Early Life and Education of Gavin Newsom: A Complete Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of Gavin Newsom. A timeline of key moments.

Gavin Newsom is an American politician and businessman currently serving as the 40th governor of California since 2019. As a member of the Democratic Party, his political career includes serving as the 49th lieutenant governor of California from 2011 to 2019. Prior to that, he was the 42nd mayor of San Francisco, holding the office from 2004 to 2011.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

October 10, 1967: Gavin Newsom Born

On October 10, 1967, Gavin Christopher Newsom was born. He is an American politician and businessman.

Others born on this day/year

1971: Parents' Divorce

In 1971, Gavin Newsom's parents divorced when he was three years old, leaving his mother to raise him and his sister.

1985: Graduated from Redwood High School

In 1985, Gavin Newsom graduated from Redwood High School in Larkspur, California, excelling athletically despite his academic struggles with dyslexia.

1985: Elbow Surgery

In late 1985, Gavin Newsom underwent elbow surgery, which ended his varsity baseball aspirations at Santa Clara University.

1989: Graduated from Santa Clara University

In 1989, Gavin Newsom graduated from Santa Clara University with a Bachelor of Science in political science.

1999: District System for Board Elections

In 1999, San Francisco voters chose to abandon at-large elections to the board for the previous district system.

December 2001: Marriage to Kimberly Guilfoyle

In December 2001, Gavin Newsom married legal commentator Kimberly Guilfoyle at Saint Ignatius Catholic Church.

July 1, 2004: Care Not Cash Implementation

On July 1, 2004, the implementation of Care Not Cash began, an initiative sponsored by Gavin Newsom. As a result, 5,000 homeless individuals were provided with permanent shelter in San Francisco.

August 2004: Supreme Court Annulment of Same-Sex Marriages

In August 2004, the Supreme Court of California annulled the same-sex marriages that Gavin Newsom had authorized as they conflicted with existing state law.

October 27, 2004: Support for Hotel Workers Strike

On October 27, 2004, Gavin Newsom joined UNITE HERE union members on a picket line in front of the Westin St. Francis Hotel during a strike by hotel workers. He pledged that San Francisco would boycott the hotels by not sponsoring city events at them until a contract was agreed upon with the workers.

2004: Separation from Kimberly Guilfoyle

In 2004, Gavin Newsom and Kimberly Guilfoyle separated.

January 2005: Divorce Filing

In January 2005, Gavin Newsom and Kimberly Guilfoyle jointly filed for divorce, citing "difficulties due to their careers on opposite coasts".

February 2006: Purchased Residence in Russian Hill

In February 2006, Gavin Newsom paid $2,350,000 for his residence in the Russian Hill neighborhood.

February 28, 2006: Divorce Finalized

On February 28, 2006, Gavin Newsom's divorce from Kimberly Guilfoyle was finalized.

September 2006: Brief Relationship with Brittanie Mountz

In September 2006, Gavin Newsom briefly dated 19-year-old Brittanie Mountz, a model and restaurant hostess.

October 2006: Dating Jennifer Siebel

In October 2006, Gavin Newsom began dating film director Jennifer Siebel.

February 2007: Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder

In February 2007, Gavin Newsom announced that he would seek treatment for alcohol use disorder.

December 2007: Engagement Announcement

In December 2007, Gavin Newsom and Jennifer Siebel announced their engagement.

July 2008: Marriage to Jennifer Siebel

In July 2008, Gavin Newsom and Jennifer Siebel were married in Stevensville, Montana.

2008: Views on Catholic Church

In 2008, Gavin Newsom described himself as an "Irish Catholic rebel" and expressed admiration for the Church despite acknowledging its crisis. Also, in 2008, Newsom said that he has a "strong sense of faith that is perennial, day in and day out".

April 2009: Put Residence on the Market

In April 2009, Gavin Newsom put his residence in the Russian Hill neighborhood on the market for $3,000,000.

2012: Move to Marin County

In 2012, Gavin Newsom and his family moved to a house they bought in Kentfield in Marin County.

November 2015: Call for California College Promise

In November 2015, Gavin Newsom, along with Eloy Oakley, called for the creation of the California College Promise, which would establish partnerships between public schools, universities, employers, and offer free community college education.

December 2015: Call to Reclassify Computer Science Courses

In December 2015, Gavin Newsom urged the University of California to reclassify computer science courses as core academic classes to encourage more high schools to offer computer science curricula.

June 2016: Securing Funds for Promise Programs

In June 2016, Gavin Newsom played a role in securing $15 million in the state budget to provide support for the creation of promise programs throughout California.

September 2016: Legislation for Computer Science Education

In September 2016, legislation sponsored by Gavin Newsom and signed by Governor Brown began the planning process for expanding computer science education to all state students, starting as early as kindergarten.

2018: Expedited Review of Pardon Requests

In 2018, a California law mandated that pardon requests from people facing deportation receive expedited review by the state Board of Parole Hearings.

May 2019: Pardons Granted

In May 2019, Gavin Newsom pardoned seven formerly incarcerated people, including two Cambodian refugees facing deportation, as part of his first acts of clemency as governor.

May 2019: Purchase of Fair Oaks Home

In May 2019, it was reported that Gavin Newsom's $3.7 million purchase of a 12,000-square-foot home in Fair Oaks was the most expensive private residence sold in the Sacramento region since the year began.

November 2019: Pardons Granted to Avoid Deportation

In November 2019, Gavin Newsom pardoned three men who were attempting to avoid being deported to Cambodia or Vietnam. They had separately committed crimes when they were each 19 years old.

December 2019: Parole Granted to Cambodian Refugee

In December 2019, Gavin Newsom granted parole to a Cambodian refugee who had been held in a California prison due to a murder case, though the refugee was later turned over for possible deportation upon release.

2019: Attendance at the UN Climate Action Summit

In 2019, Gavin Newsom participated in the UN Climate Action Summit. He highlighted California's role as a climate leader, crediting the efforts of previous governors.

2019: CalMatters Analysis of Political Positions

In 2019, a CalMatters analysis found Gavin Newsom's political positions to be more moderate than those of almost every Democratic state legislator in California.

2019: Speech on Studying Abroad

In a 2019 speech, Gavin Newsom described his semester studying abroad in Rome, Italy, during his junior year as "eye-opening", influencing his political career.

2019: Initial Attempt to Sell Marin County Home

In early 2019, Gavin Newsom originally put the Marin County property up for sale for $5.895 million, but removed the property from the market after a price reduction to $5.695 million.

February 2020: Lawsuit Over Environmental Rollbacks

In February 2020, the Newsom administration sued federal agencies over the rollbacks to protect imperiled fish in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta in 2019.

March 4, 2020: Declaration of State of Emergency for COVID-19

On March 4, 2020, Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in California following the first death attributable to COVID-19. This declaration was intended to help California prepare for and contain the spread of the virus, allowing state agencies to procure equipment and services more easily, share patient information, and alleviate restrictions on state-owned properties. Mitigation policies for the homeless population were also prioritized.

March 22, 2020: State of Emergency Declared for Wildfires

On March 22, 2020, Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in preparation for the 2020 wildfire season due to a mass die-off of trees throughout California.

August 2020: Address to the 2020 Democratic National Convention

In August 2020, Gavin Newsom addressed the 2020 Democratic National Convention. During his speech, he discussed climate change and the prevalence of wildfires in California.

September 2020: Approval Rating

In September 2020, Gavin Newsom had an approval rating of 64%.

September 2020: Signing of Transgender Inmate Bill

In September 2020, Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law allowing California transgender inmates to be placed in prisons that correspond with their gender identity, subject to management and security concerns. This law later faced a lawsuit from the Women's Liberation Front.

2020: Signing of California Act to Save Lives and California Racial Justice Act

In 2020, Gavin Newsom signed the California Act to Save Lives and California Racial Justice Act.

February 2021: Appointment of Julie Su

In February 2021, President Joe Biden appointed California Labor Secretary Julie Su, a Newsom appointee, as deputy secretary of labor.

August 2021: Sale of Marin County Home

In August 2021, Gavin Newsom sold the Marin County home for $5.9 million in an off-market transaction.

September 2021: Increased Vaccination Rates

By September 2021, over half the population in California was fully vaccinated, ranking the state #16 out of the 50 states.

September 2021: Signing of Police Reform Legislation

In September 2021, Gavin Newsom signed legislation raising the minimum age to become a police officer from 18 to 21, restricting the use of tear gas, banning the employment of officers after misconduct or crimes, and requiring officers to intervene when witnessing excessive force.

2023: Campaign for Democracy Launch

In 2023, Gavin Newsom launched the Campaign for Democracy PAC to take on "authoritarian leaders" in the U.S. It is thought to be a starting point for a possible 2028 presidential bid.

August 2025: Election Rigging Response Act

In August 2025, Gavin Newsom's widely publicized Election Rigging Response Act was seen by many commentators as a soft launch of a potential presidential run. Also in August 2025, Newsom started communicating on social media platforms in a style intended to mimic President Trump's communications.

2028: Potential Presidential Campaign

In 2028, Gavin Newsom was anticipated to run for president. In preparation, Newsom adjusted his political approach to appeal to a broader electorate and engaged with conservative voices. He was also praised on the left for his response to the Trump administration's actions regarding gerrymandering.