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Ann Lewis
Ann Lewis (138) (13315485475).jpg
Counselor to the President
In office
March 10, 1999 – January 20, 2001
President Bill Clinton
Preceded by Paul Begala
Succeeded by Karen Hughes
White House Communications Director
In office
July 31, 1997 – March 10, 1999
President Bill Clinton
Preceded by Donald A. Baer
Succeeded by Loretta Ucelli
Personal details
Born
Ann Frank

(1937-12-19) December 19, 1937 (age 87)
Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouses Gerald A. Lewis (Divorced 1968)
Myron Sponder
Relatives Barney Frank (brother)
Education Harvard University

Ann C. Frank Lewis, born on December 19, 1937, is an American political expert. She worked for the Democratic Party. Ann Lewis was a key person in the Clinton administration. She also held important jobs for Hillary Clinton. Today, she helps lead a group called the Democratic Majority for Israel.

Ann Lewis's Life Story

Ann Lewis was born in 1937 in Jersey City, New Jersey. She grew up in a Jewish family. Her older brother is Barney Frank, who was a U.S. Congressman. Ann went to Radcliffe College, which was part of Harvard University. She later moved to Florida. She married Myron Sponder in 1989.

Ann Lewis's Career in Politics

Early Political Work

Ann Lewis started her career working for different political groups. She was the national director for Americans for Democratic Action. She also worked as the political director for the Democratic National Committee (DNC). From 1981 to 1985, she helped guide the DNC's political efforts. She also served as chief of staff for Congresswoman Barbara Mikulski.

Working in the White House

Ann Lewis played a big role in President Bill Clinton's re-election campaign. She was the director of communications and deputy campaign manager from 1995 to 1996. After that, she worked directly in the White House. From 1997 to 2000, she was the director of communications and a special advisor to President Clinton.

Supporting Hillary Clinton

After her time in the White House, Ann Lewis continued to work in politics. She became a senior advisor for Hillary Clinton's 2000 campaign. Hillary Clinton was running for the U.S. Senate at that time. Ann also led the DNC Women's Vote Center from 2003 to 2004. This group worked to connect with and encourage women voters.

Hillary Clinton's Presidential Campaigns

Ann Lewis was a senior advisor for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaigns. She helped with both the 2008 and 2016 campaigns. In 2016, she also co-chaired a group called Jewish Women for Hillary.

Other Important Work

After the 2008 campaign, Ann Lewis started NoLimits.org. This group teaches people about public policies that Hillary Clinton supported. She also served as president of the JAC Education Foundation.

Teaching and Commissions

In 2001, Ann Lewis taught at Brandeis University. She taught a class about the presidency. She also worked at the University of Pennsylvania as a Public Policy Fellow. President Clinton appointed her to lead a commission. This group celebrated women in American history. She also chaired a U.S. Government group for a special session of the General Assembly. This session focused on women's progress.

Women's Suffrage Collection

Ann Lewis has a special collection of items. It's called the Ann Lewis Women's Suffrage Collection. It includes objects and papers related to the suffrage movement. This movement fought for women's right to vote.

Groups Ann Lewis is Part Of

Ann Lewis has been involved with many important groups. She was on the board of the Jewish Women's Archive. In 1971, she helped start the National Women's Political Caucus. This group works to get more women involved in politics. She also supported Ready for Hillary. This group helped build support for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. Ann Lewis is also on the advisory board for Emerge America.

Ann Lewis's Writings and Speeches

Ann Lewis has written articles about American politics. One article is called "The West Wing: An Insider's View." She also advised on a book called Jews and American Politics. Ann Lewis often speaks about politics and current events. In 1999, she gave a speech in Austria about "Media and Democracy." She has also traveled to other countries. She led workshops in South Africa to prepare for their first democratic elections. She also helped train political leaders in Eastern Europe.

In 2008, Ann Lewis spoke about the role of the U.S. president. She said the president should support decisions made by the people of Israel. She believed it was not up to the U.S. to choose between political parties there.

Awards and Honors

In 2002, Ann Lewis was nominated for an Emmy Award. This was for her work on the script for America: A Tribute to Heroes. This show was broadcast after the September 11 attacks. In 2009, she received the Belle Moskowitz Award. This award was given by the National Jewish Democratic Council. President Bill Clinton was a special guest at the event. In 2015, she was named one of The Forward 50. This list recognizes influential Jewish Americans.

See Also

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