Who is Valerie Jarrett?

Published by Pamela Gentry on Monday, November 10, 2008 at 5:58 pm.

Valerie Jarrett

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer

Nov. 10, 2008 – Longtime family friend Valerie Jarrett is rumored to be Illinois Gov. Ray Blagojevich‘s (D) pick to fill the president-elect Barack Obama’s senate seat until 2010.

Jarrett met both the Obama’s in the early 1990’s when she hired Michele Obama to work for her as an aide to Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. A seasoned political veteran in Chicago politics, Jarrett worked for the first African-American mayor of Chicago, Harold Washington.

Obama turned to Jarrett for advice when deciding to run for the U.S. Senate. Considered to be one of his closet and trusted advisers.

Jarrett, who is African-American, was born in Shiraz, Iran. Her father Dr. James Bowman ran a hospital for children as part of an exchange program; providing American doctors and agricultural experts to developing countries.

Her family returned to Chicago in 1963. In 1973 she graduated from Northfield Mount Hermon a boarding school in Massachusetts; then went on to receive her B.A. in Psychology from Stanford University in 1978 followed by her Juris Doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School in 1981.

Her professional bio includes:

• Since 1996 she has been the CEO of The Habitat Company, a real estate development and management company.

• She was a Member of the Board of Chicago Stock Exchange from 2000-2007, and Chairwoman from 2004-2007.

• Deputy Corporation Counsel for Finance and Development in 1987 for Mayor Harold Washington.

• She was Deputy Chief of Staff for Mayor Richard Daley in 1991

• She was the Chair of the Chicago Transit Board from 1995 to 2005

• She served as Commissioner of the Department of Planning and Development for Chicago from 1992 through 1995

• She was the Chair of the Chicago Transit Board from 1995 to 2005

Jarrett also serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Chicago Medical Center, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Chicago and a Trustee of Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, and on the board of directors of USG Corporation, a Chicago based building materials corporation.

Comments (102)

Comments

seschris said on November 10th, 2008

Another African American who has grabbed every opportunity and excelled and she will be an asset anywhere she lands.

LYNN said on November 11th, 2008

SHE IS A BEAUTIFULL WOMAN AND SHE WILL DO A GOOD JOB BUT SOMETHING IS MISSING..”JESSE JACKSON JR”.IS BEING GROOMED FOR SOMETHING BIG!!!..HIS..” EITHICAL DEMEANOR”..IS TELLING THIS STORY.

BLACK DADDY said on November 11th, 2008

WTF!!!! SHE WAS BORN IN ” IRAN ” HOW IS HE AFRICAN-AMERICAN ????

Yvonne Majette said on November 11th, 2008

Black Daddy,

Didn’t you read the article. She was born in Iran where her father, Dr. James Bowman ran a hospital for children as part of an exchange program; providing American doctors and agricultural experts to developing countries.

owen said on November 11th, 2008

she is a great woman,many people talked about this on a tall dating site http://Tallmingle.com where are many good guys and tall girls.,they said: though it is a dating site,it is also a love place,love is includes everything.

Jessica said on November 11th, 2008

I seen her sexy profile on http://www.RichMingle.com.

cecilenoe said on November 11th, 2008

SHE BELIEVE TO ON OBAMA AND SHE IS A GREAT WOMEN JARRETT , AND I LOVE HER TOO .WHATEVER EVEN I DON’T KNOW PERSONALLY BUT SHE DID FIGHT FOR A GOOD RAISON. OBAMA BARACK FOR MORE JUSTICE INSIDE OUR SOCIETY,
.AND GOD BLESS THE CONTINENT AFRICA AND ISLES ,AND GOD WILL BLESS UNITED-STATES OF AMERICA AND GOD BLESS JOE-BIDEN AND HIS FAMILY, GOD BLESS THE KING BARACK OBAMA WITH HIS FAMILY…..CECILE.

Chris said on November 11th, 2008

Awesome story. IShe was part of an awesome campaign team. t’s great to see Black Americans take advantage of opportunties and excel. She proved herself faithful to the Obama’s, now it’s time for her to receive.

To all parents, God is trying to tell us something. It starts young, don’t wait till they get old. ‘TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE “WAY” HE/SHE SHOULD GO….

Khrish said on November 12th, 2008

I’m so glad to see Jarrett moving on up to that position. She was the but of some nasty letters sent round the web as being Iranian because some idiot knew that they could con those who do not read. I am glad to know that those who believed this can now see that she is African American. Well done.

olounwa said on November 12th, 2008

interesting… now, i find it very interesting.. somebody must have been reading my own comments!! mmmm, are you READING THIS JIFFFNN!!LOL!!
PRICELESS.!!

afterall, i was born in scotland and you QUESTION ME??.
next!!! lol~!!!!!!

olounwa said on November 12th, 2008

unfortunately the few african americans that took education seriously have never been accepted by the majority who dont think they need it. thats where the “sellout “term gains so much momentum for them…i find it deeply ironic that an african american who is born in a foreign country is not questioned but african americans cant get their heads round the fact that africans are born in their country and all over europe and have been doing so since africans started travelling abroad for education or work since the 1920’s … and some even before that time… this woman looks like an iranian but then again, looks are decieving she may be of mixed heritage like obama…

olounwa said on November 12th, 2008

by the way lynn, my allegiance is is not to YOU… NEVER HAS BEEN , NEVER WILL BE.. NOBODY OWES YOU A LIVING..
now, go and smoke more of that stuff you cant get enough of…
sounds like your running out of it..

Esther said on November 12th, 2008

ANOTHER FALSE STATEMENT BY OLOUNWA :the few african americans that took education seriously”

you have no clue how many AA’s have taken education seriously!!!
!LOL!

Again you are judging an entire race by the ignorance of some…..

olounwa said on November 12th, 2008

really Esther, so what exactly is a “sellout “?.then we dont understand this term in africa where education is seen as an absolute priority and is valued far more than it is in the us.. Why did OPRAH WINFREY take her money and spend it in SOUTH AFRICA?. you all HATED HER FOR IT.. she took her money OUTSIDE THE USA BECAUSE IT WAS BETTER APPRECIATED WHERE EDUCATION NOT STUFF IS THE PRIORITY.. who are the bodies filling the community colleges in the usa.?they are black, but they are foreign blacks.. perhaps you MISSED THE ARTICLE ABOUT THIS ON BET SOME TIME AGO.. no, you do not take education seriously… not in the way you should considering the opportunities that are out there for you.. education is free if you know how to fill in the forms.. there are thousands of scholarship sites avail.please.. dont even bother.. why is it that blacks have to go to prison to get their GED.?and why is it that its only the BLACK REPUBLICANS THAT CAN STOMACH THE TRUTH ??. OVERWHELMINGLY , GANG VIOLENCE IS WHAT RULES BLACK NEIGHBOURHOODS.. THAT AND THE NO SNITCH RULE.. the rule that means that the majority of black on black crimes will NEVER BE SOLVED. most black youth know more about T PAIN than they do ABOUT BOOKER T WASHINGTON.. heck am foreign and i know about him,,, how many of your youth do?. why do you label any black american who chooses to walk a different path to the usual one you all love to walk.. “a sellout”…?.if you speak properly, and clearly, dont look like something from a bad gangsta movie then you are a sellout?….no wonder the stagnation continues..

olounwa said on November 12th, 2008

esther again.. whats with this race thing ?. its totally inaccurate… you are an ethnic group, derived from africans but mixed with other races over the centuries… the likely hood of any one of you being of total african origin are very slim.. you are all mixed.. thats the way it is… besides, 30million people are not a race by any means … however, mayb this is an american thing as it doesnt translate outside the usa. you all have a lot more in common with barack obama in the sense that he is a mix of so many different cultures.. he is even irish most of you would be able to trace your ancestors to the towns and villages of europe as well as parts of africa in the western region. not to mention the indians and south american indians.. this “race” thing suggests that you all come from one country which is not true at all.

lynn said on November 12th, 2008

OLOUNWA..’THE NEW BREED OF A HOUSE NEGRO”..EVOLUTIONARY!!

Esther said on November 12th, 2008

Olounwa,

You want us to think of you as educated yet you make such IGNORANT statements. You are new spokesman for WHITE RACIST because you speak their thoughts with a black face. LOL.

jfffnn said on November 12th, 2008

Esther
Please take my profound advice,never,ever debate a idiot with severe psych.problems.You are wasting your time.

LYNN said on November 12th, 2008

OLOUNWA…YOU TALK AS IF YOU ARE PROUD OF..” MR OBAMA”.. BECAUSE HE IS OF.. AFRICAN AMERICAN DECENT.YOU AND HE DON’T HAVE ANYTHING IN COMMON. HE PREACHES..’ UNITY AND LOVE’..FOR ALL PEOPLE!!!. YOU HAVE TAKEN..’ THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION”..YOU ARE PREACHING..’ DIVISION AND ANGER”..YOUR..’ ANCESTORS “..WOULD BE UPSET AT YOU THAT IS WHO YOU WORSHIP RIGHT?.

jfffnn said on November 12th, 2008

Lynn
You have too understand Olounwa suffers from MOM syndrome,meaning manless,obese ane miserable.All three are connected,she is miserable because she is manless and obese ’she is manless becuase she is manless and well,you get the connection.She is one insane person so don’t try too debate her because it’s a waste of time.

Vic said on November 12th, 2008

way too much talk about this african flake livin in uk. that chick/dud blogs all over the internet so we ain’t special. the point is that America is changing and not every body is happy about it.