Catherine Cortez Masto
She broke a 242-year political barrier, becoming the first Latina in the U.S. Senate while championing Nevada's working families from the statehouse to Washington.
Born 1964 (age 62)·American lawyer and politician·Birthday: March 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Catherine Cortez Masto's career is woven from the fabric of Nevada public service. The granddaughter of a Mexican immigrant, she cut her teeth as a federal prosecutor and then as Nevada's Attorney General for two terms, where she took on banks in the foreclosure crisis and fought human trafficking. In 2016, she stepped into the national arena, succeeding Harry Reid in the Senate. Her victory was historic, making her the first Latina ever to serve in that chamber. In Washington, she has carved a niche as a pragmatic but persistent advocate for Nevada's key industries—gaming, renewable energy, and mining—while focusing on economic mobility, healthcare access, and immigration reform. Her political style is less fiery oratory and more steady, detail-oriented negotiation, reflecting her legal background and the diverse needs of her Western state.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Catherine was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Catherine Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Catherine's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first Latina ever elected to the United States Senate in 2016.
- Served two terms as Nevada's Attorney General, from 2007 to 2015.
- Chairs the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee, a key leadership role.
Did You Know?
Her grandfather, Cortez, immigrated to the United States from Chihuahua, Mexico.
She is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno and the Gonzaga University School of Law.
She was the first in her family to graduate from college.
“My grandfather taught me that you work hard, you give back to the community that gave you so much, and you leave it better than you found it.”
