President Obama Appoints First Ambassador At-Large for Global Women's Issues

Melanne Verveer will serve as the United States' first Ambassador for Global Women's Issues, a new post established by President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Obama nominates ambassador for women's issues

06/13/2009

LA Examiner

By Karen Murphy

Hillary Rodham Clinton made one of her biggest splashes as first lady when she spoke out on women's rights in Beijing.

This afternoon, Clinton, as secretary of state, and her boss, President Obama, jointly announced a new post of ambassador at-large for global women's issues.

"The president's decision to nominate an ambassador-at-large for global women's issues is unprecedented and reflects the elevated importance of global women's issues to the president and his entire administration," the White House said in a statement announcing Obama's intent to nominate Melanne Verveer, CEO of an international nonprofit that grooms female leaders, to the job.

She also served as Clinton's chief of staff and was her chief assistant in her international activities, and took the lead in establishing the President's Interagency Council on Women. Obama also announced nominations for two other top State Department posts: Esther Brimmer as assistant secretary for international organizations and Phil Gordon as assistant secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs.

"Each of these individuals brings a deep knowledge and expertise in their field, along with a commitment to strengthen American diplomacy to meet 21st century challenges. They will be joining a leadership team at the State Department which will be at the forefront of our effort to renew America's security and standing in an uncertain world," Obama said in a statement.

Clinton added: "In my testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I spoke about the use of smart power. At the heart of smart power are smart people, and these talented individuals are among the smartest I know. Along with the entire State Department team, I will count on and turn to these individuals for their expertise, experience, and creative vision to make good on the promises of this new Administration."

Melanne Verveer is Co-Founder, Chair and Co-CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership, an international nonprofit that invests in emerging women leaders - pioneers of economic, political and social progress in their countries. Prior to founding Vital Voices, Verveer served as Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady in the Clinton Administration and was chief assistant to then First Lady Hillary Clinton in her international activities. Verveer also took the lead in establishing the President's Interagency Council on Women, which serves as a model for governments to address issues of concern to women.

Previously, Verveer served as Executive Vice President of People for the American Way, a civil rights and constitutional liberties organization where she played a key role in the passage of several landmark civil rights bills. She was Coordinator for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs for the U.S. Catholic Conference, Field Manager of Common Cause and worked in the U.S. House and Senate as Legislative Director and Special Assistant respectively. Verveer is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Women's Foreign Policy Group, the Washington Institute on Foreign Affairs and Women In International Security.