Intro 

Kris Mayes was sworn in as Arizona’s 27th Attorney General on January 2, 2023, making history as the first LGBTQIA+ person and first mom to serve as Arizona’s AG. 

Early Life and Education 

AG Mayes was born and raised on a tree farm in Prescott, Arizona. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University, studying political science and journalism. Upon graduation, she worked as a beat reporter for the Phoenix Gazette and Arizona Republic, where she covered John McCain’s 2000 presidential run. She eventually earned her law degree from Arizona State University and a masters of public administration from Columbia University. 

Career Highlights 

In 2002, AG Mayes joined Janet Napolitano’s campaign for governor as press secretary and later earned a senior role in Napolitano’s administration. Governor Napolitano appointed AG Mayes to serve as Corporation Commissioner. She served on the Commission from 2003-2010, where she helped create tens of thousands of high-paying jobs, saved Arizona consumers billions of dollars, and required utilities to produce more clean energy to save costs and reduce air pollution. Prior to serving as Attorney General, AG Mayes was a senior sustainability scientist at ASU’s school of global sustainability and taught energy law. 

Attorney General Accomplishments 

During her time as Attorney General, Kris Mayes kept Arizona communities safe by seizing more than 16.7 million fentanyl pills in 2023 alone, held opioid manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in perpetrating the opioid epidemic through legal actions — one of which will help send more than 55,000 boxes of the life-saving opioid reversal drug, naloxone, to county health departments – and prosecuted those who participated in elder abuse through the newly-established Elder Affairs Unit. 

Personal Life 

AG Mayes lives in Phoenix with her daughter.