Kiron Skinner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kiron Skinner
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Skinner in 2018
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| 30th Director of Policy Planning | |
| In office September 4, 2018 – August 2, 2019 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Brian Hook |
| Succeeded by | Peter Berkowitz |
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| Born | 1961 (age 63–64) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | Sacramento City College (AA) Spelman College (BA) Harvard University (MA, PhD) |
Kiron Kanina Skinner, born in 1961, is an American expert in politics and international relations. She worked for the United States Department of State as the Director of Policy Planning during part of Donald Trump's presidency. Today, she teaches about national security and leadership at the Pepperdine University School of Public Policy. She also researches at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.
Skinner has written two popular books about former President Ronald Reagan. These books, In His Own Hand (2001) and Reagan, a Life in Letters (2003), became New York Times bestsellers. In 2005, President George W. Bush chose her to serve on the National Security Education Board.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Kiron Skinner was born in Chicago in 1961. She grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1979, she earned an associate degree in communications from Sacramento City College.
She won the Harry S. Truman Scholarship for California. This scholarship helped her attend Spelman College. There, she earned a bachelor's degree in political science. Later, she earned a master's degree and a PhD in political science and international relations from Harvard University.
Academic Career
Dr. Skinner is currently a professor at the Pepperdine University School of Public Policy. She teaches advanced classes on national security and public leadership.
Before this, she worked at Carnegie Mellon University. She helped start and direct the Institute for Politics and Strategy (IPS). She also advised the university on national security policy. She taught international relations and politics there.
Dr. Skinner has also taught political science at other universities. These include Hamilton College, Harvard University, and the University of California, Los Angeles. At Stanford University's Hoover Institution, she is a research fellow.
Political Career
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George W. Bush Administration
In 2004, Dr. Skinner helped President George W. Bush with his re-election campaign. She spoke about foreign policy for him.
Other Roles
In 2010, she joined the advisory board for the George W. Bush Oral History Project. She advised former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich on foreign policy in 2011 and 2012. She also advised Mitt Romney during his presidential campaign in 2012. In the same year, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett appointed her to a commission on African American affairs.
Trump Administration
In 2016, Dr. Skinner was part of President-elect Donald Trump's team. She helped with national security plans. In August 2018, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced her new role. She became the Director of Policy Planning at the U.S. State Department. She started this job on September 4, 2018.
In April 2019, Dr. Skinner spoke about the United States' competition with China. She noted that this competition was different from past rivalries. Her term at the State Department ended in August 2019.
Policy Advising
In 2023, Dr. Skinner helped write a chapter for a book called Mandate for Leadership. This book, from the Heritage Foundation, outlines policy ideas for future government plans.
