Jay Chaudhuri has spent his career fighting for and working on behalf of the people of North Carolina. For two decades, he has worked at the highest levels of all three branches in state government.
Born in Chattanooga, Jay is the son of immigrants. His father left India to come to America more than fifty years ago. His parents settled in Fayetteville, where his father worked at the Veteran Administration Hospital before entering private practice. Jay attended Fayetteville public schools. He graduated from Davidson College, Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, and North Carolina Central University School of Law with honors.
As Special Counsel to Attorney General Roy Cooper, Jay helped lead an investigation by all 50 Attorneys General that resulted in a landmark agreement with the two leading social networking sites, MySpace and Facebook, to better protect children from Internet predators. For his efforts, the National Association of Attorneys General honored him with the Marvin Award, given to an individual who furthers that association's goals.
As General Counsel & Senior Policy Advisory to State Treasurer Janet Cowell, Jay helped recover almost $100 million back to the pension and escheat funds. He also led the effort to establish the first ever Innovation Fund, a $230 million fund dedicated to support and invest in businesses with significant operations in North Carolina.
As a State Senator representing District 15 (Raleigh, Cary, and Garner), led the fight on funding class sizes from kindergarten to third grade. He also led the fight on reducing gun violence in our schools. Finally, Jay played the lead role in recruiting a global information technology company to establish an Innovation Hub that will create 2,000 new jobs and pay $72,000 a year, above the Wake County median salary. That recruitment was one of the largest job announcements in the state this past decade.
This 2019-2020 session, Senate Democrats elected Jay as Minority Whip, the second-highest ranking position in the State Senate.
He lives in the Cameron Village neighborhood with his wife, their two children, who both attend Wake County public schools. They also have a black lab.