Elaine Duke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elaine Duke
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| 7th United States Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security | |
| In office April 10, 2017 – April 15, 2018 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Alejandro Mayorkas |
| Succeeded by | Claire Grady (acting) |
| Acting United States Secretary of Homeland Security | |
| In office July 31, 2017 – December 6, 2017 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | John F. Kelly |
| Succeeded by | Kirstjen Nielsen |
| United States Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Management | |
| In office June 27, 2008 – April 2010 |
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| President | George W. Bush Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Paul A. Schneider |
| Succeeded by | Rafael Borras |
| Chief Procurement Officer of the United States Department of Homeland Security | |
| In office December 5, 2005 – October 28, 2007 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Gregory Rothwell |
| Succeeded by | Thomas W. Essig |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Elaine Costanzo
June 26, 1958 |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Harold Hanson
(m. 2006) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Southern New Hampshire University (BS) Chaminade University (MBA) |
Elaine Costanzo Duke (born June 26, 1958) is an American civil servant. A civil servant is someone who works for the government. She served as the United States Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security from April 2017 to April 2018. She also became the acting United States Secretary of Homeland Security in July 2017. She held this important role until December 2017.
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Elaine Duke: A Leader in Government
Elaine Duke has spent many years working for the United States government. She has held several important positions. Her work focused on keeping the country safe and managing large government departments.
Early Life and Education
Elaine Duke was born in Ohio. Her family has roots in Italy. She studied business management at New Hampshire College. This school is now called Southern New Hampshire University. She also earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. She received her MBA from Chaminade University of Honolulu.
Her Career in Public Service
Before joining the Department of Homeland Security, Elaine Duke worked as a consultant. She helped different organizations with their operations.
She served as the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Management. This role meant she helped manage the daily operations of the department. She worked under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. She held this position from July 2008 to April 2010. Elaine Duke has over 28 years of experience working for the federal government. In 2018, she was recognized for her excellent work in public service.
Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security
In January 2017, President Donald Trump chose Elaine Duke for a new role. He nominated her to be the United States Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security. This is a very high-ranking position.
The United States Senate had to approve her nomination. She had a hearing where senators asked her questions. On April 4, 2017, the Senate voted to confirm her. This meant she was officially approved for the job. She started her new role on April 10, 2017. In February 2018, she announced her plan to retire from this position. She retired in April 2018 after more than 30 years of government service.
Acting Secretary of Homeland Security
In July 2017, the Secretary of Homeland Security, John F. Kelly, took on a new role. He became the White House Chief of Staff. Because of this, Elaine Duke was named the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security. She led the department during this time.
In September 2017, Hurricane Maria caused a lot of damage in Puerto Rico. Elaine Duke made an important decision to help. She temporarily stopped a law called the Jones Act. This law usually requires goods shipped between U.S. places to be on American ships. By waiving it, foreign ships could bring aid to Puerto Rico more easily.
During this time, she spoke about the government's response to the hurricane. She later visited Puerto Rico to see the situation firsthand. She met with officials and clarified her earlier remarks. She stated that there was "much more work to do." After her time as Acting Secretary ended, she shared her views on some government policies.
Personal Life
Elaine Duke married Harold Vincent Hanson in 2006. He is a retired Navy member. She has two sons from a previous marriage. Elaine Duke is a member of the Republican Party.
