She attended Waltham High School and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology, with a minor in biology, from Colby College.
[4] In 1978, with the support of state senator Nancy Johnson, Kezer won the Republican primary and went on to score an upset general election victory in her Democratic-leaning Connecticut House of Representatives district.
As secretary, she operated the office at a budgetary surplus each year, reduced the waiting time for information requests from 6 months to 5 days, and computerized many of the state's business records as well as voter lists.
Considered a moderate Republican, she backed abortion rights and campaign finance reform but vowed as governor to veto any state budget that did not cut spending by 10%.
Running as an outsider, Kezer campaigned hard and clashed with influential Republicans rapidly coalescing around John G. Rowland's candidacy.
[3] Kezer taught a course on Women, Advocacy, and Political Change at Central Connecticut State University and is a member of the Governor William A. O'Neill Archives Committee at CCSU's Center for Social Policy.