The Final Word.

• Author: Soucy, Donna M.

An attorney serving her fourth term in the Senate, Soucy followed in her parents' footsteps by serving as a state representative, as her mother did, and a Manchester alderman, as her father did. She was the first female chair of the Manchester Fire Commission, worked for the New Hampshire Banking Department and was chief of staff for the Senate. Soucy graduated from Saint Anseim College and the University of New Hampshire School of Law.

Are leaders born or made?

I think leaders are made. There are certain qualities that individuals might be born with that help them be leaders, but really good leaders are made over time. They are made better by the experiences they have. When confronted with leadership challenges, people either rise to the occasion or they don't.

What's your most important legislative priority this session and why?

Reestablishing and increasing New Hampshire's minimum wage, it's something that I have done every year for the last seven years and this year we finally passed it out of the Senate.

How did serving as chief of staff for the Senate influence the way you interact with staff?

When I was first elected to the Senate, I think it was kind of strange for some of the staff to get used to not calling me Donna and instead calling me senator. But it certainly gave me a leg up. I think it helps me work better with the staff. There are times when, as legislators, we make certain demands on staff without understanding how those requests impact them. I said to my chief of staff when I hired him, "The fact that I've been in your role is either going to be your greatest blessing or your worst curse because I know what the job entails."

What advice do you give women considering a run for office?

I tell them there really is a difference in the style between women and men, and that difference plays a key role in helping to advance policy. Women approach things in a way that makes the process more open and welcoming, and those approaches sometimes help to get through logjams.

What makes the New Hampshire legislature unique?

The fact that we aren't compensated. We are a volunteer legislature, which always surprises people--how hard people work...