Jamie McCourt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jamie McCourt
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Jamie McCourt in 2017
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| United States Ambassador to France and Monaco |
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| In office December 18, 2017 – January 20, 2021 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Jane D. Hartley |
| Succeeded by | Denise Bauer |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jamie D. Luskin
December 5, 1953 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Frank McCourt
(m. 1979; div. 2011) |
| Education | Georgetown University (BA) University of Maryland, Baltimore (JD) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MBA) |
Jamie D. McCourt, born Jamie D. Luskin on December 5, 1953, is an American businesswoman and former diplomat. She served as the United States Ambassador to France and Monaco from 2017 to 2021. Before becoming an ambassador, McCourt was a top executive for the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team. She was the highest-ranking woman in Major League Baseball during her time with the Dodgers.
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Early Life and Family
Jamie McCourt was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Her parents were Jewish. Her father, Jack Luskin, owned a chain of appliance stores called Luskin's. When she was 17, she started college at Georgetown University. There, she met Frank McCourt, and they later married in 1979.
Education and Learning
McCourt has a strong educational background. She earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in French from Georgetown University in 1975. She then went on to get a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1978. A J.D. degree is what you need to become a lawyer. Later, she earned a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree from the MIT Sloan School of Management. She also studied at La Sorbonne in France and learned about cooking in Aix-en-Provence.
Professional Journey
Jamie McCourt had a long and varied career before becoming an ambassador.
Early Legal and Business Roles
For 15 years, she worked as a lawyer. She handled international and business law in New York City. She also worked on corporate, real estate, and family law in Boston. After that, she spent 10 years as a vice president and general counsel for The McCourt Co. This was her family's real estate development company in Boston.
In 2004, she moved to Los Angeles when her family bought the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team. She joined the Dodgers' management team as an executive. In 2008, the McCourts also bought the Los Angeles Marathon.
Teaching and Investments
McCourt was a visiting professor at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. She taught a popular course called "The Pursuit of Leadership: A Female Perspective." This course was designed to help women develop leadership skills.
In 2009, McCourt started her own company, Jamie Enterprises. Through this company, she invested in valuable real estate and new technology and biotech companies. Some of her investments included ZipCar, Kite Pharma, and Heal. In 2013, she bought a large vineyard in Napa Valley, California. She planned to live there part-time and continue making wine.
Encouraging Financial Independence
McCourt has spoken at many universities, including MIT, Harvard, and Columbia. She encourages women to be financially independent and to manage their own money. In 2016, she helped with Donald Trump's presidential campaign and was part of his transition finance committee.
Leading the Los Angeles Dodgers
From 2004 to 2012, Jamie McCourt was a key leader for the Los Angeles Dodgers. She started as vice chairman, became president in 2005, and then CEO in 2009. Under her leadership, the Dodgers achieved great success. They set a new record for how many fans attended games in a single season. They also won back-to-back division titles, which hadn't happened in 30 years.
Changes in Ownership
In 2009, Jamie and Frank McCourt separated and later began divorce proceedings. There was a disagreement about whether the Dodgers team and stadium were shared property or belonged only to Frank. The team and stadium were bought for $430 million in 2004. By 2009, they were valued at $722 million.
In 2010, a judge ruled that an agreement giving Frank sole ownership was not valid. This meant Jamie had a claim to 50% ownership. In 2011, the McCourts reached a settlement. Jamie McCourt received about $130 million and gave up her claims to the team. This was a very expensive divorce in California history. A few months later, Frank McCourt sold the Dodgers for $2.1 billion. In 2013, Jamie McCourt sued Frank again, saying he had undervalued the team during their settlement.
Giving Back to the Community
Jamie McCourt is also known for her philanthropy, which means she gives money and time to help others. She focuses on supporting business education, modern art, and the Jewish community around the world.
She received the Scopus Award, a high honor given to community leaders who help with humanitarian causes. In 2012, she helped the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) raise $2.8 million to buy new artworks for the museum.
Serving on Boards
McCourt has served on the boards of trustees for several important organizations. These include the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art. She also served on the board of directors for the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.
McCourt believes that education is very important for everyone. She has supported many educational efforts, including being on the board of advisors at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. She also helped lead Georgetown University's Third Century Campaign, which raised over one billion dollars for the university.
United States Ambassador to France and Monaco
On June 22, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Jamie McCourt to be the United States Ambassador to Belgium. However, this nomination was later changed. On August 2, 2017, President Trump instead nominated her to be the Ambassador to France and Monaco.
The Senate approved her for these roles on November 2, 2017. She was officially sworn in on December 11, 2017. On December 18, 2017, she presented her credentials to President Emmanuel Macron of France. An ambassador's credentials are like their official introduction to the leader of the country where they will serve. McCourt finished her term as ambassador after President Joe Biden took office in 2021.
