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Women Who Have Served in the Cabinet - Chronological Order

Women in the Executive Branch of the US Government

By , About.com Guide

About 5% of the total US cabinet members in history have been women. The first was appointed in 1933. Both Republican and Democratic presidents appointed women to their cabinets. These women come from many different backgrounds and have had many different leadership styles. What they have in common is that each of them was a trusted advisor to the president. How many of them do you know?

Secretary Position Served From Served To Administration
Frances Perkins Secretary of Labor March 4, 1933 June 30, 1945 Franklin D. Roosevelt
Oveta Culp Hobby Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare April 11, 1953 July 13, 1955 Dwight D. Eisenhower
Carla Anderson Hills Secretary of Housing and Urban Development March 10, 1975 January 20, 1977 Gerald Ford
Juanita M. Kreps Secretary of Commerce January 23, 1977 October 31, 1979 Jimmy Carter
Patricia Roberts Harris Secretary of Housing and Urban Development January 23, 1977 September 10, 1979 Jimmy Carter
Patricia Roberts Harris Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare August 3, 1979 May 4, 1980 Jimmy Carter
Shirley Hufstedler Secretary of Education November 30, 1979 January 20, 1981 Jimmy Carter
Patricia Roberts Harris Secretary of Health and Human Services May 4, 1980 January 20, 1981 Jimmy Carter
Elizabeth Dole Secretary of Transportation February 7, 1983 September 30, 1987 Ronald Reagan
Margaret Heckler Secretary of Health and Human Services March 9, 1983 December 13, 1985 Ronald Reagan
Ann Dore McLaughlin Secretary of Labor December 17, 1987 January 20, 1989 Ronald Reagan
Elizabeth Dole Secretary of Labor January 25, 1989 November 23, 1990 George H. W. Bush
Lynn Morley Martin Secretary of Labor February 22, 1991 January 20, 1993 George H. W. Bush
Barbara Hackman Franklin Secretary of Commerce February 27, 1992 January 20, 1993 George H. W. Bush
Donna Shalala Secretary of Health and Human Services January 22, 1993 January 20, 2001 Bill Clinton
Hazel R. O'Leary Secretary of Energy January 22, 1993 January 20, 1997 Bill Clinton
Janet Reno Attorney General March 11, 1993 January 20, 2001 Bill Clinton
Madeleine Albright Secretary of State January 23, 1997 January 20, 2001 Bill Clinton
Alexis Herman Secretary of Labor May 1, 1997 January 20, 2001 Bill Clinton
Elaine Chao Secretary of Labor January 20, 2001 January 20, 2009 George W. Bush
Ann Veneman Secretary of Agriculture January 20, 2001 January 20, 2005 George W. Bush
Gale Norton Secretary of the Interior January 31, 2001 March 31, 2006 George W. Bush
Margaret Spellings Secretary of Education January 20, 2005 January 20, 2009 George W. Bush
Condoleezza Rice Secretary of State January 26, 2005 January 20, 2009 George W. Bush
Maria Cino Secretary of Transportation : Acting July 7, 2006 September 30, 2006 George W. Bush
Mary Peters Secretary of Transportation October 17, 2006 January 20, 2009 George W. Bush
Janet Napolitano Secretary of Homeland Security January 21, 2009 September 6, 2013 Barack Obama
Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State January 21, 2009 February 1, 2013 Barack Obama
Hilda Solis Secretary of Labor February 24, 2009 January 22, 2013 Barack Obama
Kathleen Sebelius Secretary of Health and Human Services April 28, 2009   Barack Obama
Rebecca Blank Secretary of Commerce : Acting August 1, 2011 October 21, 2011 Barack Obama
Rebecca Blank Secretary of Commerce : Acting June 11, 2012 June 1, 2013 Barack Obama
Sally Jewell Secretary of the Interior April 12, 2013   Barack Obama
Penny Pritzker Secretary of Commerce June 26, 2013   Barack Obama

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