[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 10, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S957]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO DONNALEE LOZEAU

 Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to 
Donnalee Lozeau and recognize the enduring contributions of a stalwart 
community leader, dedicated advocate, and deeply cherished friend to so 
many Granite Staters. Donnalee recently stepped down from her longtime 
role as chief executive officer of Community Action Partnership 
Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties, CAPHR, and I join a grateful 
community in thanking her for bringing so much passion, knowledge and 
experience to an indispensable local resource.
  A lifelong resident of Nashua, NH, Donnalee grew up in a household 
that fostered political awareness and encouraged political involvement. 
She played a role at a young age on campaigns for well-known New 
Hampshire officials, including Congressman Lou Wyman, Congressman Jim 
Cleveland, and Gov. Walter Peterson. Then, at the age of 24, Donnalee 
decided to put her own name on the ballot and campaign for a seat in 
the New Hampshire House of Representatives. It was the first of many 
election day victories for Donnalee. She represented her hometown at 
the statehouse in Concord for eight terms, eventually ascending to the 
position of deputy speaker in one of the largest legislative bodies in 
the English-speaking world.
  I worked closely with Donnalee while we both served in the New 
Hampshire State House as elected officials. As a State senator and 
Governor, I always appreciated her earnestness, her willingness to 
engage, and her commitment to finding consensus across party lines. Her 
sense of humor was also a bright light in trying times, including the 
long days and late nights when we came together to find a solution to a 
school funding crisis in the 1990s. Sitting across the table from 
Donnalee, you could never doubt that she approached each challenge and 
every opportunity with progress in mind and her constituents' best 
interests at heart.
  Donnalee served as a State representative for 16 years. Seven years 
after leaving the statehouse, she returned to public service as the 
55th mayor of the city of Nashua. She was the first woman to lead the 
city and ran unopposed for her second term. Highlights from her tenure 
include the redevelopment of Nashua's downtown and the completion of 
the Broad Street Parkway, a massive public-works project that reduced 
traffic on Main Street and spurred economic activity in the city's 
historic Millyard District. It was a project that we helped to move 
forward when we served together in Concord.
  After deciding not to seek a third term as mayor, Donnalee quickly 
moved into the chief executive officer position at the largest 
community action agency in our State, Southern New Hampshire Services. 
Donnalee likes to say that her ``whole life is the fundamental mission 
of community action.'' While serving in New Hampshire's citizen 
legislature, Donnalee continued to work as the director of program and 
community development at Southern New Hampshire Services. Her 15 years 
of knowledge and experience in this role paid dividends when she became 
CEO. She deftly steered the agency through the COVID-19 pandemic, 
oversaw a rebrand of the organization from Southern New Hampshire 
Services to Community Action Partnership Hillsborough and Rockingham 
Counties and opened the agency's first opportunity center where people 
can find a variety of services and resources in one accessible 
location.
  In times of crisis and uncertainty, our vulnerable neighbors look to 
CAPHR for guidance and support. Under Donnalee's insightful leadership, 
the team at CAPHR answered with trademark compassion and deployed 
assistance to ensure that all Granite Staters have the means to meet 
their most basic needs. They offer Head Start and child care to help 
build a foundation of cognitive and social skills in children's most 
formative years. They connect households with assistance to pay rent, 
put food on their tables, and keep their homes warm in our cold New 
Hampshire winters. They provide thousands of rides to seniors to help 
maintain a sense of independence. They break the cycle of poverty in 
our communities by engaging neighbors at every stage of life, and their 
commitment, energy, and sincerity are a reflection of the distinct 
personal qualities of their CEO.
  Donnalee has made an unforgettable mark on New Hampshire. The 
Community Action Partnership Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties 
blossomed under her steady direction, and its growth expanded 
opportunity across southern New Hampshire and enabled more people to 
live with dignity and chase their dreams. Donnalee was more than a 
cheerleader for the mission of CAPHR or a politician representing her 
beloved hometown. She was a trailblazer who passed the most crucial 
test of public leadership: to leave a place better than you found it. 
New Hampshire is better and its future is brighter because of Donnalee 
Lozeau.

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