Ann M. Veneman has a distinguished career in public service, serving as the Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) from 2005 to 2010 and as the United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2001 to 2005. In 2009 she was named to the Forbes World’s 100 Most Powerful Women list. The only woman to ever serve as Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Veneman directed one of most diverse federal agencies. She also served as Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Prior to that, she served in various positions in the USDA, including Deputy Secretary, and Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs.Veneman serves on the boards Sun World, Full Harvest, the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and the Gallo Center for the Arts. She served on the board of Nestle from 2011 to 2022. She is a member of the Hilton Humanitarian Prize Jury and the Council on Foreign Relations. She is a frequent speaker on a range of topics including poverty alleviation, empowering women and girls, food security and nutrition, and global health. A lawyer by training, Veneman has practiced law in both California and in Washington DC. Veneman holds a BA from the University of California, Davis; an MA in public policy from the UC Berkeley; and a JD from UC Law,San Francisco. She has been awarded honorary doctorate degrees from several universities and colleges.
