Éloïse-Béatrice Desjardins

**Éloïse-Béatrice Desjardins** (née **de Saint-Martin**; born 30 April 1970) is an Atlantican politician, lawyer, and educator, who is the current Governor of Vermont, serving since 2017. Additionally, she has been a member of the House of Commons since 2013, representing Vermont. She is a member of the Social Democratic Party.

Desjardins was born in Burlington, Vermont to a Franco-Atlantican family. Following her graduation from high school in 1988, Desjardins began attending Fordham University, where she majored in political science. She eventually graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1992, and enrolled in Columbia Law School, receiving her juris doctor in 1996. Desjardin spent half of law school in New York City and half in Paris at the Pantheon-Sorbonne University, receiving dual certification as a lawyer in both Atlantica and France. After graduating from law school, Desjardins worked in civil rights law in New York City, before returning to Vermont to teach law at the University of Atlantica, Burlington in 2001.

Desjardins began her political career after being included on the Social Democratic ticket for the 2012 Atlantican general election in Vermont. The party won enough seats, and Desjardins was elected to the House of Commons. She was elected to a second term in 2016, and later was appointed Governor of Vermont by Prime Minister Angelina Woll.

## Early life and family

Desjardins was born on 30 April 1970 in Burlington, Vermont to parents Antoine and Marie-Claire de Saint-Martin (née *Cerf*). Her family is Franco-Atlantican, and first arrived in Atlantica from France during the 1890s. She was raised a Roman Catholic. Antoine is a retired high school science teacher, while Marie-Claire is a housewife-turned-occupational therapist. Desjardins grew up in a middle-class family as the youngest of three children. Her elder siblings include brother Jérôme, born  (1965-08-12) 12 August 1965 (age 58), and sister Chantal, born  (1967-12-13) 13 December 1967 (age 56). Jérôme works as a business executive in New York City, while Chantal is a physical therapist in Burlington.

## Education and early career

Desjardins began attending Burlington High School in 1984. She was elected freshman class secretary, and later became sophomore class president the following year. Desjardins was reelected president in her junior and senior years, as well. Throughout high school, Desjardins was an honor's student and became president of the school's chapter of the National Honor Society in 1987. She graduated from high school as her class's salutatorian in 1988. In her senior year, she was voted "Most Likely to Become Prime Minister" by her classmates. After high school, Desjardins moved to New York City to attend Fordham University. She received a bachelor's degree in political science in 1992.

After graduating with her bachelor's degree, Desjardins enrolled in Columbia Law School. In the beginning of her second year, she was admitted into the international joint degree program. She left New York City to begin studying law at Pantheon-Sorbonne University in Paris in 1994. She went on to graduate in 1996, receiving a juris doctor from Columbia University and a M1 from Pantheon-Sorbonne University, and was admitted to the Bar in both Atlantica and France. After completing law school, Desjardins returned to New York City and began working at law firms in the civil rights law department. In 2001, Desjardins returned to Vermont to teach law at the University of Atlantica, Burlington, a position she held until beginning her political career.

## Political career

### House of Commons

In 2011, Desjardins was invited by the Social Democratic Party of Atlantica to be included on their ticket for the 2012 Atlantican general election in Vermont. She was listed second on the party list, behind only Governor of Vermont Henri Paulette. Ultimately, the party won two seats in Vermont, allowing Desjardins to take a seat in the House of Commons, representing Vermont. She was reelected in the 2016 election, where she was listed first on the party list.

### Governor of Vermont

Following the retirement of Henri Paulette prior to the 2016 Atlantican general election, Desjardins was widely expected to become the new Governor of Vermont should the Social Democratic Party maintain their majority in parliament. Desjardins was officially appointed Governor of Vermont by Prime Minister Angelina Woll on 1 March 2017. As governor, Desjardins serves as the official head of delegation for members of parliament representing Vermont in the House of Commons.

## Personal life

Desjardins began dating civil rights lawyer André Desjardins in 1999. They worked at the same law firm, and first bonded over being the only French-speaking lawyers at the firm. After their relationship was made public, André resigned from the firm due to office relationships being off-limits. They became engaged on New Year's Day in 2001, and later married in June 2002 in Burlington.

The couple has three children together: Danielle, born  (2005-06-11) 11 June 2005 (age 18), and fraternal twins Isaac and Claire, born  (2007-02-02) 2 February 2007 (age 16). The family has residences in both Burlington, Vermont and Washington, D.C.