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| Affiliation | Democratic |
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2004-01-01 |
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| Name | Shaun McNally |
| Address |
Deep River, Connecticut , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | None |
| Born |
December 10, 1957
(66 years)
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| Contributor | Joshua L. |
| Last Modifed | Mr. Matt
Dec 22, 2021 02:32pm |
| Tags |
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| Info | Shaun McNally has a proud record of service to his nation, state, and community as a Peace Corps
Volunteer, state representative, congressional aide, anti-poverty worker, and an advocate for small
businesses and manufacturers.
Shaun Michael McNally was born on December 10, 1957 in Derby, Connecticut and moved to
Norwich in 1962. The oldest of six children to John and the late Jean Gleissner McNally, he attended
Greeneville public school and graduated from the Norwich Free Academy in 1975 as an honor student,
an all-conference athlete, and a leader in student government. His family worshipped at St. Mary�s
Roman Catholic Church.
Shaun�s parents were both civil servants; his father is a retired food safety inspector for the State of
Connecticut and his mother was a nurse at the Uncas-on-the-Thames Hospital in Norwich. The McNally
family emigrated from Ireland to Norwich, served honorably in the Civil War, stewarded shipping traffic
on the Thames River, and operated a small dry goods store. His grandfather was a member of the
Norwich police force for over 30 years.
Coming from modest means, Shaun put himself through college with the help of various jobs and
financial aid. A Dean�s List student, he graduated from the University of Connecticut with a B.A. in
political science in 1981. In 1990, McNally received a M.P.A. from Harvard University�s Kennedy
School of Government.
McNally�s public service career began with internships for then Congressman Chris Dodd (D-2nd) in
1975 and in 1979. In 1980, he worked on Dodd�s successful U.S. Senate campaign. From 1981-82,
he was a congressional aide for U.S. Representative Sam Gejdenson (D-2nd).
In 1982, McNally left politics to serve in the Peace Corps. He spent two years directing a smallscale
agriculture project in rural Liberia, West Africa. While he worked to promote change, McNally
came to understand the daunting challenges faced by the world�s poorest citizens. He witnessed the
life-saving potential of appropriate international aid. He also saw aid squandered unacceptably. In
Africa, McNally committed himself to making government work better, especially for those most in need.
McNally returned to Connecticut and joined the Thames Valley Council for Community Action,
working as a program developer. In 1986, McNally announced his candidacy for the Connecticut
General Assembly. He waged a successful Democratic Party primary challenge and went on to unseat
the Republican incumbent.
McNally was known as a reformer who worked to provide better public service at lower taxpayer
cost. He fought for citizens in greatest need while challenging government to live within its means.
McNally fought for Connecticut families, supporting increased minimum wages and fair employee
notice of plant closings. He voted for one of the first family leave laws in the nation. He played a
prominent role in creating the Connecticut Higher Education savings bond program, which helps
families better meet the high cost of college. He supported higher educational standards for our schools
along with the funding necessary to make a difference.
McNally supported laws to protect our air, water and land, by voting for mandatory recycling, tougher
medical waste disposal laws, hazardous waste cleanup and uncompromising health and safety testing
of garbage incinerators.
McNally championed an agenda to preserve Connecticut manufacturing jobs. As Chairman of the
Planning and Development Committee, McNally led efforts to reinvent the state�s economic
development programs, replacing several categorical programs with flexible, customer-oriented state
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help. He wrote legislation creating the Task Force on Manufacturing and served as vice-chair. He was
a member of the Connecticut-Israel Exchange Commission, created to strengthen trade relations
between to the two nations.
For his work, the Connecticut Chapter of the National Federation of Independent Businesses named
McNally a �Guardian of Small Business�. He also received endorsements from both the Connecticut
AFL-CIO and the Connecticut Business and Industry Association.
McNally worked hard for seniors, co-sponsoring legislation to expand the state�s prescription drug
program, fighting for better long-term and home health care benefits, and working for better senior
housing and expanded elderly property tax relief.
McNally was the legislature�s foremost housing expert and a strong advocate for reform. He
championed several innovative financing and land use laws, creating new opportunities for affordable
housing. He wrote sweeping legislation to improve shelter for homeless families and those at risk of
homelessness.
McNally fought for truthful and fiscally responsible budget policies. He uncovered serious waste and
mismanagement in state housing programs that led to program reorganization. His �welfare hotel�
reforms dramatically expanded housing opportunities for the poor, while saving taxpayers millions of
dollars. He led efforts to create the constitutional cap on state spending, believing that government
should live within its means. He served as a member of the Harper-Hull Commission to reorganize
state government.
Finally, McNally advocated measures protecting civil and human rights. He strongly supported a
woman�s right to choose, measures prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation, and �hate
crime� legislation. He supported limiting state investments in companies doing business in apartheid
South Africa and Northern Ireland. Shaun was also a member of Connecticut Elected Officials for
Soviet Jewry, adopting a refusenik who successfully emigrated to Israel.
In additional to several legislative committees McNally served as Chairman, Planning and
Development Committee (1988-90), House Moderate Democratic Caucus (1990-92), Commission to
Effect State Government Reorganization (1992). Vice-Chair, Connecticut Task Force on Manufacturing
(1989-91), Member, Private Activity Bond Commission (1988-90), Connecticut Film Commission (1988-
90), Connecticut Small Business Advisory Council (1988-90), and the Connecticut-Israel Exchange
Commission (1989-90).
In a 1987 survey conducted by the New London Day, McNally was rated one of the top freshman
legislators. In 1988, he was reelected to a second term with 71 percent of the vote. The New London
Day called Shaun McNally �one of the most gifted legislators in the General Assembly.� The Norwich
Bulletin said, �the district and the state need more like him.� McNally said that if reelected, his third term
would be his last.
In 1992, McNally left the legislature and moved from Norwich to his current home in Deep River. In
1995, McNally joined the Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA) where he serves as
Director of Public Affairs and Chief Internet Strategist. CBIA advocates for education, transportation,
and workplace policies that will improve Connecticut�s economy. It also offers innovative, nationally
recognized health insurance programs for small businesses and a wide variety of services for its
member companies.
McNally is a member of American-Israel Public Affairs Committee, believing that Israel�s special
relationship with America deserves strong support. He is also a member of the Appalachian Mountain
Club, the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Liberia, and the Deep River Democratic Town
Committee. In 1997, Shaun returned to Liberia to serve as an observer in the Presidential election. He
was a Board member of Madonna Place and former participant in Norwich Big Brothers-Big Sisters.
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McNally is married to Dr. Madeline Wilson, a primary care physician and Assistant Professor at Yale
Medical School. Shaun and Maddie met in Liberia, where they both served as Peace Corps
Volunteers. Wilson, a native of Holden, Massachusetts, graduated from Harvard College, Harvard
Medical School and did her residency training at Yale. They married in 1987 and have an amazing
eight year-old daughter, Kate.
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