Ann Lewis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ann Lewis
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 is known for her work with the Democratic Party. Lewis worked in the White House for President Bill Clinton. She also held important roles for Hillary Clinton. Today, she helps lead the Democratic Majority for Israel.

Ann Lewis's Early Life

Ann Lewis was born in 1937 in Jersey City, New Jersey. She grew up in a Jewish family. Her younger brother is Barney Frank, who became a well-known United States Congressman.

Education and Family

Ann Lewis went to Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This college was once a women's college connected to Harvard University. While there, she met Gerald A. Lewis. They got married and moved to Florida. They later divorced in 1968, and Ann moved back to Massachusetts. In 1989, Ann married Myron Sponder.

Ann Lewis's Career in Politics

Ann Lewis has had a long and important career in American politics. She has worked for many different organizations and leaders.

Starting Her Career

..... She was in charge of their policies, legal work, and how they talked to the public. She also led Americans for Democratic Action. She was the political director for the Democratic National Committee (DNC). The DNC is the main organization for the Democratic Party. She also worked as chief of staff for Congresswoman Barbara Mikulski.

Working for President Clinton

Ann Lewis played a big part in President Clinton's re-election. From 1995 to 1996, she was a director for his campaign. She helped with communications and managed parts of the campaign. Later, from 1997 to 2000, she worked directly in the White House. She was the director of communications and an advisor to President Bill Clinton.

Working with 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 campaign for U.S. Senate in 2000.

Helping Women Voters

From 2003 to 2004, Ann Lewis led a major effort for the Democratic Party. She was the national chair of the DNC Women's Vote Center. Her job was to reach out to, involve, and encourage women to vote.

Hillary Clinton's Presidential Campaigns

Ann Lewis was a senior advisor for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2016. She also co-chaired a group called "Jewish Women for Hillary" in 2016.

Other Important Work

After the 2008 campaign, Ann Lewis started an organization called NoLimits.org. This group helped teach people about the public policies 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. 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 meeting about women's progress.

Ann Lewis's Collection of Women's Suffrage Items

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

Ann Lewis's Connections

Ann Lewis has been involved with many 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," a group that helped build support for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. Ann Lewis is also on the national advisory board for Emerge America.

Ann Lewis's Writings and Speeches

Ann Lewis has written articles about American politics. She wrote "The West Wing: An Insider's View" for a television journal. She also helped with a book called Jews and American Politics.

Speaking Around the World

Ann Lewis often speaks about politics and current events. In 1999, she gave a main speech in Austria about "Media and Democracy." She has been part of U.S. groups that traveled to other countries. She went to Iceland for a conference on women. She also led workshops in South Africa to help prepare for their first democratic elections. She has trained political leaders in Eastern Europe.

Views on Israel

In 2008, Ann Lewis spoke for Hillary Clinton's campaign. She said that the U.S. President's job is to support decisions made by the people of Israel. She stated it is not up to the U.S. to choose between Israel's political parties.

Awards and Honors

Ann Lewis has received several awards for her work.

Emmy Nomination

In 2002, she 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.

Belle Moskowitz Award

In June 2009, Ann Lewis received the first National Jewish Democratic Council's Belle Moskowitz Award. Former President Bill Clinton was a special guest at the event. Many other important people also attended.

The Forward 50

In 2015, Ann Lewis was named one of The Forward 50. This is a list of influential Jewish Americans.