Elaine L. Chao

 Hsiao Lan "Elaine" Chao, "the first Asian-American woman appointed to a President's cabinet in U.S. history," was confirmed on January 29, 2001, by the U.S. Senate as Secretary of Labor in the Bush Administration.

Chao served as Director of the Peace Corps (1991), "establishing Peace Corps programs in the Baltic nations of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union." She was later President and Chief Executive Officer of United Way of America (1992-1996).

"Secretary Chao's previous government career includes serving as the Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of Transportation (1989-1991), Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission (1988-1989), and Deputy Maritime Administrator in the U.S. Department of Transportation." She previously "worked as Vice President of Syndications at BankAmerica Capital Markets Group and [as] a banker with Citicorp. She was selected as a White House Fellow in 1983."

Secretary Chao is married to the Majority Whip of the United States Senate, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

Affiliations

 * The Heritage Foundation, Distinguished Fellow
 * The Independent Women's Forum, National Advisory Board
 * Citizens' Initiative on Race and Ethnicity, Commission Member
 * In 2001 she was a member of the Aspen Institute / Nonprofit Sector Strategy Group
 * Director, American Action Forum

Education

 * Bachelors of Arts, Mount Holyoke College, 1975. Major in Economics.
 * Master of Business Administration, Harvard University, 1979.

Other Related SourceWatch Resources

 * Bush administration