Andrea Seastrand | |
---|---|
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives from California's 22nd district | |
In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 1997 | |
Preceded by | Michael Huffington |
Succeeded by | Walter Capps |
Member of the
California State Assembly from the 33rd district | |
In office December 7, 1992 - November 30, 1994 | |
Preceded by | Trice Harvey [1] |
Succeeded by | Tom J. Bordonaro Jr. |
Member of the
California State Assembly from the 29th district | |
In office December 3, 1990 - November 30, 1992 | |
Preceded by | Eric Seastrand [2] |
Succeeded by | Bill Jones |
Personal details | |
Born | Andrea Heidi Ciszek August 5, 1941 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | |
Children | 2 |
Alma mater | DePaul University |
Andrea Heidi Seastrand (née Ciszek; born August 5, 1941) is a former one-term Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1995 to 1997.
Seastrand was born Andrea Heidi Ciszek in Chicago. [3] [4] She graduated from DePaul University in 1963 with a B.A. in education, and then moved to Salinas, California to find work as an elementary school teacher. [5] In 1965, she married Eric Seastrand, a stockbroker, and the couple had two children named Kurt and Heidi. [5]
From 1982 to 1990, when her husband served in the California State Assembly as a Republican, Seastrand joined the California Federation of Republican Women, later becoming its president. [5]
In 1990, Eric Seastrand died of cancer, and Andrea won a special election to succeed him, receiving 65 per cent of the vote. [5] She remained a member of assembly for the next four years, serving on the education committee and as assistant minority leader. [5] [3]
Seastrand was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994, narrowly defeating Theology professor Walter Capps and succeeding fellow Republican Michael Huffington. [5] Considered one of the more conservative members of the 104th Congress, [6] she faced Capps again in 1996 and was defeated. [5]
In 1997, after her departure from Congress, Seastrand founded the California Space and Technology Alliance—a private nonprofit focused on promoting California's participation in space ventures—which later became the California Space Authority. [5] She remained executive director of the organization from its creation until its dissolution in 2011. [7] [8]