Jennifer Granholm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jennifer Granholm
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Official portrait, 2021
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| 16th United States Secretary of Energy | |
| In office February 25, 2021 – January 20, 2025 |
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| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Dan Brouillette |
| Succeeded by | Chris Wright |
| 47th Governor of Michigan | |
| In office January 1, 2003 – January 1, 2011 |
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| Lieutenant | John D. Cherry |
| Preceded by | John Engler |
| Succeeded by | Rick Snyder |
| 51st Michigan Attorney General | |
| In office January 1, 1999 – January 1, 2003 |
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| Governor | John Engler |
| Preceded by | Frank J. Kelley |
| Succeeded by | Mike Cox |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 5, 1959 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Daniel Mulhern
(m. 1986) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of California, Berkeley (BA) Harvard University (JD) |
| Signature | .svg) |
Jennifer Mulhern Granholm (born February 5, 1959) is an American politician. She was the 16th United States secretary of energy from 2021 to 2025. Before that, she was the 47th governor of Michigan from 2003 to 2011. She also served as the 51st attorney general of Michigan from 1999 to 2003. She was the first woman to hold either of these top jobs in Michigan.
Jennifer Granholm was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Her family moved to California when she was four years old. She studied at the University of California, Berkeley and then at Harvard Law School. After finishing her studies, she worked as a lawyer. She became an assistant U.S. attorney and later worked for Wayne County, Michigan. In 1998, she was elected Attorney General of Michigan. She then became governor in 2002 and was re-elected in 2006. After leaving the governor's office, she worked at UC Berkeley and became a TV host and political expert. In 2021, she became the Secretary of Energy for President Joe Biden.
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Early Life and Education
Jennifer Granholm was born on February 5, 1959, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Her parents, Shirley and Victor Granholm, were bank tellers. Her family moved to California when she was four. She grew up in different cities in California, including Anaheim and San Jose. She graduated from San Carlos High School in 1977.
As a young adult, she tried acting in Hollywood but decided to pursue other paths. She worked as a tour guide at Universal Studios Hollywood and for the Los Angeles Times. She was also the first female boat tour guide at Marine World/Africa USA.
In 1980, when she was 21, she became a U.S. citizen. She then went to the University of California, Berkeley, becoming the first person in her family to attend college. She graduated in 1984 with a degree in political science and French. She then earned a law degree from Harvard University in 1987.
Early Career in Law
After law school, Granholm worked for a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. From 1989 to 1991, she worked as a lawyer for Wayne County, Michigan. In 1991, she became an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. In this role, she helped prosecute criminals and fought against fraud. She won most of her cases. In 1995, she became Corporation Counsel for Wayne County, which meant she was the county's top lawyer. She was the youngest person to hold this job.
Michigan Attorney General (1999–2003)
In 1998, Jennifer Granholm ran for Attorney General of Michigan. The previous Attorney General, Frank J. Kelley, had been in office for a very long time and decided not to run again. Granholm won the election, becoming the first woman to be Michigan's Attorney General. She served one term, from 1999 to 2003.
As Attorney General, she worked to protect citizens and consumers. She also created Michigan's first High Tech Crime Unit to deal with new types of crime. She took legal action against companies that harmed the environment or cheated customers. For example, she sued a golf course developer for polluting Lake Michigan. She also worked to stop a controversial annual event at the University of Michigan.
Governor of Michigan (2003–2011)
Becoming Governor
In 2002, the current governor, John Engler, could not run again because of term limits. Jennifer Granholm ran for governor and won the Democratic primary. She was seen as a new face in Michigan politics. In the general election, she defeated Republican Dick Posthumus. She became the first female governor of Michigan. She was also one of the few governors not born in the United States.
First Term (2003–2007)
Granholm took office on January 1, 2003. One of her first challenges was dealing with a large budget deficit. She had to make many budget cuts. She also focused on attracting young people and businesses to Michigan. She was a member of the National Governors Association.
Granholm was very interested in improving education. She started "Project Great Start" to help young children learn. She also pushed for higher standards in high schools. This meant students had to take more math, English, science, and social studies classes to prepare for college. In 2004, she was inducted into the "Michigan Women's Hall of Fame".
During the 2004 presidential election, Granholm actively supported Democratic candidate John Kerry. She highlighted the economic challenges Michigan faced at the time.
Michigan's economy had been struggling due to a decline in manufacturing jobs, especially in the auto industry. Granholm worked to diversify the state's economy. She created a $2 billion fund to attract new jobs in areas like life sciences, alternative energy, and advanced manufacturing.
Second Term (2007–2011)
Granholm ran for re-election in 2006 and won against Republican Dick DeVos. Her campaign focused on her efforts to improve Michigan's economy.
Her second term faced challenges, including a state budget crisis in 2007. This led to a brief shutdown of some state services. To fix the budget, some services were cut, and taxes were increased.
In 2007, Granholm launched the "No Worker Left Behind Act." This program offered free training or community college for unemployed workers. Over 130,000 people enrolled in this program, which helped them learn new skills for in-demand jobs.
Granholm also focused on bringing alternative energy companies to Michigan. She supported laws that required a certain percentage of Michigan's energy to come from renewable sources like wind and solar. This helped create thousands of new jobs in the state. She also supported tax breaks to encourage filmmakers to shoot movies in Michigan.
In 2008, Granholm helped with Barack Obama's presidential campaign. She was even considered for a position in his administration or as a Supreme Court Justice. Due to Michigan's term limits, her time as governor ended on January 1, 2011.
After Being Governor
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After leaving office, Jennifer Granholm became a professor at the UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy and UC Berkeley School of Law. She also worked on clean energy policy, promoting American energy independence and manufacturing in wind, solar, and battery industries. She wrote a book with her husband, A Governor's Story: The Fight For Jobs and America's Economic Future, about Michigan's economic challenges.
She also joined the boards of several companies, including Dow Chemical Company, Marinette Marine Corporation (a shipbuilder), and ChargePoint (which manages electric vehicle charging stations). She hosted a political TV show called The War Room with Jennifer Granholm until 2013.
In 2012, she gave a memorable speech at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Her speech focused on how President Obama's decision to help the auto industry saved many jobs. She also played a role in Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.
Secretary of Energy (2021–2025)
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In 2020, President-elect Joe Biden chose Jennifer Granholm to be the next United States Secretary of Energy. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on February 25, 2021, and was sworn in that same day. She was the first Secretary of Energy born outside the United States.
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As Secretary of Energy, Granholm worked on President Biden's goal to achieve net zero carbon dioxide emissions for the country by 2050. This means finding ways to make energy production cleaner. In 2022, her department announced a large program to create hubs for capturing carbon dioxide directly from the air.
She also discussed energy cooperation with other countries, like Saudi Arabia. In late 2021, she commented on rising fuel prices in the U.S. She also cleared J. Robert Oppenheimer, a famous physicist, of a security clearance issue from 1954.
Post-Biden Administration Career
After finishing her term as Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm joined DGA Group, a lobbying firm, as a senior counselor.
Personal Life
Jennifer Granholm met her husband, Daniel Mulhern, while they were both studying law at Harvard. They married in 1986 and have three children.
In 2010, the King of Sweden honored Granholm. She was made a Commander of the Order of the Polar Star for her work in building ties between Michigan and Sweden, especially in clean energy. Granholm is Catholic and converted to the faith while at Harvard Law School.
See also
In Spanish: Jennifer Granholm para niños
- List of female state attorneys general in the United States
- List of female governors in the United States
- List of female United States Cabinet members
- List of foreign-born United States Cabinet members
- List of United States governors born outside the United States
