Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (born December 15, 1942) is a former Democratic Governor of Louisiana, having served from January 2004 until January 2008. She was the first woman to be elected to the office of governor of Louisiana.

Less than two years into her term as governor, Hurricane Katrina, the most devastating hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States, struck New Orleans and Louisiana. Blanco was criticized for the inadequate government response to the disaster.

Blanco announced in March 2007 that she would not seek re-election later that year, saying that she would instead "focus time and energy for the on the people's work, not on politics."