Lisa Ann Murkowski is an American attorney and politician serving as the senior United States Senator from Alaska since 2002. Born on May 22, 1957, in Ketchikan, Alaska, she is the daughter of former U.S. Senator and Governor Frank Murkowski. She grew up in various Alaskan towns, graduated from Georgetown University with a B.A. in economics in 1980, and earned a J.D. from Willamette University College of Law in 1985. After working as an attorney in the Anchorage District Court and in private practice, she served in the Alaska State House of Representatives from 1999 to 2002. In December 2002, she was appointed to fill her father's Senate seat, becoming the first Alaskan-born member of Congress and the first woman to represent Alaska in the U.S. Congress. She has won subsequent elections, including a notable 2010 write-in campaign, and is known as a moderate Republican who frequently crosses party lines on issues like healthcare, environmental protection, and judicial nominations. She has opposed certain Trump administration policies, including voting against the confirmation of some nominees such as Pete Hegseth. As of 2023, she is the Senate's second-most senior Republican woman and serves as the dean of Alaska's congressional delegation. She is married to Verne Martell and has two grown sons.