Joan Fitz-Gerald is the new president of America Votes, a coalition of progressive groups focused on voter mobilization.

Fitz-Gerald was previously president of the Colorado Senate from 2005 thru 2007 and was the first woman to hold that position. She was also chair of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. In 2008, she was one of several Democrats who ran for a House seat to replace Mark Udall, who is now the state's Senator. Fitz-Gerald narrowly lost in the primary to Jared Polis, who is now the representative from Colorado-2.

A Manhattan native, Fitz-Gerald relocated to Colorado with her husband decades ago. Now she's returning to the East Coast to live in Washington to fill her new position.

She replaces former Rep. Martin Frost, D-Texas, who was president of the 527 group for the 2008 election. America Votes raised $25.9 million in the 2008 election cycle aimed at getting out the vote, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

(Fitz-Gerald pictured in center from Creative Commons)