National Governors Association

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Cathy Malloy is a twin and the youngest of six children. She graduated from Boston College in 1977 and moved to Connecticut in 1983. Mrs. Malloy worked in the restaurant and hospitality industry for more than 20 years. After leaving the restaurant business, she became vice president of development for the United Way of Greenwich and Stamford.

Since 2000, the first lady has served as executive director of the Sexual Assault Crisis and Education Center, where she has been the driving force behind an aggressive campaign to reach out to male survivors of sexual abuse. She and her staff have been recognized for their outstanding work, particularly in the areas of outreach and support for men.

The first lady is a passionate advocate for the arts and has served as chair of the Stamford Arts in Education initiative and as a board member of the Connecticut Grand Opera and Orchestra and the Stamford Center for the Arts. Currently, she serves on the advisory boards of the Stamford Museum and Nature Center and the State of Connecticut Victim Advocate.

The first lady and her husband, Governor Dan Malloy, met when they were college students. The Malloys were married in 1982 and have three sons: Dannel, Ben, and Sam.