Meet Jared

In Nov 2008, Jared Polis was elected to the 111th Congress, to represent Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District. Congressman Polis is a Colorado native with a background in small business and a track record of turning his entrepreneurial spirit into social progress. His background and philosophy reflects the diversity of the 2nd Congressional District which is world known for trail blazing environmental initiatives, as a hub of the high-tech economy, and for innovation.

Congressman Polis serves on the influential House Rules Committee and the House Education and Labor Committee. His main areas of focus include; creating new American jobs for the 21st century, promoting innovative education reform and fixing our broken immigration system.

Congressman Polis is an outspoken advocate for socially progressive policies and fiscal responsibility. He is one of the few members of the House of Representatives to join both the Progressive Caucus and the New Dem Caucus.

Congressman Polis enjoyed early success in the private sector co-founding his first company, American Information Systems, while still in college. Jared then went on to launch several other successful business ventures. He has been named an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year and one of the top ten young entrepreneurs by Success Magazine.

Congressman Polis is driven by his belief that the path to opportunity and success is through access to a quality public education. He has spent much of his time and energy working to provide hope and opportunity to all Coloradoans.

In 2000, Jared Polis won statewide office to the Colorado State Board of Education during his six-year tenure; he was a strong advocate for school reform and enhancing educational opportunities.

He founded the Jared Polis Foundation in 2000 to improve and expand access to education. Jared also founded two innovative charter schools that meet the needs of underserved students. In 2004, seeing the difficulty faced by older immigrant youth in mainstream public schools, he established the New America School, to extend the benefits of English literacy and a high school liberal arts education to all students. One year later, seeing the challenges faced by teens who struggle with homelessness or unstable living conditions, he co-founded the Academy of Urban Learning which opened in the fall of 2005.

Jared received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Princeton University and lives in Boulder with his partner Marlon Reis and their dog Gia.