Mary Landrieu

Senior Policy Advisor, Van Ness Feldman LLP

Former U.S. Senator

Senator Mary Landrieu served in the United States Senate for three terms, from 1997-2015. During her 18 years in the Senate, she chaired the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, the Homeland Security Appropriations Committee, and was the first Democratic woman to serve on the Armed Services Committee.

During her time in the Senate, Landrieu was known for her bipartisan approach to addressing national challenges and for her passionate advocacy for her home state of Louisiana, particularly in the aftermaths of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Prior to serving in the Senate, she was elected twice to the Louisiana State Legislature from 1979 – 1987. For eight years, she successfully championed causes related to women and children, flood protection, and education reform. In 1987, she was elected State Treasurer and served with distinction for two terms.

Since leaving the Senate, Landrieu served on the CenturyLink (Lumen) Board of Directors (November 2015 – May 2020); and currently serves on the Boards of Directors for Tyler Technologies and Energy. She has been a leader in the public-school reform movement for decades and serves on the board of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. She is a co-founder and the current chair of the board of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), which represents over 150 Members of Congress who work on bipartisan policies and funding initiatives to support the notion that every child has the right to a safe, stable and nurturing family. In addition, Landrieu serves on the board of Resources for the Future, and on the National Academy of Sciences’ Gulf Research Program Advisory Board.

She earned her BS degree from Louisiana State University and is married to Frank Snellings, an attorney, and real estate broker. They reside in Washington, DC, and have two grown children and one grandchild.