Bonnie Newman

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Bonnie Newman, born June 2, 1945, in Lawrence, Massachusetts, is an American administrator and business executive from North Hampton, New Hampshire. A Republican, she has held many leadership roles in government, education, and business, including interim president of the University of New Hampshire and interim chancellor of the New Hampshire Community College System. She was briefly named as a potential U.S. senator to fill Judd Gregg’s vacancy when he was nominated for Commerce, but the vacancy never occurred.

She earned a BA in sociology from St. Joseph’s College of Maine and an MEd in higher education administration from Penn State, with honorary degrees from several New Hampshire colleges. Her career spans education and government: UNH assistant dean of students and then dean of students, chief of staff to Judd Gregg in Washington, associate director of presidential personnel, and Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. She led the New Hampshire Business and Industry Association, the New England Council, and Coastal Broadcasting, and later held senior roles at Harvard Kennedy School. She has served on multiple boards, including FairPoint Communications and the U.S. Naval Academy Board of Visitors, and was interim chancellor of the Community College System of New Hampshire (2011–2012).

In civic life, Newman endorsed Democrat John Lynch for governor in 2004 and co-chaired Republicans for Lynch, while supporting bipartisan efforts like Standing Up for New Hampshire Families opposing the repeal of same-sex marriage.