Belknap 6
Serving Gilford, Gilmanton, & Laconia
Colleen Harkey
Principled Leadership. Committed to Putting the People of District 6 First.
Principled Leadership. Committed to Putting the People of District 6 First.
Colleen Harkey brings more than three decades of financial services, business management, and nonprofit fundraising and management to the citizens of District 6 as a candidate for New Hampshire State Representative.
Colleen successfully managed full-time work responsibilities while attending New York University and graduated summa cum laude from Liberty University with a B.S. in Business and Communications.
After a successful career, Colleen stepped away from the corporate world and focused on raising two children. In 2008, when the nation endured the financial crisis, she returned to work to help meet her family's needs and started a second career that has spanned nearly two decades.
Returning to the workforce marked the beginning of a professional chapter that continues today. Colleen has served as a major gifts officer, project manager, and nonprofit executive, helping organizations strengthen their operations, build capacity, expand programs, and achieve sustained growth. During that time she attained the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential — an internationally recognized credential held by approximately 8,200 fundraising professionals worldwide.
Colleen's diverse career reinforced her values of fiscal responsibility, accountability, strategic planning, and problem-solving. After adopting New Hampshire as home in 2020, she committed herself to protecting the state's values, freedoms, and unique way of life through volunteer and community service.
Colleen and her husband, Rich, moved to Gilmanton in 2022. They are the proud parents of two adult children — a son who also resides in New Hampshire and a daughter living in New York City.
Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed. As education costs continue to rise across the Lakes Region and throughout New Hampshire, we must ensure students receive a high-quality education while demanding accountability, transparency, and responsible stewardship from our towns and school administrators.
As a mother, classroom and PTA volunteer, I understand the importance of parental involvement and supporting students as individuals. I support strong public schools, career and technical education, and school choice so families can find learning environments that best match their children's strengths, goals, and learning style.
As your State Representative, I will champion educational opportunity, parental involvement, local decision-making, and responsible spending that serves both students and taxpayers.
New Hampshire communities should have the freedom to shape their own future. I support responsible housing opportunities that help working families, seniors, and young adults remain in our communities while protecting local control, fiscal responsibility, property rights, and the rural character that defines our towns.
As your State Representative, I will support policies that protect local decision-making, encourage responsible budgeting and planning, and give communities the flexibility to meet housing and infrastructure needs without burdensome state mandates.
Strong communities are built by small businesses, tradespeople, family-owned establishments, and the hardworking people who support them. Rising costs, excessive regulations, and workforce shortages are making it harder for families and local businesses to succeed. I believe in conservative policies that promote economic growth, protect individual freedom, encourage skilled trades and entrepreneurship, and keep the government from standing in the way of success.
As your State Representative, I will support lower taxes, responsible regulation, workforce development, and policies that help small businesses grow while protecting the character and values of the Lakes Region.