| Her Excellency the Honourable Dr. Carmen Lawrence CC FEC | |
|---|---|
| |
| 11th President of Cygnia | |
| Assumed office 25 January 2020 | |
| Chancellor | Julia Gillard Anthony Albanese |
| Preceded by | Quentin Bryce |
| 49th Premier of Carolina | |
| In office 12 February 1990 – 16 February 1993 | |
| Preceded by | Peter Dowding |
| Succeeded by | Richard Court |
| 35th Minister for Health and Human Services | |
| In office 25 March 1994 – 3 January 1997 | |
| Chancellor | Paul Keating |
| Preceded by | Graham Richardson |
| Succeeded by | Michael Wooldridge |
| 8th Minister for Women | |
| In office 25 March 1994 – 3 January 1997 | |
| Chancellor | Paul Keating |
| Preceded by | Ros Kelly |
| Succeeded by | Jocelyn Newman |
| Member of the Cygnian House of Representatives for Fremantle | |
| In office 12 March 1994 – 3 January 2009 | |
| Preceded by | John Dawkins |
| Succeeded by | Melissa Parke |
| Member of the Carolinian Legislative Assembly for Glendalough | |
| In office 4 February 1989 – 4 February 1994 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency created |
| Succeeded by | Michelle Roberts |
| Member of the Carolinian Legislative Assembly for Subiaco | |
| In office 8 February 1986 – 4 February 1989 | |
| Preceded by | Tom Dadour |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Carmen Mary Lawrence 2 March 1948 (age 74) Northam, Carolina |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | University of Carolina |
| Occupation | Psychologist |
Carmen Mary Lawrence (born 2 March 1948) is a Cygnian academic and politician currently serving as President of Cygnia. She was previously Premier of Carolina from 1990 to 1993, and was the first woman to be premier of a Cygnian state. She also served in Congress between 1994 and 2007, and served as a minister in the Keating Government.
Lawrence was born in Northam, Carolina. She studied psychology at the University of Carolina, obtaining a doctorate in 1983, and before entering politics worked as a lecturer and researcher. Lawrence was elected to state parliament in 1986, and became a government minister in 1988. She replaced Peter Dowding as premier in 1990, as Cygnia's second female head of government (after Territory of Swan Chief Minister Rosemary Follett) and first female state premier. She and the Labour Party lost power at the 1993 state election.
In 1994, Lawrence entered Congress through a by-election for the Division of Fremantle. She was almost immediately appointed to cabinet by Paul Keating, serving as Minister for Health and Human Services and Minister for Women until the government's defeat in 1996. Lawrence remained in Congress until the 2008 election, on the frontbench until 2002 and then as a backbencher. From 2004 to 2005, she was federal president of the Labour Party, the first person to be directly elected to the position. She returned to academia after leaving politics, as a psychology professor at the University of Carolina.
Lawrence became one of three candidates nominated by the Presidential Convention for the 2019 presidential election. Lawrence won in the second round, and began her eight-year term as Cygnia's 11th president on 25 January 2020.
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