Ann Veneman American businesswoman and politician Date of Birth: 29.04.1949 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Education
2. Legal and Political Career
3. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
4. Executive Director of UNICEF
5. Later Career and Recognition
6. Personal Life

Early Life and Education

Ann Margaret Veneman was born on June 29, 1949, in Modesto, California. She grew up on her father's peach farm and is a cousin of filmmaker George Lucas. Veneman earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Davis in 1970, a Master of Arts in Public Policy from the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley in 1971, and a Juris Doctor from Hastings College in 1976.

Legal and Political Career

Veneman began her career as a deputy public defender in Stanislaus County and a corporate attorney for the Bay Area Rapid Transit System. She later joined the Washington, D.C.-based lobbying firm Patton, Boggs & Blow. In 1995, Governor Pete Wilson unexpectedly appointed Veneman as California's Secretary of Food and Agriculture, making her the first woman and the first person without farming experience to hold the position since the early 1980s.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture

In 2001, Veneman was appointed by President George W. Bush as the 27th U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. She served from 2001 to 2005, overseeing the department during the mad cow disease crisis and implementing the 2002 Farm Bill. Veneman was also a member of the International Food and Agriculture Trade Policy Council, an organization funded by industry giants such as Monsanto and Cargill.

Executive Director of UNICEF

From 2005 to 2010, Veneman served as the Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). She dedicated her tenure to addressing issues of child health and nutrition, quality basic education for all, access to clean water, and protecting children and women from violence, exploitation, and HIV/AIDS. Veneman traveled to over 70 countries in her role as UNICEF's Executive Director, observing the situation on the ground.

Later Career and Recognition

After her time at UNICEF, Veneman became a director of Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and a non-executive director of Nestlé. She also served as a director of S&W Seed Company. Veneman is a director of Malaria No More, Chair of the UN Nutrition Committee, and a member of the board of trustees of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization. In recognition of her accomplishments, Forbes ranked Veneman 46th in their list of the 100 Most Powerful Women in 2009.

Personal Life

In 2002, Veneman was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent successful treatment, which included a lumpectomy and six weeks of radiation therapy.