers in state government nationwide. The NLGA is a bipartisan organization composed of lieutenant governors from across the United States, and election to its executive committee leadership reflects standing within the national community of state executives.

Her profile as one of the younger lieutenant governors in the country and her background as an educator entering politics drew media attention both within Kentucky and nationally. The Lexington Herald-Leader covered her NLGA selection, noting that she would chair the national group in 2026–2027. Her dual role as a political figure and former educator has made her a frequent subject of profiles and interviews in Kentucky media, including a 2025 appearance on Spectrum News's "In Focus Kentucky" program.

Prior to her election as lieutenant governor, Coleman's work with Lead Kentucky and her advocacy for education policy reform earned her recognition in education circles within the state. Her experience as a teacher, administrator, and basketball coach gave her a multifaceted public identity that distinguished her from many political candidates.

Legacy

As the 58th lieutenant governor of Kentucky, Coleman represents a figure who entered public office directly from the classroom, bringing an educator's perspective to state governance. Her appointment as Secretary of the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet during her first term underscored the Beshear administration's emphasis on education as a policy priority and its effort to place practitioners in leadership positions overseeing education policy.

Coleman's career trajectory—from farm in Burgin to Centre College basketball player to high school teacher and coach to lieutenant governor—reflects a path through several of Kentucky's defining institutions and cultural touchstones: rural agriculture, college athletics, public education, and Democratic politics. Her founding of Lead Kentucky demonstrated an interest in systemic education reform that preceded her entry into electoral politics, suggesting a policy-oriented approach to public service rather than a purely political one.

Her role as an adoptive mother and her public discussion of her family life have also contributed to her public profile, humanizing her political career and connecting her to issues of adoption and family welfare that resonate with many Kentucky families.

Coleman's election and re-election as lieutenant governor, serving alongside Governor Andy Beshear in a state where Republicans have held significant electoral advantages in recent years, has been part of a broader narrative about the competitiveness of Kentucky's statewide Democratic ticket when education and governance issues are foregrounded.