Ellen Tauscher, a Democrat representing California's 10th Congressional district, launched her career in public service by winning election in a Republican district in San Francisco's East Bay suburbs. As a New Democrat and Blue Dog representing a key swing district, she has made her mark as a moderate in California and in Washington, DC. Her fiscally responsible, bi-partisan, independent brand of leadership was coined "Tauscherism" by Time Magazine. During her first term in office, she was selected Co-Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and currently is one of only two women to hold a leadership post among House Democrats.

For those who have known Congresswoman Tauscher, her short path to leadership is nothing new. At just 25 years of age, she was the youngest woman to hold a seat on the New York Stock Exchange for Bache Securities. During 14 years on Wall Street, she also joined current SEC chairman Arthur Leavitt as an officer of the American Stock Exchange.

Congresswoman Tauscher has used her leadership posts and her 20 years of private-sector business experience to serve the working families and businesses in her district. An author and advocate on child care issues before serving in Congress, she wrote the Democrats' comprehensive bill to guarantee America's working families safe, affordable and accessible child care. She also introduced the State Infrastructure Banks for Schools Act to provide innovative approaches to rebuild our nation's aging schools and libraries. As the co-chair of the NDC's Entitlement Reform Task Force, she participated in the White House Conference on saving Social Security and has been appointed by her peers to co-chair the Democratic Caucus Task Force on Campaign Finance Reform.