Carla Anderson Hills facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carla Hills
10th United States Trade Representative
In office February 6, 1989 – January 20, 1993
President	George H. W. Bush
Preceded by	Clayton Yeutter
Succeeded by	Mickey Kantor
5th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
In office March 10, 1975 – January 20, 1977
President	Gerald Ford
Preceded by	James Thomas Lynn
Succeeded by	Patricia Roberts Harris
20th United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division
In office 1973–1975
President	Richard Nixon Gerald Ford
Preceded by	Harlington Wood Jr.
Succeeded by	Rex E. Lee
Co-Chair of the Council on Foreign Relations
In office June 30, 2007 – July 1, 2017 Serving with Robert Rubin
President	Richard N. Haass
Preceded by	Peter G. Peterson
Succeeded by	David Rubenstein
Personal details
Born	Carla Anderson (1934-01-03) January 3, 1934 (age 91) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Roderick M. Hills ​ ​ (m. 1958; his death 2014)​
Children	4
Education	Stanford University (BA) St Hilda's College, Oxford Yale University (LLB)

Carla Anderson Hills (born January 3, 1934) is an American lawyer and a former important government official. She is a member of the Republican Party. Carla Hills was the 5th Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for President Gerald Ford from 1975 to 1977. Later, she became the 10th United States Trade Representative for President George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1993.

Carla Hills made history by being the first woman to hold both of these high-level positions. She was also one of the first women to serve in a president's top team, called the Cabinet.

Early Life & Education

Carla Anderson was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1934. Her parents were Carl H. Anderson and Edith A. Hume.

She went to Stanford University and earned her first degree there. She also studied at St Hilda's College, Oxford in England. In 1958, she earned her law degree from Yale Law School. That same year, she married Roderick M. Hills. They had four children together: Laura, Roderick Jr., Megan, and Alison.

Government Career & Public Service

Carla Hills being sworn in as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in 1975.

Carla Hills became a lawyer in California in 1959. She worked as an Assistant United States Attorney in Los Angeles from 1959 to 1961. For many years, she also worked in private law firms. She even taught as a professor at UCLA. She is an expert in federal law and rules about fair business practices.

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Before becoming a Cabinet member, Hills worked for the U.S. Department of Justice. She led the Civil Division as an Assistant Attorney General.

In 1975, President Gerald Ford chose her to lead the HUD Department. This department helps with housing and city development. Some people were surprised by her nomination because she didn't have much direct experience in housing. However, President Ford later said she was very good at her job. She fought hard for HUD's budget and often won.

U.S. Trade Representative

Carla Hills' official portrait.

From 1989 to 1993, Carla Hills served as the United States Trade Representative for President George H. W. Bush. In this role, she was in charge of trade deals between the U.S. and other countries. She worked to make trade fair for the U.S.

She was a strong supporter of free trade, which means countries can trade goods without many taxes or rules. A very important part of her job was negotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This agreement created a large free-trade zone between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Carla Hills with President George H. W. Bush during the NAFTA signing ceremony.

In 2000, Mexico gave her a special award called the Order of the Aztec Eagle. This is the highest honor Mexico gives to people who are not Mexican citizens. It showed how much they appreciated her work on NAFTA.

She also played a key role in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). This was a big effort to lower trade taxes and remove barriers for trade among many countries around the world.

Later Career & Activities

After leaving government in 1993, Carla Hills became a consultant and public speaker. She worked with her own company, Hills & Company International Consultants. She also served on the boards of several large international companies.

In 2008, Yale University gave her an honorary degree, which is a special award for her achievements. She has received similar honors from other schools too.

Carla Hills is also involved in groups that focus on international policy and relations. For example, she helped start the Forum for International Policy. She also works with groups that try to improve relations between the U.S. and China.

North American Community

In 2005, Carla Hills was part of a group that looked at the future of North America. This group suggested ways to make trade and cooperation stronger between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. They recommended things like making trade more efficient and helping schools teach about North America. This could include teacher exchange programs to help students learn different languages.

Awards and Honors

• In 1979, Carla Hills was featured on a "Supersisters" trading card. This set celebrated important women.
• In 1993, she received the U.S. Senator John Heinz Award for Greatest Public Service. This award recognizes excellent public officials.

See also

In Spanish: Carla Anderson Hills para niños

• List of female United States Cabinet members