The official portrait of former Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno was unveiled this week in a ceremony held at the New Jersey State House. The event was attended by Governor Phil Murphy, former Governor Chris Christie, and Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way, along with Guadagno’s family, friends, and former staff.
The portrait will be displayed permanently in the Lieutenant Governor’s Suite of the State House as part of a new tradition to recognize individuals who have held the office. The initiative was first announced by Governor Murphy in August 2023 following the death of Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver, with the intent to honor all former lieutenant governors with official portraits.
Kim Guadagno served as New Jersey’s first Lieutenant Governor from 2010 to 2018, during both terms of the Christie administration. She also served concurrently as Secretary of State, overseeing tourism, cultural programs, and economic development initiatives. Her career in public service began as a federal prosecutor and included roles as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Assistant Attorney General in New Jersey. She later became Monmouth County’s first female sheriff before being elected to statewide office.
The portrait was painted by Liza G. Amir, a New Jersey-born artist known for her classical academic style. Amir was selected in early 2024, following a review process conducted by the New Jersey State Museum. Work on the portrait began in the fall and was completed ahead of this week’s unveiling.
Portraits of lieutenant governors, beginning with Sheila Oliver and Kim Guadagno, will now form part of the State House Portrait Collection, which has historically included only gubernatorial portraits. While earlier governors often had portraits privately commissioned, official gubernatorial portrait commissions began with Governor Robert Meyner in 1962 and have continued with nearly every modern governor since.
Amir’s work joins a growing collection managed by the New Jersey State Museum, which preserves painted portraits as part of the state’s visual and political history. The portrait of Guadagno will be displayed alongside others to commemorate the evolving legacy of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.
