Janet Napolitano facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Janet Napolitano
Napolitano in 2024
20th President of the University of California
In office September 30, 2013 – August 1, 2020
Preceded by	Mark Yudof
Succeeded by	Michael V. Drake
3rd United States Secretary of Homeland Security
In office January 21, 2009 – September 6, 2013
President	Barack Obama
Deputy	Jane Holl Lute Rand Beers (acting)
Preceded by	Michael Chertoff
Succeeded by	Jeh Johnson
21st Governor of Arizona
In office January 6, 2003 – January 21, 2009
Preceded by	Jane Dee Hull
Succeeded by	Jan Brewer
23rd Attorney General of Arizona
In office January 4, 1999 – January 6, 2003
Governor	Jane Dee Hull
Preceded by	Grant Woods
Succeeded by	Terry Goddard
United States Attorney for the District of Arizona
In office November 19, 1993 – November 1, 1997
President	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Linda Akers
Succeeded by	Jose de Jesus Rivera
Personal details
Born	Janet Ann Napolitano (1957-11-29) November 29, 1957 (age 67) New York City, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	Santa Clara University (BS) University of Virginia (JD)
Signature

Janet Ann Napolitano (born November 29, 1957) is an American politician and lawyer. She has held many important jobs in the government and in education. From 2013 to 2020, she was the president of the University of California. Before that, she was the Secretary of Homeland Security from 2009 to 2013 under President Barack Obama.

She also served as the 21st governor of Arizona from 2003 to 2009. She was the first woman to be the Chairwoman of the National Governors Association. Before becoming governor, she was the Attorney General of Arizona from 1999 to 2003. She was the first woman to hold that job. She was also the United States attorney for Arizona. Janet Napolitano has been the first woman in several of her important roles.

Forbes magazine recognized her as one of the world's most powerful women in both 2012 and 2013.

Early Life and Education

Janet Napolitano was born in New York City on November 29, 1957. Her parents were Jane Marie and Leonard Michael Napolitano. Her father was the dean of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. Her family background includes Italian, German, and Austrian roots.

She grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. She finished high school at Sandia High School in 1975. Janet Napolitano is a Methodist. She is the oldest of three children.

Napolitano went to Santa Clara University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science in 1979. She was the first female valedictorian (top student) at Santa Clara. She then earned her law degree from the University of Virginia in 1983.

After law school, she worked as a law clerk for a judge. Later, she joined a law firm in Phoenix and became a partner there in 1989.

Career Highlights

In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed Janet Napolitano as the United States attorney for Arizona. In this role, she handled important legal investigations.

In 1998, she was elected as the Attorney General of Arizona. As attorney general, she worked to protect consumers and improve law enforcement. She gave a speech at the 2000 Democratic National Convention shortly after having surgery for cancer. She later said that focusing on her work and family helped her through that time.

Governor of Arizona

Napolitano speaks during the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado.

In 2002, Janet Napolitano won the election to become Governor of Arizona. She was Arizona's third female governor. She was also the first woman to be elected governor in Arizona after another woman had served in that role.

She spoke at the 2004 Democratic Convention. In November 2005, Time magazine named her one of the five best governors in the U.S.

As governor, Napolitano set records for the number of times she used her veto power. A veto is when a governor rejects a bill passed by the state legislature. By the time she left office, she had vetoed 180 bills.

She supported many education programs. She helped create voluntary full-day kindergarten in Arizona. She also started a program to improve reading skills and got funding to increase teacher salaries. She made big investments in higher education, including a new medical school campus in Phoenix.

Napolitano also helped increase the state's emergency savings fund to over $650 million. She played a key role in bringing Super Bowl XLII to Glendale, Arizona. She also invested in tourism and economic growth. She was one of the first governors to ask for the National Guard to help with border security.

In 2006, Napolitano was re-elected as governor. She won by a large margin. She was the first woman to be re-elected to that office in Arizona.

Secretary of Homeland Security

Napolitano announcing a border security task force.

In 2008, Janet Napolitano supported Barack Obama for president. On December 1, 2008, Obama chose her to be his nominee for United States Secretary of Homeland Security. She was confirmed on January 20, 2009. This made her the first woman to lead the Department of Homeland Security. When she left her role as governor, Jan Brewer became the new governor of Arizona.

Napolitano discussing security at a Super Bowl XLIV press conference.

As Secretary of Homeland Security, Napolitano was a key leader in the government's response to the 2009 flu pandemic. She focused on educating people about how to prevent the virus. This helped reduce the expected harm from the flu.

Napolitano also worked to improve airport security. She created the TSA PreCheck program. This program allows travelers to provide background information to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). In return, they get faster security checks at airports. She also expanded the Global Entry program, which helps trusted travelers get through customs more quickly.

Under her leadership, the Department of Homeland Security invested a lot in border security technology. This included new technology and buildings along the southern border with Mexico.

After a bomb plot using printer cartridges in 2010, Napolitano banned large toner and ink cartridges on passenger flights.

Napolitano stands next to Mark Kelly, husband of shooting survivor Gabby Giffords, at the memorial event.

In January 2011, Napolitano spoke at a memorial event in Tucson. She spoke alongside President Barack Obama to express sympathy after a tragic shooting.

Immigration Policy

Janet Napolitano visit to New Zealand in 2012

Janet Napolitano has long supported making changes to immigration laws. In 2012, she helped create the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This program helps young people, known as DREAMers, who were brought to the U.S. as children by their parents. DACA allows them to stay in the United States without fear of deportation. It also gives them legal status.

DACA was announced by President Obama. It has been criticized by some, but it remains in place today.

President of the University of California

In July 2013, Janet Napolitano announced she would leave her role as Secretary of Homeland Security. She became the president of the University of California (UC). She was the first woman to lead the University of California system. She started her new job on September 30, 2013.

As president, she worked to support UC's undocumented students. She also worked to make the university's student body more diverse. She started a plan for the ten-campus system to become carbon neutral by 2025. This means the university aims to have no net release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. She believed this was very important for fighting climate change.

Napolitano also encouraged students to pursue careers that help the public. She created programs to fund internships and fellowships for students interested in public service law.

In 2014, she launched the Global Food Initiative. This program committed $3.3 million to help University of California students get nutritious food. It was a major effort to address food insecurity among students.

She also worked to improve policies and support for students regarding safety and harassment. She created a system-wide office to handle these issues. In 2017, she helped establish the National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement. This center focuses on research and education about free speech.

Janet Napolitano announced her resignation as president in September 2019. Her term ended on August 1, 2020.

Later Career

After leaving the University of California, Napolitano continued to be a faculty member at UC Berkeley. In 2021, she started and became the director of the Center for Security in Politics. In May 2022, she was appointed to the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.

Personal Life

Janet Napolitano enjoys sports like basketball, tennis, and softball. She also likes outdoor activities such as whitewater rafting and hiking. She has hiked in famous mountains like the Himalayas and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.

She has never married and does not have children. In 2002, she described herself as "just a straight, single workaholic".

In 2016, Napolitano began treatment for cancer. She was hospitalized for complications in January 2017 but was released a few days later.

Electoral History

Images for kids

• 

  Napolitano campaigning for Hillary Clinton in Phoenix, Arizona on October 30, 2016.

See Also

• List of female United States Cabinet members
• List of female state attorneys general in the United States
• List of female governors in the United States