Steve Beshear

Former Kentucky Governor

An attorney by profession, former Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear has a long background in public service, having served as a state representative in the Kentucky General Assembly, Attorney General and Lieutenant Governor.

In 2007, he was elected to the first of two terms as the 61st Governor of Kentucky. As governor, his biggest priority was expanding access to quality healthcare, including wraparound services for Kentuckians coming out of treatment for substance use disorders.

Under his leadership, Gov. Beshear expanded the federal Medicaid program, allowing for comprehensive inpatient and outpatient treatment centers to open. In addition, he launched Rewarding Kentucky, a program to help individuals in recovery obtain job training and meaningful employment, and secured funding to strengthen the treatment and recovery infrastructure across Kentucky.

Today, Gov. Beshear serves as one of seven members on an opioid crisis task force formed by the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington D.C. think tank, to examine the disparities in prevention, treatment and recovery and to provide bipartisan solutions to reduce overdose deaths nationwide.