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Elaine Chao

Official portrait, 2019

18th United States Secretary of Transportation

In office
January 31, 2017 – January 11, 2021

President

Donald Trump

Deputy

Jeffrey A. Rosen
Steven G. Bradbury (acting)

Preceded by

Anthony Foxx

Succeeded by

Pete Buttigieg

24th United States Secretary of Labor

In office
January 29, 2001 – January 20, 2009

President

George W. Bush

Preceded by

Alexis Herman

Succeeded by

Hilda Solis

12th Director of the Peace Corps

In office
October 8, 1991 – November 13, 1992

President

George H. W. Bush

Preceded by

Paul Coverdell

Succeeded by

Carol Bellamy

4th United States Deputy Secretary of Transportation

In office
April 19, 1989 – October 18, 1991

President

George H. W. Bush

Preceded by

Mimi Weyforth Dawson

Succeeded by

James B. Busey IV

Chair of the Federal Maritime Commission

In office
April 29, 1988 – April 19, 1989

President

Ronald Reagan
George H. W. Bush

Preceded by

Edward Hickey

Succeeded by

James J. Carey

Commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission

In office
April 29, 1988 – April 19, 1989

President

Ronald Reagan
George H. W. Bush

Preceded by

Edward Hickey

Succeeded by

Ming Hsu

Personal details

Born

Elaine Lan Chao

March 26, 1953 (age 72)
Taipei, Taiwan

Citizenship

Taiwan
(1953–1971)
United States (1972–present)

Political party

Republican

Spouse

Mitch McConnell

(m. 1993)

Relations

Angela Chao (sister)

Parents

James S. C. Chao
Ruth Mulan Chu

Education

Mount Holyoke College (BA)
Dartmouth College
Harvard University (MBA)

Chinese name

Traditional Chinese

趙小蘭

Simplified Chinese

赵小兰

Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Zhào Xiǎolán
Wade–Giles	Chao⁴ Hsiao³-lan²
Yale Romanization	Chau Syaulan
IPA	[ʈʂâu̯ ɕi̯àu̯.lǎn]
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutping	Ziu⁶ Siu² Laan⁴

Elaine Lan Chao (born March 26, 1953) is an American businesswoman and former government official. She served as the United States Secretary of Labor from 2001 to 2009. She also served as the United States Secretary of Transportation from 2017 to 2021.

A member of the Republican Party, Chao was the first Asian American woman to be part of a presidential cabinet. A cabinet is a group of top advisors to the President. She resigned as transportation secretary after the January 6 United States Capitol attack.

Chao was born in Taipei, Taiwan. She moved to the United States when she was eight years old. Her father started a shipping company called the Foremost Group. Chao grew up in Queens, New York, and on Long Island. She earned degrees from Mount Holyoke College and Harvard Business School. Before her government roles, she worked in finance. She also served as director of the Peace Corps from 1991 to 1992.

Early Life and Education

Chao in Syosset High School's yearbook

Elaine Chao was born in Taipei, Taiwan, on March 26, 1953. She moved to the United States when she was eight years old. She is the oldest of six daughters. Her mother was Ruth Mulan Chu Chao, a historian. Her father was James S. C. Chao, a businessman. He started the shipping company Foremost Maritime Corporation in 1964.

In 1961, Chao came to the U.S. with her mother and two younger sisters. They traveled for 37 days on a freight ship. Her father had arrived three years earlier. He sent money home until his family could join him.

Chao has said her early life in America was a typical immigrant story. She noted that "everything was foreign to us." This included the culture, people, language, and food. She did not speak English when she arrived. Her father worked three jobs to support the family. The five family members lived in a one-bedroom apartment.

Chao went to Tsai Hsing Elementary School in Taiwan for kindergarten and first grade. She attended Syosset High School in Syosset, New York. She became a U.S. citizen when she was 19.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Mount Holyoke College. She also studied money and banking at Dartmouth College. She later received an MBA degree from Harvard Business School.

Career Highlights

Early Career in Government

Before working for the government, Chao was a vice president at Bank of America. She also worked as an international banker at Citicorp. She was chosen for a White House Fellowship during the Reagan Administration. This program gives young leaders experience in government.

Chao in 2005

In 1986, Chao became Deputy Administrator of the United States Maritime Administration. This is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. From 1988 to 1989, she led the Federal Maritime Commission. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush nominated her. She became Deputy Secretary of Transportation. She served in this role until 1991.

From 1991 to 1992, she was the director of the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps sends American volunteers to help people in other countries. She was the first Asian Pacific American to hold these positions. She helped the Peace Corps start programs in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. This included countries like Poland, Ukraine, and Russia.

Between Government Roles

After serving in President George H.W. Bush's administration, Chao worked for the United Way of America. She was president and CEO from 1992 to 1996. She was the first Asian Pacific American to lead this organization. She helped restore trust in the United Way after a financial problem.

From 1996 until 2001, Chao worked at a research organization in Washington, D.C. These groups, called "think tanks," study public policy. She also served on the board of the Independent Women's Forum.

U.S. Secretary of Labor (2001–2009)

Official Secretary of Labor photo

Elaine Chao served as the Secretary of Labor for all eight years of President George W. Bush's time in office. She was the longest-serving Secretary of Labor since Frances Perkins. The Senate approved her appointment without any opposing votes.

As Secretary of Labor, she worked to protect workers' rights. Her department made sure companies paid fair wages. They also worked to improve safety in workplaces.

Helping After Disasters

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, her department helped. They provided temporary jobs for cleanup efforts in New York. They also helped monitor health and safety at the disaster sites. The department gave unemployment money to those who lost their jobs.

After the 2005 hurricane season, which included Hurricane Katrina, her department helped again. They gave nearly $380 million in grants for cleanup work. They also provided help to people affected by the storms. Her team worked to ensure worker safety in the affected areas.

Improving Workplace Safety

During her time, the Department of Labor saw very low rates of worker injuries and deaths. They also recovered record amounts of unpaid wages for workers. Her department worked to make mines safer. They proposed increasing fines for mining companies that did not follow safety rules.

Post-Bush Administration (2009–2017)

After leaving the Labor Department, Chao returned to working at a think tank. She also shared her views on Fox News and other media.

She served on the boards of several large companies and non-profit groups. These included Wells Fargo and News Corp. In 2011, she received the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service.

In 2015, she left the board of Bloomberg Philanthropies. This was because of their plans to support a group working against coal use.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation (2017–2021)

Chao at her confirmation hearing to be Secretary of Transportation

In 2016, President-elect Donald Trump chose Chao to be Secretary of Transportation. The U.S. Senate confirmed her on January 31, 2017. The vote was 93 to 6. Her husband, Mitch McConnell, was the Senate majority leader at the time. He did not vote.

As Secretary of Transportation, Chao led important U.S. delegations. She went to the enthronement ceremony for Japanese emperor Naruhito. She also led the U.S. delegation to the inauguration of Indonesia's President Joko Widodo.

Resignation After January 6

On January 7, 2021, Chao resigned from her position. This was the day after the January 6 United States Capitol attack. She was the highest-ranking official to resign because of the events. She said the violence was "traumatic and entirely avoidable." She stated it "deeply troubled" her.

New Technologies and Infrastructure

In 2017, Chao started a program to test drones. This program aimed to safely add drone flights into the national airspace. In 2019, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allowed UPS Flight Forward to deliver packages by drone. Her department also updated rules for self-driving cars and trucks.

Chao and her team worked to improve the process for building new transportation projects. They also focused on making regulations simpler to reduce costs.

COVID-19 Response

In May 2020, during the COVID-19 outbreak, Chao warned airlines. She told them to follow rules for ticket refunds. She insisted airlines give cash refunds when required by law. She also urged them to offer cash refunds as much as possible.

Chao announced $1.2 billion in grants for airports. This money helped airports stay ready for when people started traveling again. The funds were used for things like runway lighting.

Her department also helped truckers deliver important goods. They worked with states to keep highway rest areas open. This included allowing food trucks to serve truckers. The CARES Act provided $114 billion in aid for transportation. This included money for public transit, airports, and Amtrak.

Other Initiatives

In 2019, Chao created the Non-Traditional and Emerging Transportation Technology (NETT) Council. This group looks at new transportation technologies. It helps figure out how to regulate them.

She also launched the ROUTES initiative in 2019. This program aims to improve transportation in rural areas. It helps rural communities get resources and technical help.

After the Trump Administration

Chao speaking at an event in June 2022

In August 2021, Chao joined the board of directors for the Kroger supermarket chain. She also joined the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Awards and Degrees

Elaine Chao has received 38 honorary doctorates. These are special degrees given to honor achievements. In 2006, she was named a winner of the Great Immigrants Award.

Personal Life

Chao and her husband, Mitch McConnell

In 1993, Elaine Chao married Mitch McConnell. He is a U.S. Senator from Kentucky.

The University of Louisville has the "McConnell-Chao Archives." This collection opened in 2009. It is part of the university's McConnell Center.

Campaigning

Chao has been very active in her husband's political campaigns. Before the 2014 U.S. Senate elections, she attended many events for him. She was seen as a key reason for his victory. McConnell has said she is his biggest asset.

Friends describe Chao as adding a "softer touch" to McConnell's style. She has been called "the campaign hugger." The New York Times described Chao as "unapologetically ambitious."

Chao's family has given a lot of money to her husband's campaigns. They are also major supporters of the Republican Party of Kentucky.

Family

Elaine Chao and her father James S. C. Chao met Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei, Taiwan, in 2016.

Elaine Chao has five younger sisters. One of her sisters was Angela Chao, who was the CEO of the Foremost Group. Sadly, Angela passed away in February 2024.

Chao's sister Grace is married to Gordon Hartogensis. He served as a director for a part of the Labor Department.

In 2012, the Chao family donated $40 million to Harvard Business School. This money was for scholarships for students of Chinese heritage. It also helped build the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center. This building is named after Chao's late mother. It is the first Harvard Business School building named after a woman. It is also the first named after an American of Asian ancestry. Ruth Mulan Chu Chao went back to school at age 51. She earned a master's degree in Asian literature and history.

Images for kids

Official portrait, 2019
Chao in Syosset High School's yearbook
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management - Secretary Elaine Chao Presents Awards at the 2005 Honor Awards Ceremony - DPLA - 7b912d5460eb935a48628bd13d33f48 (page 287) (cropped).jpg

Chao in 2005
Official Secretary of Labor photo
Chao at her confirmation hearing to be Secretary of Transportation
Chao speaking at an event in June 2022
Chao and her husband, Mitch McConnell
Elaine Chao and her father James S. C. Chao met Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei, Taiwan, in 2016.