Current NCAA President and former Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker is a family man. And his contributions to the community are surrounded by sacrifices made by his family.
Baker has been married to his wife, Lauren Baker, for nearly four decades. The married duo is proud parents of three grown-up kids, Charlie, AJ, and Caroline.
Highlights
- Charlie and Lauren Baker have been married since 1987 and recently celebrated their 37th anniversary.
- At the end of his tenure as governor of Massachusetts, Baker reflected on how the job impacted his family life.
- Lauren Baker is a former collegiate gymnast who competed for Northwestern University.
Charlie Baker is a member of the Republican Party. He served as the 72nd governor of Massachusetts from 2015 to 2023.
During his eight-year tenure, he was known for his bipartisan approach and was consistently ranked among the most popular governors in the United States.
Before that, the New York native held two cabinet positions under Massachusetts governors, Bill Weld and Paul Cellucci.
He also served as Secretary of Health and Human Services from 1992 to 1998.
Baker spent ten years as the CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, a nonprofit health benefits company.
In March 2023, Baker was appointed as the 6th president of the NCAA.
Baker earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
The NCAA president didn’t accomplish all these things alone. His family, particularly his wife, Lauren Baker, has been by his side, supporting him throughout his journey.
Charlie And Lauren Baker Have Been Married Since 1987
Charlie Baker is married to Lauren Schadt Baker. She is a former collegiate gymnast who competed at Northwestern University.
The couple has been married since 19 September 1987. The married duo celebrated their 37th wedding anniversary in September this year.
While celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary, the NCAA president shared a series of precious snaps of his wedding day and some throwback pictures.
Alongside them, he wrote, “30 years ago Lauren Schadt and I got married. I married up. Everybody says it, and I know it! #luckyguy.”
Moreover, Lauren, Charlie Baker’s wife, is a former collegiate gymnast at Northwestern University.
During Charlie Baker’s 2014 campaign, Lauren Schadt Baker was in the political spotlight for a long time. Later, she returned to her work.
As reported by NECN, Lauren continued to support Marion Court College, a small seaside school in Swampscott.
As chairman of the board, she won the school’s Beacon Award for advocating for the small Catholic college in 2015.
In addition to a blissful marital life, the Baker couple are the parents of three grown-up children: Charlie, AJ, and Caroline Baker.
Two of Baker’s children have been involved in sports during their college years.
His eldest son, Charlie Baker, played college football, while his other son, A.J. Baker, played college baseball.
Charlie Baker Didn’t Run Again For Governor To Be With His Family
After his stint as the governor of Massachusetts, Charlie Baker reflected on his time in office.
He and his wife, Lauren, discussed how the job impacted their family.
“One of the reasons we talked about not running again was there were a lot of days Lauren would say I was here but I really wasn’t,” Charlie said.
As reported by WHDH, for eight years, Baker signed bills, held news briefings, and shook hands with supporters.
But at home, he was present and not present at the same time.
Lauren revealed that her husband makes the best coffee in the world. She spoke about the sacrifices she made.
“It’s real, that he’s never fully present because the phone rings 24 hours a day,” Mrs. Baker said.
She added that there was always something going on. Charlie felt responsible for making good things happen.
“So his full presence is what I sacrificed,” the former first lady of Massachusetts said.
Charlie learned an important lesson about politics at home as a kid. His mom was a Democrat. His dad is a Republican.
The NCAA president learned early that one can converse and not always agree.
“Listening is really where growth and opportunity come from,” he said.
Additional Information
- Charlie Baker is of English ancestry. His family has lived in the northeastern United States since the Colonial era.
- He is the fourth generation in his family to be named Charles.
- His great-grandfather, Charles D. Baker, was an assistant U.S. attorney in New York and served in the New York State Assembly.
- His grandfather, Charles D. Baker Jr., was a well-known politician in Newburyport, Massachusetts.
- His father, Charles Duane Baker (born 1928), graduated from Harvard and worked as a buyer for Westinghouse Electric Corporation.
- His mother, Alice Elizabeth “Betty” Ghormley, was a homemaker.
