Gov. Kim Reynolds has named District 35 Sen. Chris Cournoyer as Iowa’s 48th lieutenant governor. Cournoyer, of LeClaire, has served in the Iowa Senate since 2018, where she chaired the inaugural Technology Committee and helped pass consumer data protection legislation, making Iowa the sixth state to enact such a law. Reynolds says, “First and foremost, she has the character, judgment, and ability needed to serve as governor in case I were ever unable to—qualities that also make her ideally suited to support our work on a day-to-day basis. I can’t wait to deploy Chris’ extensive experience on key legislative committees, including Ways and Means, and expertise in technology, innovation, and artificial intelligence on a wide range of issues important to Iowans.” Cournoyer, a former school board president, has extensive experience in technology and education. She holds a computer science degree from the University of Texas and worked as a senior consultant with Andersen Consulting, now Accenture. She is filling the vacancy created by the resignation of former Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg in September, who left to become president of the Iowa Bankers Association.
