Barbara Barrett

former ambassador to Finland and recently named interim President of Thunderbird School of Global Management

Barbara McConnell Barrett[1] (born December 26, 1950) is an American politician, businesswoman, and lawyer. She was the 25th United States Secretary of the Air Force from October 18, 2019 to January 20, 2021.[2]

Barbara Barrett
25th United States Secretary of the Air Force
In office
October 18, 2019 – January 20, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
DeputyMatthew Donovan
Preceded byHeather Wilson
Succeeded byFrank Kendall III
United States Ambassador to Finland
In office
May 23, 2008 – January 16, 2009
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Preceded byMarilyn Ware
Succeeded byMichael Butler
Personal details
Born
Barbara McConnell

(1950-12-26) December 26, 1950 (age 73)
Indiana County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Craig Barrett
EducationArizona State University, Tempe (BA, MA, JD)

From May 23, 2008 through January 16, 2009, she was the United States Ambassador to Finland for the George W. Bush administration.

Barrett was former chair of the Aerospace Corporation and a member on the boards of California Institute of Technology,[3] Jet Propulsion Laboratory, RAND Corporation, Smithsonian Institution, Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, and Lasker Foundation.

On May 21, 2019, President Donald Trump announced he would nominate Barrett as Secretary of the Air Force.[4] Her nomination was confirmed with an 85-7 U.S. Senate vote on October 18, 2019.[5] She was sworn in on October 18, 2019.

References

change
  1. "Barrett, Barbara (12/26/1950- )". Smithsonian Institution Archives. October 1, 2013.
  2. "Barbara M. Barrett > U.S. Air Force > Biography Display". www.af.mil. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  3. "Barbara McConnell Barrett Elected as New Trustee". www.caltech.edu. 20 March 2014.
  4. Trump, Donald J. (May 21, 2019). "I am pleased to announce my nomination of Barbara Barrett of Arizona, and former Chairman of the Aerospace Corporation, to be the next Secretary of the Air Force. She will be an outstanding Secretary! #FlyFightWin".
  5. "Barbara Barrett confirmed as next Air Force Secretary". 16 October 2019.