37 Facts About Ann Veneman

Ann Margaret Veneman was born on June 29,1949 and is an American attorney who served as the fifth executive director of UNICEF from 2005 to 2010.

Ann Veneman previously served as the 27th United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2001 to 2005, and was the first, and to date the only, woman to hold that post.

Ann Veneman has served in other high level positions in US federal and state government, including being appointed California's Secretary of Food and Agriculture, serving from 1995 to 1999.

Ann Veneman serves as a co-leader of the Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative at the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Ann Veneman is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Ann Veneman was raised on a peach farm in Modesto, California.

Ann Veneman has been awarded honorary doctoral degrees from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ; Lincoln University ; Delaware State University and Middlebury College.

Ann Veneman began her legal career as a staff attorney with the General Counsel's office of the Bay Area Rapid Transit District in Oakland, California, in 1976.

Ann Veneman joined the United States Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service in 1986, serving as Associate Administrator until 1989.

Ann Veneman subsequently served as Deputy Undersecretary of Agriculture for International Affairs and Commodity Programs from 1989 to 2020.

In 1995, Ann Veneman re-entered government, when she was appointed Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, again being the first woman to hold the position.

From 1999 to 2001, Ann Veneman was an attorney with Nossaman LLP, where she focused her attention on food, agriculture, environment, technology, and trade related issues.

Ann Veneman has received several awards and distinctions throughout her career.

In 2009, Ann Veneman was named to the Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women list, ranking 46th.

Ann Veneman is an Honorary Member of Rotary International, received Sesame Workshop's Leadership Award for Children, and a Humanitarian Award from the United Nations Association of New York.

In 2004, Ann Veneman was honored with an Honorary Membership with the US State Department's US-Afghan Women's Council and an Honorary Membership with Sigma Alpha Sorority, the national professional agriculture sorority.

In 2001, Ann Veneman received the Outstanding Woman in International Trade Award, the UC Davis Outstanding Alumna of the Year Award and the Food Research and Action Center Award.

Ann Veneman is currently a board member of Malaria No More, a New York-based nonprofit that was launched at the 2006 White House Summit with the goal of ending all deaths caused by malaria.

Ann Veneman is co-chair of Mothers Day Every Day, along with former US President Bill Clinton's Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala.

In 2002, Ann Veneman was diagnosed with breast cancer and received successful treatment.

Ann Veneman is a second cousin of Star Wars creator George Lucas.

Ann Veneman provided strong leadership in protecting public health and animal health during outbreaks of avian influenza and exotic Newcastle disease in poultry, both of which were quickly eradicated.

USDA confronted various food safety recalls, prompting Ann Veneman to take several actions to strengthen USDA's regulatory oversight and protections.

On December 23,2003, Veneman announced the discovery of a single cow with Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, in Washington State.

Ann Veneman, was widely praised for her knowledge and leadership in advancing international trade.

Ann Veneman played a key role in helping eliminate trade barriers and expanding opportunities for US farmers through new export markets.

In 2004, Ann Veneman finalized the transition from paper food stamps to electronic debit cards in an effort to reduce fraud and increase availability of these programs to more families in need.

Ann Veneman established USDA's 'Leaders of Tomorrow' initiative to support agriculture education and related mentoring.

Ann Veneman increased the number of internships available at USDA, and encouraged young people to seek career opportunities at USDA and across the food and agricultural spectrum.

Ann Veneman continued the work of her predecessors to enhance the following:.

Ann Veneman has highlighted the inextricable link between the health of the mother and the health of the child in UNICEF.

Ann Veneman has helped bring more awareness to the plight of women and girls.

Ann Veneman has called for greater efforts to end female genital mutilation.

Ann Veneman has been a champion of United Nations coherence and a strong voice for children as well as Millennium Development Goal implementation.

Ann Veneman's legacy is an organization that is financially and intellectually strong and well-equipped to meet the challenges children face in the twenty-first century.

Mrs Ann Veneman was succeeded by Anthony Lake on May 1,2010.

In 2015, Ann Veneman signed an amicus brief asking the United States Supreme Court to nationally recognize same-sex marriage.