Dana Perino facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dana Perino
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Perino in 2016
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| Member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors | |
| In office June 30, 2010 – December 31, 2012 |
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| Appointed by | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Ted Kaufman |
| Succeeded by | Matt Armstrong |
| 26th White House Press Secretary | |
| In office September 14, 2007 – January 20, 2009 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Deputy | Tony Fratto |
| Preceded by | Tony Snow |
| Succeeded by | Robert Gibbs |
| White House Deputy Press Secretary | |
| In office January 20, 2005 – September 14, 2007 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Secretary | Scott McClellan Tony Snow |
| Preceded by | Scott McClellan |
| Succeeded by | Tony Fratto |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Dana Marie Perino
May 9, 1972 Evanston, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Peter McMahon
(m. 1998) |
| Education | Colorado State University Pueblo (BA) University of Illinois Springfield (MA) |
Dana Marie Perino, born on May 9, 1972, is an American political commentator and author. She served as the 26th White House Press Secretary for President George W. Bush from 2007 to 2009. She was the second woman to hold this important job, after Dee Dee Myers.
Today, Perino is a well-known political commentator on Fox News. She is also a co-host of the network's talk show The Five. In 2017, she started hosting The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino. In early 2021, she moved to co-anchor America's Newsroom with Bill Hemmer.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Dana Perino was born in Evanston, Wyoming on May 9, 1972. She grew up in Denver, Colorado. Her family has Italian roots. She went to Ponderosa High School in Parker.
Perino earned a bachelor's degree in mass communications from Colorado State University Pueblo. She also studied political science and Spanish. While in college, she was part of the forensics (public speaking) team. She also worked at the campus TV station and a radio station. Later, she earned a master's degree in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS). During her time at UIS, she worked as a reporter covering the Illinois Capitol.
Early Career in Washington, D.C.
After college, Perino moved to Washington, D.C.. She worked for Congressman Scott McInnis. She then spent almost four years as the press secretary for Congressman Dan Schaefer. He was in charge of the House Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
In 1998, Schaefer retired, and Perino moved to Great Britain with her husband, Peter McMahon. In 2001, she returned to Washington, D.C. She became a spokesperson for the Department of Justice for two years. After that, Perino joined the White House staff. She worked as an associate director of communications for the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). There, she helped with media relations and public outreach.
White House Press Secretary Role
Dana Perino was hired by White House chief of staff Andy Card in 2001. She first worked as an associate director of communications for the White House CEQ in 2002.
From 2005 to 2007, Perino served as Deputy Press Secretary. She also filled in as the Acting White House Press Secretary for a month in 2007. This was while Tony Snow, the Press Secretary at the time, was getting medical treatment.
On August 31, 2007, President George W. Bush announced that Tony Snow was leaving his job. Dana Perino then became the White House Press Secretary. She held this position from September 14, 2007, until President Bush's term ended in January 2009.
In December 2008, a journalist threw shoes at President Bush during a press conference in Baghdad. Bush avoided the shoes. However, Perino's eye was hurt by a microphone stand during the event.
Career After the Bush Administration
After leaving the White House, Dana Perino became a political commentator for Fox News. She is a regular co-host on the talk show The Five. In 2009, President Barack Obama nominated her to serve on the Broadcasting Board of Governors. This agency oversees government-sponsored international broadcasting. The Senate confirmed her appointment in 2010.
In 2010, she also started teaching a class on political communications at George Washington University. In 2011, she joined Crown Forum, a book publisher, as an editorial director. She has since left that position.
Recent Media Work
In September 2016, Perino started a weekly podcast called Perino & Stirewalt: I'll Tell You What. She co-hosted it with Chris Stirewalt. The show continued until Stirewalt left Fox News.
In 2022, she began serving as a guest host for Fox News' late-night talk show Gutfeld!. She continues to fill in for the host, Greg Gutfeld, regularly. In August 2023, Fox News Radio announced Perino would host a new podcast called Perino on Politics. This podcast focuses on the 2024 presidential election.
On August 30, 2023, Fox News Media announced Perino would help moderate the second Republican presidential primary debate. She moderated it alongside Stuart Varney and Ilia Calderón. During the debate, she asked the candidates to "vote [one of their fellow candidates] off the island." Most candidates did not want to answer this question.
Other Appearances
In May 2012, Perino appeared on Jeopardy! during its "Power Players" week. She competed against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and CNBC's David Faber.
Personal Life
Dana Perino met her husband, Peter McMahon, in August 1997. They got married in 1998.
Perino has lived in Bay Head, New Jersey. She had a Vizsla dog named Jasper, who passed away in September 2021. A few months later, she announced that she and her husband got another Vizsla named Percy.
In May 2023, Perino received an honorary doctorate from CSU Pueblo. This is her alma mater, the university she attended.
See also
- New Yorkers in journalism
