The Honorable Valerie Jarrett
Lawyer, businessperson, and civic leader Valerie Bowman Jarrett was born Valerie Bowman, November 14, 1956, in Shiraz, Iran to education expert Barbara Bowman and Dr. James Bowman, a pathologist and pioneering geneticist. Her maternal grandfather was Chicago housing legend, Robert Taylor. Moving from Iran to London, Jarrett attended Tetherdown Elementary School. Returning to the United States, she attended Shaesmith University of Chicago Lab School and graduated from Northfield Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts in 1974. Jarrett received her B.A. degree in psychology from Stanford University in 1978 and obtained her J.D. degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1981.
Beginning her career as a corporate banking associate at Chicago’s Pope, Ballard, Shepherd, and Fowle, Jarrett then joined the real estate department of Sonnenschein, Carlin Nath and Rosenthal. In 1987, she was tapped to serve as deputy corporation counsel for finance and development for the City of Chicago under Mayor Harold Washington and continued service under Mayor Eugene Sawyer and Mayor Richard M. Daley. From 1988 to 1989, Jarrett also served as director of Leadership Greater Chicago. In 1991, she served as Mayor Daley’s deputy chief of staff. Jarrett was appointed Chicago’s commissioner of planning and development where she consolidated three departments and was awarded the Women’s Business Development Center’s Government Support Award. In 1995, Mayor Daley appointed her as chairman of the Chicago Transit Authority where she served for eight years and was responsible for a budget of over $800 million. That same year, Jarrett was appointed Vice President of the Habitat Company. In 2003, Jarrett was elected to a three-year term as chairman of the Chicago Stock Exchange. In 2007, Jarrett was named president of the Habitat Company.
A longtime advisor of President Barack Obama, Jarrett served as co-chairperson of the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition Team. She is Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison.
A2006.165
Female
12/13/2006
Jarrett
Divorced
University of Chicago Laboratory Schools
Stanford University
University of Michigan
Northfield Mount Hermon School
Beulah Shoesmith Elementary School
Valerie
Shiraz
JAR04
Summer
Anywhere Warm
And That Is That.
District of Columbia
11/14/1956
Washington
Iran
Ice Cream
Real estate lawyer, city government appointee, and presidential advisor The Honorable Valerie Jarrett (1956 - ) served as president of the Habitat Company, and was a former chairman of both the Chicago Transit Authority and the Chicago Stock Exchange. She was also the Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama, and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison.
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP
City of Chicago
Chicago Transit Authority
The Habitat Company
Chicago Stock Exchange
Blue
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639611">Tape: 1 Slating of The Honorable Valerie Jarrett's interview</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639612">Tape: 1 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett lists her favorites</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639613">Tape: 1 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett describes her mother's family background</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639614">Tape: 1 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett describes her mother</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639615">Tape: 1 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett describes her father's background</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639616">Tape: 1 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett describes how her parents met</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639617">Tape: 1 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett describes her earliest childhood memories</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639618">Tape: 1 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett describes the sights, sounds and smells of her childhood</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639619">Tape: 1 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls her childhood personality</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639620">Tape: 1 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett describes how her upbringing shaped her worldview</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639621">Tape: 1 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls how she was perceived in Iran and England</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639622">Tape: 1 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett reflects upon her childhood experiences abroad</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639623">Tape: 1 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett remembers her early education</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639624">Tape: 2 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls appearing on 'Bozo's Circus'</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639625">Tape: 2 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls her teacher at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639626">Tape: 2 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett describes her decision to attend Stanford University</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639627">Tape: 2 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls her childhood exposure to politics</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639628">Tape: 2 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett remembers her changing academic interests</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639629">Tape: 2 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls her psychology professors at Stanford University</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639630">Tape: 2 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls her social life at Stanford University</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639631">Tape: 2 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett remembers her decision to attend law school</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639632">Tape: 2 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett remembers the University of Michigan Law School in Ann Arbor</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639633">Tape: 2 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls joining Harold Washington's administration in Chicago</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639634">Tape: 2 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett describes her early roles in Chicago's city government</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639635">Tape: 3 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett remembers Chicago's Harold Washington administration</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639636">Tape: 3 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls Harold Washington's sudden death</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639637">Tape: 3 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls the transition to Eugene Sawyer's administration</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639638">Tape: 3 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls becoming Richard M. Daley's chief of staff</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639639">Tape: 3 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls forming Chicago's Department of Planning and Development</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639640">Tape: 3 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett describes her work for The Habitat Company</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639641">Tape: 3 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett talks about the redevelopment of Chicago public housing</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639642">Tape: 3 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls the opening of Chicago's Robert Taylor Homes</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639643">Tape: 3 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett reflects upon the role of civil service</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639644">Tape: 3 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett describes the impact of Section 8 housing vouchers</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639645">Tape: 4 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls her appointment to the Chicago Transit Authority board</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639646">Tape: 4 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls reforming the Chicago Transit Authority</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639647">Tape: 4 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls the Illinois Fund for Infrastructure, Roads, Schools and Transit</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639648">Tape: 4 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett talks about Mayor Richard M. Daley</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639649">Tape: 4 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett describes The Habitat Company's recent projects</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639650">Tape: 4 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett talks about her career plans</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639651">Tape: 4 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett describes her corporate board leadership</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639652">Tape: 4 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett describes her hopes and concerns for the African American community</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639653">Tape: 4 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett reflects upon her life</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639654">Tape: 4 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett reflects upon her legacy</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639655">Tape: 4 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett describes how she would like to be remembered</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/639656">Tape: 5 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett narrates her photographs</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641672">Tape: 6 Sponsors of 'An Evening with Valerie Jarrett'</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641673">Tape: 6 Introduction to 'An Evening with Valerie Jarrett'</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641674">Tape: 6 Michele Norris introduces The Honorable Valerie Jarrett</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641675">Tape: 6 Michele Norris greets The Honorable Valerie Jarrett</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641676">Tape: 6 Film reel of The Honorable Valerie Jarrett's family background</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641677">Tape: 6 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett describes her maternal great-grandfather</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641678">Tape: 6 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett describes her maternal grandfather</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641679">Tape: 6 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett talks about how her parents met</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641680">Tape: 6 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett describes her education</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641681">Tape: 6 Film reel of The Honorable Valerie Jarrett's civil service career in Chicago, Illinois</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641682">Tape: 6 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls her transition to the City of Chicago government</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641683">Tape: 6 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls the impact of Harold Washington's death</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641684">Tape: 6 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett remembers her redevelopment efforts in Chicago, Illinois</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641685">Tape: 6 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett remembers meeting Barack Obama</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641686">Tape: 6 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett talks about the importance of balancing work and family life</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641687">Tape: 6 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls her early support for Barack Obama</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641688">Tape: 6 Film reel of The Honorable Valerie Jarrett's foray into national politics</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641689">Tape: 6 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett talks about President Barack Obama</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641690">Tape: 6 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett remembers Barack Obama's presidential campaign</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641691">Tape: 6 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett recalls a moment from President Barack Obama's campaign trail</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641692">Tape: 6 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett talks about the political climate in Washington, D.C.</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641693">Tape: 6 The Honorable Valerie Jarrett remembers the death of Trayvon Martin</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/641694">Tape: 6 Conclusion of 'An Evening with Valerie Jarrett'</a>
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