Who Is Maggie Hassan's Husband? New Details On Thomas Hassan

Since 2017, Maggie Hassan has served as a U.S. Senator from New Hampshire, beating out Kelly Ayotte, the Republican incumbent, by roughly 1,000 votes. Before winning a seat in the Senate, Hassan was the Governor of New Hampshire for four years and also served in the State Senate.

Though people frequently associate her last name as Muslim, fueling their hatred of other religions and the unknown, she has said that her last name is pronounced “hass-in,” similar to “fasten.” And though it shouldn’t matter, it’s worth noting that her husband is American.

But just who is Maggie Hassan’s husband? Here are 7 things to know about Thomas Hassan.

1. He has multiple degrees.

Hassan has a bachelor’s degree from Brown University, and a master’s and doctoral degree from Harvard. He was also named as one of the “Elite Private School Power Players” in 2011.

2. He served as Principal of Phillips Exeter Academy.

The Phillips Exeter Academy is an independent high school and boarding school in New England. Hassan was Principal from 2008 to 2015, but didn’t live in the Governor’s Mansion and opted to live in a colonial mansion on campus.

Before becoming Principal, he was the Director of College Counseling and worked as the Dean of Admissions. He also taught mathematics and junior studies, was a student organization advisor, and worked as a dorm affiliate.

3. They met in college.

While attending Brown University, Hassan met his future wife! He was working as an assistant dean of freshmen and undergraduate financial aid/admissions officer at the time.

4. The couple has been married for over 30 years.

The couple married in 1983 while he was in the midst of getting his PhD. They lived in a freshman dorm at Harvard at the time while Maggie attended college at Northeastern University.

5. He’s currently president of School Year Abroad.

The school is notable for sending its student abroad to countries like China, Italy, or Spain to live with a host family for a full year. He’s served in the position since 2016.

6. They have two children.

View this post on Instagram

Like so many Granite Staters and Americans, my family has our own health care story. When my son Ben was born, my husband Tom and I found out he experiences very severe physical disabilities. Ben has cerebral palsy. He will need intensive medical care and support for his entire life. But when Ben was about three, I watched him go off to his first day of publicly funded pre-school. Ben was able to go to school, make friends in his hometown, and live at home with us. That was only possible because of all of the individuals, families, advocates, lawyers, lawmakers, and champions for people who experience disabilities that came before us. It was also possible because our family had good health insurance, and because the Medicaid program helped meet some of Ben’s uncovered needs. One of the reasons I entered public service was to ensure that other people like Ben would have the same opportunities that all parents want for their children. If we don’t safeguard consumer protections for insurance coverage and stop attacks on programs like Medicaid, people who experience disabilities won’t be able to get the critical services that let them live and participate in their communities and reach their full potential. I won’t stop fighting against these attacks, and I hope you’ll join me. #nhhealthstories
A post shared by Maggie Hassan (@senatorhassan) on Sep 2, 2018 at 1:39pm PDT

They have one daughter, Meg, and one son, Ben. Their son Ben has cerebral palsy, which Maggie credits his disorder as one of the reasons she became involved in politics. Ben has also appeared with her in campaign commercials.

7. He found himself under scrutiny for a sex abuse cover up.

Though he stepped down as Principal of Phillips Exeter Academy in 2015, he later apologized for the way the school handled sexual misconduct allegations against a faculty member who was later banned from campus and forced to retire.

“It’s clear in retrospect that we didn’t get that balance right. We should have taken additional action to ensure transparency and accountability at that time, and I join Phillips Exeter Academy in apologizing for an inadequate response,” he said.

Samantha Maffucci is an associate editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.