State Representative Ragen Hatcher is an accomplished attorney, economist, educator, and public administrator whose career has been defined by a commitment to public service, economic opportunity, and community advancement. Since her election to the Indiana House of Representatives in 2018, she has brought a distinctive combination of legal expertise, financial knowledge, and executive leadership to the General Assembly, advocating for policies that strengthen communities, promote economic development, and improve the quality of life for Indiana families.

Representing Indiana's 3rd House District, Hatcher serves as the ranking minority member of the House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee and as a member of the Agriculture and Rural Development and Financial Institutions committees. Her legislative work reflects a practical understanding of the challenges facing local governments, businesses, and working families, with particular attention to responsible governance, economic opportunity, infrastructure investment, and equitable access to resources.

In addition to her legislative responsibilities, Hatcher serves as Executive Director of the Gary Sanitary District, where she oversees essential public infrastructure and municipal services critical to the health, safety, and economic vitality of Gary and surrounding communities. Her leadership encompasses complex environmental and regulatory responsibilities, infrastructure modernization, financial management, and long-term capital planning. This executive experience provides her with firsthand insight into the relationship between state policy, local government operations, and the everyday needs of Indiana residents.

Hatcher's commitment to public service began in local government. She served as an at-large member of the Gary Common Council from 2007 to 2011 and was elected again in 2015. Her experience in municipal government established a strong foundation for her work in the General Assembly and reinforced her belief that effective public policy must be informed by the realities facing the communities it serves.

A lifelong learner with an exceptional interdisciplinary academic background, Hatcher earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, a Juris Doctor, and a Master of Business Administration from Valparaiso University; a Master of Finance from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business; and a Master of Arts in Economics from Purdue University. Her advanced studies also include public economics, state and local taxation, tax policy, public finance, and environmental sustainability, providing a strong foundation for her work on the complex fiscal, economic, and regulatory issues facing state and local governments.

An attorney licensed to practice law in Indiana, Hatcher has built a distinguished career spanning legal practice, higher education, and public administration. She previously served as Director of the Federal Tax Clinic at Valparaiso University School of Law, Associate Professor of Management at Purdue University, and a faculty member at Indiana University Northwest. She currently serves as an adjunct professor of law at Purdue Global Law School. Her extensive academic and professional experience complements her work in the General Assembly, bringing together expertise in law, economics, finance, management, and public policy.

A native of Gary, Hatcher is the daughter of the late Richard G. Hatcher, who made history in 1967 as the first African American elected mayor of a major American city. A nationally recognized civil rights leader and political trailblazer, his groundbreaking election helped transform the landscape of American politics and opened doors for generations of African American leaders. His enduring commitment to civil rights, economic justice, and public service profoundly influenced her own dedication to leadership and community empowerment.

While deeply proud of her family's legacy, Hatcher has established her own record of leadership across the legislative, executive, legal, and academic arenas. Her work is guided by the belief that strong communities are built through sound public policy, responsible stewardship of public resources, educational opportunity, and economic empowerment.

Throughout her career, Representative Hatcher has remained steadfast in her commitment to the people of Gary and Northwest Indiana, working to ensure that the communities she represents have a meaningful voice in shaping Indiana's future.