Biography

First elected in November 2020, State Representative Kate Farrar is proud to serve the 20th District. For the 2023-2024 term, she was appointed as Deputy Majority Leader and Vice Chair of the Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee. Additionally, Representative Farrar is a member of the Higher Education & Employment Advancement Committee and Transportation Committee.

In her first term, Representative Farrar successfully championed tax cuts that create a fairer tax system, created training programs that advance women and people of color in high-wage careers, and passed a new law to expand green transportation options with rebates for electric bikes. She also secured nearly $5 million in funding for the 20th District local community and economic development projects and nonprofit and arts support. 

Representative Farrar was honored as a Woman of Excellence by the National Foundation of Women Legislators for her leadership to pass legislation to address menstrual equity. She was also recently chosen as one of 16 elected leaders across the country to join the NewDEAL network and a participant in the Council of State Governments Eastern Leadership Academy. 

Representative Farrar has over 20 years of experience as a non-profit advocate and active community volunteer. In her role as Executive Director of the Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund (CWEALF), she led the passage of CT’s landmark Paid Family and Medical Leave Act in addition to advancing new laws for pay equity and increasing the minimum wage. Before her advocacy work at CWEALF, Representative Farrar expanded STEM education and leadership programs for 10,000 middle school girls and college women as the Vice President of Campus Leadership Programs at the American Association of University Women (AAUW) in Washington, D.C.

Currently, she serves as a Strategy Coordinator for Connecticut Foodshare. She is also Board President of the Betty Knox Foundation, as well as a Board Member of the Aurora Foundation for Women and Girls. Representative Farrar earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Connecticut and a Master’s in Public Administration from Syracuse University. Representative Farrar, her husband Chan, and their dog Lizzie live in West Hartford.