Mary Lou Reed was a six-term State Senator in the Idaho State Legislature.   While in the Idaho State Senate she held both the seat of Senate Minority Leader, and the Assistant Minority leader, respectively.   While in the senate Mrs. Reed sponsored or co-sponsored a variety of important legislation including remedies for malicious harassment, Medicaid reimbursement for hospice and the Martin Luther King Jr. state holiday.   Mrs. Reed attended Mills College in Oakland, California where she was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honors society.   After receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree, Mrs. Reed went on to Columbia University as a Danforth Fellow.   

Currently, Mrs. Reed serves as a Board Member to several of civic organizations including North Idaho Head Start, Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre, Foundation Northwest, the Gonzaga Institute for Action Against Hate and the Idaho Planned Parenthood Action League.