Jean Harris (October 24, 1944 – June 15, 2011), born Kathie Jean Harris, was an American Democratic and LGBT rights activist. A longtime force in San Francisco politics, Harris served as chief of staff to former San Francisco Supervisor Harry Britt, who was appointed to the board in 1978 following the assassination of Supervisor Harvey Milk. She went on to the post of deputy mayor under Frank Jordan when he took office in 1992. She also served as the chair of the California Democratic Party's Lesbian and Gay Caucus and as the president of the Harvey Milk Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Democratic Club.
Harris was heavily involved in LGBT causes, including serving as the founding director of Basic Rights Oregon. In that position she helped organize the defeat of a 2000 ballot initiative that would have barred schools from "'encouraging, promoting or sanctioning' homosexual or bisexual behaviors".[1] Following her time in Oregon, Harris returned to California to assume the executive directorship of the California Alliance for Pride and Equality, today known as Equality California. During her tenure she worked to secure passage of a 2001 law to secure for same-sex domestic partners many of the rights formerly reserved to married couples.
Harris campaigned for Howard Dean during his unsuccessful 2004 bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.