Cindy McCain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cindy McCain
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Official portrait, 2022
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| Executive Director of the World Food Programme | |
| Assumed office April 5, 2023 |
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| Secretary General | António Guterres |
| Preceded by | David Beasley |
| 12th United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture | |
| In office November 5, 2021 – April 5, 2023 |
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| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Kip E. Tom |
| Succeeded by | Rodney Hunter (Chargé d'Affaires) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Cindy Lou Hensley
May 20, 1954 Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4, including Meghan |
| Relatives | Jim Hensley (father) |
| Education | University of Southern California (BA, MA) |
Cindy Lou McCain (born May 20, 1954) is an American leader who helps people around the world. She is currently the Executive Director of the World Food Programme. This organization works to end hunger globally. Before this, from 2021 to 2023, she was the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture. She is also the wife of the late U.S. Senator John McCain from Arizona. He ran for president in 2008.
Cindy McCain grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. Her father, Jim Hensley, owned a large beer distribution company. After college, she became a special education teacher. She married John McCain in 1980. They moved to Arizona, where her husband became a U.S. Congressman. They had three children together and adopted another. From 1988 to 1995, she ran a charity called the American Voluntary Medical Team (AVMT). It sent doctors and nurses to help people in places affected by disasters or war.
After her father passed away in 2000, Cindy became the head of Hensley & Co.. This is one of the biggest beer distributors in the U.S. She was involved in her husband's presidential campaigns. She also continued her charity work, serving on boards for groups like Operation Smile and CARE. From 2017 until his death in 2018, she supported her husband during his illness.
Since then, Cindy McCain has remained active in public life. Even though she is a Republican, she supported Joe Biden in the 2020 United States presidential election. President Biden later nominated her to be an ambassador. She focused on helping with the 2022–2023 food crises. These problems were made worse by the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and climate change.
Contents
- Early Life and Education
- Marriage and Family
- American Voluntary Medical Team
- Role in 2000 Presidential Campaign
- Between Presidential Campaigns
- Role in 2008 Presidential Campaign
- Subsequent Activities
- Husband's Illness and Death
- United States Ambassador
- Executive Director of the World Food Programme
- Awards and Honors
- See also
Early Life and Education
Cindy Lou Hensley was born in Phoenix, Arizona. Her parents were James Hensley and Marguerite "Smitty" Hensley. She grew up in a wealthy area of Phoenix. She had two half-sisters from her parents' previous marriages. In 1968, Cindy Hensley was named the Junior Rodeo Queen of Arizona. She went to Central High School in Phoenix and graduated in 1972.
Hensley then went to the University of Southern California. She joined the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She earned a bachelor's degree in education in 1976. She continued her studies at USC and received a master's degree in special education in 1978. She worked on a special program to help children with severe disabilities. After college, she worked as a special education teacher for children with Down syndrome at Agua Fria High School in Avondale, Arizona.
Marriage and Family
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Cindy Hensley met John McCain in April 1979 in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was a U.S. Navy officer. She was on a family vacation. She was talking to Jill Biden, who suggested she talk to John McCain. Her father then introduced them. John McCain was almost 18 years older than her.
John McCain had been married before and had three children. He and Cindy quickly started a relationship. They traveled between Arizona and Washington to see each other. John McCain ended his first marriage in April 1980.
Cindy Hensley and John McCain married on May 17, 1980, in Phoenix. They signed an agreement to keep their family's money separate.
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Her family's business and political connections helped her new husband in Arizona politics. She campaigned with him when he first ran for U.S. Congress in 1982. Her own money helped his campaign when it needed funds.
After her husband was elected, the McCains moved to Alexandria, Virginia. She wrote many handwritten notes to people. She felt homesick for Arizona. She had several miscarriages.
She moved back to Arizona in early 1984. Their daughter Meghan was born later that year. Their sons John Sidney IV ("Jack") was born in 1986, and James ("Jimmy") in 1988. Their fourth child, Bridget, was adopted in 1991. Cindy's parents lived nearby and helped raise the children. Her husband was often in Washington.
American Voluntary Medical Team
Founding and Mission
In 1988, Cindy McCain started the American Voluntary Medical Team (AVMT). This was a non-profit organization. It sent doctors, nurses, and other medical staff to provide emergency care. They went to places affected by disasters or war. These included Micronesia, Vietnam, Kuwait, Zaire, Iraq, and El Salvador. She led 55 of these trips over seven years. AVMT also helped sick children around the world. In 1993, McCain and AVMT received an award from Food for the Hungry.
Adoption
In 1991, AVMT went to Dhaka, Bangladesh, after a big storm. At Mother Teresa's orphanage, McCain met two baby girls who needed medical help in the U.S. She decided to adopt one of them, who she named Bridget. Her husband agreed. The adoption was completed in 1993. She also helped a family friend adopt the other girl.
Aftermath
Later, McCain started a new group called the Hensley Family Foundation. It gives money to children's programs. She was mostly a stay-at-home mom in the 1990s. She also worked as a leader at Hensley & Co.
Role in 2000 Presidential Campaign
Cindy McCain was active in her husband's campaign for President in 2000. She did not like the media attention or politics much. She mostly offered support and talked about her children and charity work.
She was upset by the negative attacks against her husband during the campaign. She later forgave those responsible. She was chosen to lead the Arizona group at the 2000 Republican National Convention.
Between Presidential Campaigns
In 2000, she became the head of Hensley & Co. after her father's death. It is one of the largest Anheuser-Busch beer distributors. Cindy, her children, and one of John McCain's children own most of the company. As chair, she helps with big decisions but does not run the daily operations. By 2007, she earned over $400,000 a year from Hensley. She also owned shares in Anheuser-Busch. She and her children also own a small part of the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team.
McCain became involved with Operation Smile in 2001. She went on medical trips to Morocco, Vietnam, and India. She is on their board of directors. She joined the board of CARE in 2005. She is also on the board of the HALO Trust. She has visited places like Cambodia and Angola to see efforts to remove landmines. She gives money to these groups and checks how they use it.
In April 2004, McCain had a stroke caused by high blood pressure. She recovered after several months of physical therapy. She owns a home in Coronado, California. Her family vacationed there when she was young. She also owns other properties in California, Arizona, and Virginia. She is an amateur pilot and race car driver.
Role in 2008 Presidential Campaign
She was very active in her husband's second presidential campaign in 2007 and 2008. She did not want him to run at first because of the difficult 2000 campaign. She also worried about her children, especially her son Jimmy, who was going to serve in the Iraq War. But she supported her husband. She often returned to Arizona for family duties or her charity work overseas. She preferred to travel with her husband.
McCain said that Americans wanted a First Lady of the United States who would have a traditional role. She said she would continue her work with charities. She wanted to be a leader for humanitarian work, like Diana, Princess of Wales. In April 2008, she joined the board of Grateful Nation Montana. This group helps children of service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
She criticized the Bush administration for not sending enough troops to the Iraq War. In February 2008, McCain criticized Michelle Obama, who had said she was "really proud of my country" for the first time. McCain replied, "I am proud of my country."
The media paid a lot of attention to her wealth and spending. She later released some of her tax information. It showed she had $6 million in income in 2006.
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In June 2008, polls showed that many voters viewed McCain favorably. Her style and fashion were often discussed. She was compared to former first lady Nancy Reagan.
McCain spoke at the 2008 Republican National Convention. On the first night, she spoke with First Lady Laura Bush about hurricane relief. On the last night, she introduced her children. In October 2008, she spoke strongly against Barack Obama's campaign. She said it was the "dirtiest in history." She also criticized his vote against funding a war bill. On November 4, 2008, she was emotional as her husband lost the election to Obama.
Subsequent Activities
After the election, McCain continued her humanitarian work. In January 2009, she traveled to Dubai, India, and Cambodia. She said she was glad the campaign was over. She hoped President Obama would succeed in dealing with the global economic crisis.
She supported LGBT rights. In April 2009, she appeared with her daughter Meghan at a meeting for Log Cabin Republicans. She also posed for the NOH8 Campaign, which supports gay rights. In 2010, she appeared in another NOH8 ad against bullying.
In September 2009, she spoke publicly about her health challenges for the first time. She spoke at the International Headache Congress to raise awareness. During her husband's 2010 re-election campaign, she made few public appearances.
In March 2011, McCain spoke before a committee in Congress. She asked for continued aid to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
During the 2016 United States presidential election, McCain and her husband did not vote for the Republican candidate.
Husband's Illness and Death
In July 2017, her husband was diagnosed with a serious brain tumor. She released a statement saying, "We as a family will face the next hurdle together." Senator McCain received treatment. After December 2017, he stayed in Arizona.
By 2018, McCain's wealth was estimated to be at least $200 million. Most of it came from her share of Hensley & Co. The couple owned properties in Phoenix, Sedona, San Diego, and Virginia.
McCain criticized President Trump in February 2018. This was after he repeatedly criticized her husband's vote against a healthcare bill. McCain said, "We need more compassion, we need more empathy, we need more togetherness." In July 2018, she thanked caregivers and friends for their support during her husband's illness.
John McCain passed away on August 25, 2018, at age 81. Cindy was present at his services. He was honored in Arizona and Washington, D.C. He was buried at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery.
Cindy McCain later said she was not interested in being appointed to her husband's Senate seat. She became chair of the McCain Institute's board. She also joined the #ActsofCivility campaign. This group encourages people to talk with those they disagree with.
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She continued to criticize American politics. In September 2019, she said the Republican Party was "excluding people for the wrong reasons." She praised Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, as good friends. In June 2020, McCain said she would not support Donald Trump's re-election. In September 2020, she fully supported Biden's presidential candidacy. Her support helped Biden win Arizona in the 2020 election. This was the first time a Democratic presidential candidate won Arizona since 1996.
McCain was part of the team planning for Joe Biden's presidential transition. She advised on issues for women and children. She remains a registered Republican.
In January 2021, the Maricopa County Republican Party criticized McCain for supporting Biden. She tweeted that she would "continue to support candidates who put country over party." Later that month, the Arizona Republican Party also criticized her. She replied that it was an "honor" to be in a group of Arizonans who had been criticized by the party.
McCain's book about her life with John McCain, called Stronger, was published in April 2021.
United States Ambassador
The Biden administration considered McCain for an ambassadorship. In late May 2021, it was reported that President Biden would nominate her. She would serve as the Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture. This was her first time working on food policy issues. The White House announced her nomination on June 23, 2021. The Senate confirmed her on October 26, 2021.
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She became ambassador on November 5, 2021. She presented her credentials to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization in January 2022.
A main part of her job was dealing with the 2022–2023 food crises. Much of this emergency came from the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. About half of all grains for the UN World Food Programme came from Ukraine. She worked with other officials to prevent famine. In March 2022, she visited the Poland–Ukraine border to see the refugee situation.
In January 2023, McCain said the crisis was still huge, especially in Africa. She called it "the worst food crisis... since World War II." She blamed Russia, but also mentioned effects from the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.
Executive Director of the World Food Programme
Cindy McCain was appointed as the new Executive Director of the U.N. World Food Programme on March 2, 2023. She was chosen by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. McCain took over from David Beasley on April 5, 2023.
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On October 22, 2023, McCain warned that the blockade of the Gaza Strip could cause a humanitarian disaster. As the food insecurity crisis in the Gaza Strip worsened, she said that aid workers needed full access to Gaza. In May 2024, McCain stated that there was a "full-blown famine" in parts of Gaza.
McCain also said that other areas of the world needed attention. These included serious food shortages in Sudan, other parts of Africa, and Haiti.
Awards and Honors
McCain was added to the Arizona Women's Hall of Fame in 2019. She also received the 2020 Heritage Award from the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. McCain received two honorary degrees in May 2019. One was from her old school, USC, and the other from George Washington University.
See also
In Spanish: Cindy Hensley McCain para niños
