Valerie Jarrett
The trusted, behind-the-scenes architect of the Obama presidency, blending Chicago pragmatism with a vision for inclusive governance.
Born 1956 (age 70)·American businesswoman and former government official·Birthday: November 14·Baby Boomers
Biography
Valerie Jarrett's influence stems from a unique blend of deep personal trust and sharp political instinct, forged over decades of friendship with the Obamas. A Chicago lawyer and real estate executive, her career in city government under Mayor Harold Washington gave her a gritty understanding of how policy affects streets and neighborhoods. When Barack Obama entered the White House, Jarrett became his senior advisor and the conduit for his relationship with the public, business leaders, and state officials. She operated as the administration's internal compass, often described as the person who knew Obama's mind best. Her role extended beyond politics; she chaired the White House Council on Women and Girls, pushing for policies on equal pay and violence prevention. After the presidency, she seamlessly transitioned to steering the Obama Foundation, shaping its global mission from the ground up.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Valerie was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Valerie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Valerie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the longest-serving Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama across both terms of his administration.
- Chaired the White House Council on Women and Girls, advocating for policies to advance the status of women and families.
- Led the Obama Foundation as CEO, overseeing the development of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.
- Previously served as CEO of The Habitat Company, a major real estate development firm in Chicago.
Did You Know?
She was born in Shiraz, Iran, where her father, a pathologist, was running a hospital for children.
She is the granddaughter of Robert Robinson Taylor, the first accredited African-American architect.
She was Michelle Obama's boss at the Chicago mayor's office, where she first introduced the future First Lady to Barack Obama.
She served on the board of directors for the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.
“You can have it all, but you can't have it all at the same time.”
