Marcia Fudge is a former congresswoman from the 11th district in Ohio. She came to that seat after the death of a former congresswoman, Stephanie Jones. At the time of her nomination to fill that role she was doing legal work in county government.
She was educated in the Ohio University system, graduating from Cleveland State University, and Ohio State for her law degree.
In her position she assists communities to provide fair housing helping low income families achieve home ownership. She also creates policies and rules to ensure there is no discrimination.
The Housing and Urban Development Secretary is also charged with combating homelessness. She oversees many programs that help people with mortgages, such as Ginnie Mae, which is a US corporation that adds money to the mortgage pool so families can become home owners.
During the Pandemic learned there were over 32.5 million small businesses in America. Found this statistic staggering and beyond conception. This woman has been working in and with small business since childhood as her father owned a chain of veterinary hospitals in California. From California Ms. Guzman studied economics at the University of Pennsylvania.
Involved in all aspects of small business she assists and guides those whose incomes and livelihoods depend on this pursuit. She is a strong advocate for female small business and besides writing many papers she is uniquely involved with this population.
During the Pandemic much relief was delivered to small business owners and revamping of many of the administrations programs occurred under her watchful eye.
Another first here – this woman is the first Native American to serve as a cabinet member. As a 35th generation New Mexican she hails from the Laguna Pueblo Tribe where she was a tribal leader. Raised in a military family her father was a decorated war veteran, and mom a Navy veteran. She attended over 13 different schools as a military child.
She is a success story striving as a single parent living pay check to pay check then becoming a business owner of Pueblo Salsa. In the meantime, as Stephen Colbert would say, she graduated from the University of New Mexico undergrad, and then on to their law school. She is still paying for her student loans as was President Obama well into his second term..
In reviewing her credentials and background as an advocate for environmental justice and climate change, she is a perfect fit for her position as the Secretary of the Interior. In her position manages the use of public lands, protects the exploitation of natural resources, and maintains national parks and monuments.
Another powerhouse here.. This gal is one to watch and would love to see her as President. On a recent trip caught her being interviewed on plane tv with a high dollar tech guy. She held her own and out shined him, however also honored his abilities and business acumen. This is a task few have, and something crucial in a woman who is working in a man’s world. That said let me convince you as well of her talents in this blog…
Gina’s grandfather immigrated to the US at 14, he learned English at the library, had a family, and lived the American dream. His granddaughter became the valedictorian of her high school, and went on to be the first in his family with a college education. She graduated as the top student in economics from Harvard, and later became a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford. After that she earned her doctorate from Yale.
She worked in venture capital then was drawn to the public sector becoming the treasurer for the State of Rhode Island where she fixed the underfunded pension system. Next step.. Governor where she worked tirelessly on work force development, job training programs, and other initiatives.
At Commerce she has the following Mission:
Spur good paying jobs
Empower enterpeneurs to grow
Help American workers compete in business
She was one of the primary architects of the Chip and Science Act of 2022. Noting Taiwan makes 90% of the chips used in the world this bill was created and passed to ensure America’s viability and security in the world. Chip manufacture in America will increase exponentially with the passage of this legislation.
And under the American Rescue Plan, (ARP), her agency is working on careers for future young Americans in good paying jobs in construction, manufacture and other industries. She is replicating nationally what was created in Rhode Island.
Raimondo speaking at the kick-off of this initiative.
Katherine is the first Asian-American to serve in this position. The daughter of Taiwanese immigrants this gal, who is fluent in Mandarin, has spent most of her career shaping US trade law and agreements. A graduate of Harvard and Yale she is a lawyer as well as an acclaimed public servant. Her nomination to this position received unanimous approval by the senate.
In her role as principal trade advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on US trade policy, she is key to the strength of our country’s trade relations. Only 48 years young her skills will be available to our government for several decades. How fortunate we are.
This powerhouse gal is a Canadian immigrant originally from Vancouver, Canada. At 63, she was a 2 term governor of Michigan where she implemented clean energy programs, and channeled the auto industry into the emerging sectors of clean energy.
A graduate of University of California at Berkeley, and Harvard, this former governor is a lawyer, educator, and political commentator. Clean energy has always been her initiative, and she is tasked with achieving Biden’s goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Michigan is one of the top 5 states with clean energy patents.
According to her bio on energy.gov she is tasked with the following:
promoting research and development of clean energy
creating millions of clean energy jobs
leading our country, thus the world, in scientific discovery on this topic
remediating the environmental hazards caused by defense programs
When I began researching Tom found stories of an arrest, and several nefarious activities by this 71 year old former Iowa governor who had also served in the Obama administration from 2009-20017.
After reading several accounts of this May 2022 incident, I recall this past week signing on to the internet only to find King Charles III had died after 46 days on the throne. While I respect what Charles has done for his charities, am not a fan, however read on. The accounts intrigued as it was reported he died in his sleep, peacefully. I signed off and returned 10 minutes later. Decided to check on the King’s funereal arrangements and low and behold there he was alive and kicking in full regalia at a British event. While no retraction was made know someone took a fall on that.
I digress.. and for the record Tom was not arrested.
Our Secretary of Agriculture is a New York State educated man with degrees from Hamilton College and Albany Law School. Here are some of his assigned tasks:
works with states on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, and nutrition
In nutrition issues also works closely with the Secretary of Health and Human Services
National Forest are under this Secretary’s purview
Monitors and develops plans for new farming technologies.
Who is this 60 year old New York City born man of Jewish decent who graduated from Harvard and Columbia and now takes care of business on the world stage?
The long and short of it he is Biden’s alter ego according to some sources. Our Secretary of State spent some of his early years living in Paris with his mom and step dad, a Polish born Holocaust survivor, and lawyer. While his step dad has passed his mom is alive, and involved in US-France non-profits.
His father was an investment banker and former US Ambassador to Hungary, with step mom an interior designer.
While always interested in the arts and passionate about music, (he’s quite a guitarist), he was encouraged to join the State Department by family. Working with the Clinton administration he credits meeting his wife through the 40 million voters who voted for Clinton. She is Irish Catholic, and the duo have been together for 20 years.
Check out the above web site for an uplifting read on this fascinating man.
This is another very talented individual who also ran for the Presidency. Prior to that he was the Mayor of Sound Bend, Indiana, where he received accolades, and rewards for changing the streetscape of this City. He is now charged with dolling out millions of dollars from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill.
In this initiative he has set 5 goals in leading the world in transportation – safety, jobs, equity, climate, and innovation. This Harvard graduate, and Oxford Rhodes Scholar is on track to accomplish these goals. Only 40 years young he has much on his list of accomplishments. His list of accomplishments are so diverse, and wide reaching it was difficult to pick which to write of.
As promised will be writing the next 3 weeks on the members of the Biden Cabinet of which there are over 20 members. In these blogs will write who these individuals are, where they hailed from, and a bit of their background. They are a diverse group.
As one of the internet sources states these individuals sit with the President around a mahogany table, and for those old enough to recall this is the same table which First Lady Betty Ford danced upon at the conclusion of her husband’s tumultuous term, (but aren’t they all?). While seating charts may change all who sit at the table hold a unique skill set with great powers.
Let’s start at the head of the table..
Ron Klain – Chief of Staff
As a political consultant, and former lobbyist Ron Klain has served 2 Vice Presidents, Al Gore 1995-1999, and Joe Biden 2009-2011. Born in Indianapolis, this 61 year old is Georgetown University educated with his law degree from Harvard.
As with many of these individuals they have been with or associated with Joe Biden for decades. Klain as well as several other cabinet members are rumored to be departing once mid-terms are completed as while the job is fascinating it is a 24/7 responsibility, and extremely stressful.
The commitment made by these members is for duty, as the salary is a pittance as to what could be acquired in the private sector.
Cecilia E. Rouse – Chair of the Counsel of Economic Advisors
This 58 year old hails from California, is Harvard educated (Ph.D.), and served since March 2021 as the 30th Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors. She formerly was Dean of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. A labor economist her focus is the economics of education and is the author of a myriad of papers on this topic.
And on the opposite end of the table..
Avril Haines – Director of National Intelligence
This American intelligence official, “spy,” lawyer, and first woman to serve in this capacity has a fascinating back story. A 53 year old from New York City, she was educated at the University of Chicago and Georgetown for her law degree.
She oversees 16 U.S. intelligence agencies, has a judo brown belt, and is an airplane enthusiast with an unsuccessful attempt to cross the Atlantic. WHEW! She has a vast interest in drones and for more on her background:
Always in the room with President Obama, and now President Biden, she’s made controversial decisions, and remains a vital advisor and voice at the table.
Dr. Arati Prabhakar – Director of the Office of Science and Technology (OSTP) Policy
This woman immigrated from India at 3 to Chicago, then Lubbock, Texas, where she earned an electrical engineer degree at Texas Tech. She then studied at California Institute of Technology earning a Masters in Electrical Engineering, then a Ph.D. in applied physics.
She has led 2 federal research and development agencies, and worked in the private, educational, and non-profit arenas. She spent 15 years working in Silicon Valley. Her accolades and list of accomplishments are notable and endless.
Wow! This is the first blog and what a learning experience. Can’t wait to research more of these amazing folks who guide the President in his decisions.
Young Retiree Needs a Life 