Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to the Presidentand Tina Tchen, FLOTUS Chief of Staff and head of the White House Council on Women and Girls, penned an editorial in the Washington Post promoting the President’s jobs initiative and the importance of his new partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF). It detailed initiatives that will help bring a work-life balance to the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields that often see women drop out due to family responsibilities. They say, “for many women who dream of becoming scientists and researchers, these kinds of simple, common-sense changes will make a world of difference. And our entire economy can benefit, because if more women have the chance to pursue STEM careers, it will lead to more innovation, entrepreneurship and growth.”
Junior Statesmen Foundation and Junior State of America alumni and friends gathered at the Arlington home of Dan Meyers and Kevin Latek last week to hear a presentation from the CEO of the Junior Statesmen Foundation, Jeff Harris. The event was held to raise awareness of the Junior Statesmen organization, which provides opportunities to educate high school students on the American political system throughout the DC area.
“Our challenge is getting high school students to be excited about their government, their chance to participate, their chance to make a difference,” said Harris. “JSA is all about giving high school students the skills, the knowledge that they need to become active, involved participants in our democracy for the rest of their lives.
Mike McCurry, the former Press Secretary to President Clinton and JSA alum, co-hosted the “friendraiser” along with fellow JSA veteran Dan Meyers, Rich Galen, Sarah Hoffman, Junelle Cavero, Andy Green and Tammy Haddad. He told the gathering that his first and only political campaign was through the Junior Statesmen of America Foundation while he was still in high school. McCurry ran for the position of Junior Governor of California, which he won.
“[JSA] is a program unlike some of the others that I think many [people] are familiar with… this one actually allows people to be involved, get involved, and really learn by doing,” said McCurry.
Dan Meyers joined the JSA when he was a student in Ohio. Today, he serves on the JSA board and sees it as his way of giving back to the foundation for the support it gave him throughout his high school years.
“The foundation is something that is very close to my heart,” Meyers said. “It’s something that inspired me to get involved in politics.
Guests included JS Board members Doug Bailey, Chris Dunn, JSA staff alum David Mark, Susan Sher, the former FLOTUS Chief of Staff, Jessica Stuart, Junelle Cavero, CEO of Blue Knot Strategies LLC; the divine Chris Edwards, wowed the crowd with the families fabulous Edward Marc Chocolates.
Women gathered around the world today for the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day. At the State Department, First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton presented the “Women of Courage Awards” and announced a partnership with 10,000 Women and the successful Goldman Sachs Foundation program that goes into the poorest countries and teaches women business skills.
Monday evening some of the nation’s best women’s advocates were brought together by the ONE campaign, the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood, CARE, and the US Advocacy Advisory team Mothers Day Every Day at the home of former ONE chief, David Lane. Dr. Helene Gayle, Sheila Nix, Susan McCue and Theresa Shaver urged the crowd to redouble their efforts on behalf of women. Dana Perino, former Bush White House press secretary led a bipartisan call to action with the help of Barbara Bush and sister Jenna Bush Hager.
Barbara Bush’s Global Health Corp is in the process of selecting their third round of fellows. David Lane, who left the ONE campaign to work with Bill Daley at the White House, caught up with old friends as he accepted their well wishes. First Lady Michelle Obama’s chief of Staff Tina Tchen, and Jen Klein from the State Department’s women’s section, greeted colleagues and friends including Stephanie Psaki (sister of WH deputy communications director Jen Psaki), Jodee Winterhoff, Teri Whitcraft, and Anita McBride – fresh off her First Ladies Conference. David Lane was cheered when he walked into his own home, the location of some of the great advocacy work for women.
Anita McBride, former chief of staff to First Lady Laura Bush and now an executive in residence at American University, kicked-off the The Legacies of America’s First Ladies conference on Monday to celebrate and examine the role of the nation’s first ladies. The day long gathering began with a letter from the current First Lady, Michelle Obama in which she said
It is my honor to serve our nation as First Lady and have the opportunity to touch so many lives. Throughout the course of our history, the accomplished women who have come before me have helped to shape our national character and strengthen our country. Their stories are a fascinating part of our narrative and their commitment to service represents what is best about the American spirit. Each day, I am inspired by their countless contributions and it is a privilege to join their company. I wish you all the best for an enjoyable conference.
McBride, who organized the conference with the American University’s School of Public Affairs , also read a job description written by John Heubusch, president of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, listing the extensive requirements expected of a first lady which include the willingness to relocate to Washington, DC; demonstrated perfection as a human being; and superhuman multi-tasking.
Watch below to hear the full description and ask yourself: forty-six women have filled this important role – would you apply for this job?
Susan Sher, former chief of staff to Michelle Obama, marking her first appearance since leaving the White House, and Melanne Verveer, former chief of staff to Hillary Rodham Clinton, now Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues joined McBride on a panel for a bi-partisan look inside 1600 Pennsylvania Ave the role of the modern First Lady.
Other featured panel discussions included insights on first ladies throughout history and behind-the-scenes moments at the White House. Gahl Hodges Burt, Social Secretary to President and Mrs. Reagan recalled a particular moment when close Reagan friend Charlton Heston came to visit. Heston wandered onto the White House lawn while the fife and drum corps marched during an official ceremony. Burt had no choice but to alert secret service over a loud walkie-talkie to ask that Heston be moved. A clever secret service agent replied: “nobody moves Moses.”
Participants included, among others, Presidential Historian Richard Norton Smith; Jean Becker, Deputy Press Secretary to First Lady Barbara Bush; Kathryn Cade, Director of Projects for First Lady Rosalynn Carter; Ann Compton, White House Correspondent for ABC News; Ann Gerhard, Deputy Outlook Editor for the Washington Post; Lois Romano, National Political Correspondent for the Washington Post; and Steve Scully of C-SPAN.
In addition to the conference, McBride is also spearheading the creation of the First Ladies Foundation to cultivate the first non-partisan history on the impact these women have made. CLICK here for more information.
Susan Axelrod, Susan Sher, Connie Milstein & Anita McBride at CURE Epilepsy event in DC - December 2010
Forty-six women have served as First Lady, standing alongside our US Presidents throughout history. To kick off Women’s History Month, the American University’s School of Public Affairs is holding an afternoon conference, The Legacies of America’s First Ladies, to celebrate and examine the role of the nation’s first ladies.
The conference was organized by Anita McBride, former chief of staff to First Lady Laura Bush and now an executive in residence at American University.
“A first lady’s role may be a mysterious to many, but these leaders behind the leaders help effect change and advance our society in valuable ways,” says McBride.
Susan Sher, former chief of staff to Michelle Obama, will be making her first appearance since leaving the White House. She will be participating in a panel discussion with McBride and Melanne Verveer, former chief of staff to Hillary Rodham Clinton, on how these modern women have redefined what it means to be First Lady.
There will be other panel discussions throughout the afternoon with premier historians, authors, White House correspondents and journalists, who have studied, written, covered and traveled with the first ladies. Representatives from the Carter, Reagan, and George H.W. Bush administrations will also be participating including Gahl Hodges Burt, former special assistant to President Reagan and social secretary.
Events will be held at AU’s Katzen Arts Center and the White House Historical Association, the National Archives’ Presidential Libraries, and American University’s Library are conference partners. For a full list of speakers and conference agenda, click here.
In addition to the conference, McBride is also spearheading the creation of the First Ladies Foundation to cultivate the first non-partisan history on the impact these women have made. For more information go to FirstLadiesFoundation.org.
Even after Susan Sher left the White House last week to return to Chicago, we can welcome a new transplant to the Beltway: Kristina Schake, co-founder of communications firm Griffin|Schake, joins the administration as First Lady Michelle Obama’s communications director.
From a press release sent out this morning:
“I’m thrilled to welcome Kristina to the team. Kristina brings a wealth of expertise that I know will make her a tremendous asset in the East Wing,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “Kristina has done extensive work throughout her career on child nutrition and community health issues, and that paired with her experience as part of a military family will bring invaluable insight to our work on childhood obesity and our efforts to support military families. I look forward to working with Kristina on these efforts and more in the months and years ahead.”
Schake isn’t a stranger to working for powerful heads of state as she worked with former First Lady of California Maria Shriver among tackling obesity issues, “stem cell research and early childhood education a national priority and helped change California’s political landscape on renewable energy and civil rights.”
We can expect to see Schake around Capitol Hill starting in December.
Tom Hanks and Susan Sher at The Jefferson Hotel after a screening of the HBO mini-series "The Pacific"
Susan Sher, Chief of Staff to the First Lady and longtime friend of the Obamas will be returning to Chicago after the first of the year.
“Susan has been both a colleague and a dear friend for decades, and I have been grateful every day for her leadership and wise counsel in Washington,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “I also very much appreciate her generosity in staying longer than she initially planned – spending so many months away from her family in Chicago – to help me build my office in the East Wing. I wish her all the best.”
Sher spearheaded the First Lady’s high-profile anti-obesity campaign Let’s Move! and served as the Administration’s liaison to the Jewish community. She came to Washington with the Obamas in January 2009, working in the White House Counsel’s Office to support the Office of the First Lady. In June 2009, Sher took over as Chief of Staff to the First Lady, adding stability and her own personal style to the East Wing.
Don’t listen to the Internet Troll: we can (and will) work it out online. Or at least, work out.
That’s the motivator behind Let’s Move, an initiative to promote physical activity and public health. First Lady Michelle Obama responded to questions from YouTube and a live web chat according to Politico.
Rachael Ray, in Washington a month ago for the WHCD, returns to help First Lady Michelle Obama teach kids about healthy eating
School may soon be out for the summer, but First Lady Michelle Obama has a lesson for hundreds of chefs around the country: healthy eating = healthy kids.
That simple equation means a big assignment for celebrity chefs, culinary experts and cooks who are being recruited for the “Chefs Move! to Schools” program, part of “Let’s Move!” – the First Lady’s initiative aimed at fighting childhood obesity within a generation. The adopt-a-school program will pair a cooking expert with a public school in order to teach students about nutrition and healthy eating.
Some familiar faces are helping to kick-off the program this afternoon on the White House South Lawn. POLITICO reports Rachael Ray will be on hand, as well as other Food Network stars including: Cat Cora, Anne Burrell, Aaron Sanchez, Ellie Krieger and Alex Guarnaschell.
Watch the event LIVE at 12:30PM EDT here on WHCInsider.com.
First Lady Michelle Obama along with Cabinet Secretaries and Agency Directors on the Childhood Obesity Task Force will release a report and strategy for defeating the epidemic today at 10:30 AM.
Obama talked with Newsweek editor Jon Meacham a few months ago on the subject as part of her ongoing campaign to stop childhood obesity. Watch a clip below:
Sasha and Malia weren’t there, but presidential pooch Bo was on hand while First Lady Michelle Obama entertained questions from a curious crowd of kids in the East Room. Executive Office employees brought their offspring to the event as part of Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day.
The First Lady joked a few may have “read my bio” beforehand when asked about childhood obesity.
“Every First Lady defines their job based on what their interests and passion are,” Mrs. Obama explained. “For me the issues are healthy living for our kids.”
That includes limiting the number of snacks, to which one youngster said they only ate two snacks a day – Mrs. Obama approved.
As to how she was going to celebrate Earth Day, which also happens to be today, the First Lady said her daughter Sasha had brought home a few energy efficient light bulbs, so there would be some bulb changing taking place at the White House.
On a lighter note, Mrs. Obama said that Bo’s favorite toy was a big rope and “the game is, can you get it before he gets it?” and yes, she often wins. The kids gave a big “whoa” when they heard the girls have to get up at 6AM but Mrs. Obama got the last laugh: “They can get up later if they move faster.”
First Lady Michelle Obama is on the cover of the latest Newsweek magazine with a shiny red apple but last week she came to the defense of the Twinkie (the cream-filled sponge cake is apparently a favorite with the Obama girls).
The First Lady spoke with Newsweek’s editor Jon Meacham at the magazine’s Executive Forum in Washington about her Let’s Move initiative to fight childhood obesity.
She’s challenging grocery companies to rework their products and wants nutritional information put on food packaging that’s easier to understand. The First Lady draws a line at putting a warning label on Hostess Twinkies or Kellogg’s Froot Loops cereal but appeals to parents to use common sense when it comes to feeding their kids.
“I’m all in favor of good snacks. We grew up with snacks and chips. But we have to exercise more. Parents have to understand what’s in the Twinkie. So we don’t need a warning, we need information that’s easy to understand.”
400 Visitors Meet FLOTUS as White House Visitors Office Celebrates Successful Year
White House visitors enjoyed a special welcome yesterday – First Lady Michelle Obama and First Dog Bo in the Blue Room. It was the one-year anniversary of the Obama presidency, which began with President Obama promising “To open the White House to more visitors.”
Associated Press reports more than 614,000 guests visited the White House last year.
Chefs Cristeta Comerford and Bobby Flay took a victory back to the White House last night as they battled it out with super chefs Mario Batali and Emeril Lagasse. The show started off in the White House garden with the chefs picking their own fresh vegetables and there was even a visit by the First Lady Michelle Obama.
The vegetables from the garden later became the focal point of the dishes cooked up by the masters of the kitchen. Check out more of the action at the Food Network here.
President Obama’s weekly address was a Christmas message, with First Lady Michelle Obama, and included a special tribute to the men and women in the military serving overseas. The White House web site suggested ways to support the troops through DOD’s Military Homefront, OurMilitary.mil, and the USO.
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