Sally Jewell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sally Jewell
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Jewell in 2013
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| 51st United States Secretary of the Interior | |
| In office April 12, 2013 – January 20, 2017 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Deputy | David J. Hayes Michael L. Connor |
| Preceded by | Ken Salazar |
| Succeeded by | Ryan Zinke |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Sarah Margaret Roffey
February 21, 1956 London, England |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Warren Jewell |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Washington (BS) |
Sally Jewell, born Sarah Margaret Roffey on February 21, 1956, is a British-American business leader and environmentalist. She served as the 51st United States Secretary of the Interior from 2013 to 2017. This important role meant she was in charge of protecting and managing America's public lands and natural resources.
Sally was born in London, England, and moved to the United States when she was three years old. She grew up in the state of Washington and went to the University of Washington. Before her government role, Sally worked as an engineer and in banking. She later became the CEO of Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), a popular store for outdoor gear.
Sally loves the outdoors and is passionate about protecting nature. Her work in conservation caught the attention of President Barack Obama. He nominated her to be the Secretary of the Interior in 2013. She was approved by the Senate with strong support. Sally Jewell was the second woman to hold this position.
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Sally's Early Life and Learning
Sarah Margaret Roffey was born in London, England. Her parents were Anne and Peter Roffey. In 1959, when Sally was three, her family moved to the United States. Her father, an anesthesiologist, worked at the University of Washington. Her mother was a nurse practitioner who focused on women's health.
The Roffey family loved being outdoors. Sally and her three siblings enjoyed sailing and hiking from a young age. A two-week camping trip when she was nine helped her fall in love with nature. She went to Seattle Country Day School for elementary school. In 1973, she graduated from Renton High School.
Sally first planned to become a dental hygienist at the University of Washington. She later changed her mind and studied engineering. She worked for General Electric on parts for the Alaska Pipeline. In 1978, she earned her degree in mechanical engineering. Soon after graduating, Sally married Warren Jewell, who was also an engineer. They both took engineering jobs with Mobil and moved to Oklahoma.
Sally's Career Journey
Starting Her Career
Sally Jewell worked for Mobil oil company in Oklahoma from 1978 to 1981. Then, she joined Rainier Bank and moved back to the Pacific Northwest. Rainier Bank was interested in investing in oil and gas. They wanted engineers like Sally to help them decide. Sally advised against these investments, which turned out to be a good decision for the bank.
She continued working in banking for nearly 20 years. She worked for Security Pacific after it bought Rainier Bank until 1992. Then, she worked for WestOne Bank from 1992 to 1995. From 1995 to 2000, she worked for Washington Mutual.
In 1996, Sally joined the board of Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI). REI is a store that sells outdoor gear and is owned by its members. In 2000, she became the company's chief operating officer.
In 2005, Sally became the chief executive officer (CEO) of REI. In 2006, she was named CEO of the Year by the Puget Sound Business Journal. By 2012, Sally noted that REI had helped with 3 million hours of volunteer work in parks. The company also spent three percent of its yearly profits on protecting outdoor spaces. During her time as CEO, REI's sales grew from $600 million in 2005 to over $2 billion in 2015. The company also doubled the number of its stores. Sally remained CEO of REI until she became Secretary of the Interior in 2013.
Helping Others and Awards
While working in business, Sally Jewell became known for her work in conservation and environmental protection. She served on the boards of several organizations. These included Premera, the National Parks Conservation Association, and the University of Washington Board of Regents. She also helped start the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust.
In 2009, Sally received the National Audubon Society's Rachel Carson Award. This award recognized her leadership in conservation. She was also named a 2012 Woman of Distinction by the Girl Scouts of Western Washington. That same year, she received the Woodrow Wilson Center's Award for Public Service. The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust also honored her for 21 years of leadership. In 2016, the University of Washington gave her its Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2017, she received the Murie Spirit of Conservation Award.
Leading the Interior Department
On February 6, 2013, President Barack Obama nominated Sally Jewell to be the next United States Secretary of the Interior. Her nomination was approved by a Senate committee on March 21. On April 10, 2013, the Senate confirmed her appointment with a vote of 87 to 11. She officially became Secretary of the Interior on April 12, 2013.
As Secretary, Sally oversaw the Interior Department. This department manages about 20% of the land in the United States. It has a budget of $11 billion and employs 70,000 people.
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In October 2013, Sally's first order as Secretary was to create a plan. This plan would balance large building projects with efforts to protect nature. She also promised to work with President Obama to preserve mountains and rivers. They were ready to use existing laws, like the Antiquities Act, to protect land.
Sally worked to make parks more accessible to everyone. In 2014, she set goals to get more young people involved in national parks. She wanted to create chances for them to play, learn, and work in parks. Sally helped launch the Every Kid Every Park program. She led fourth graders on a hike to kick off the program. This initiative gave every fourth-grade student and their family a free one-year pass to all national parks. She also supported a 2016 plan to make it easier for youth groups to explore public wildlands.
On August 28, 2015, Sally used her power as Secretary to officially rename the tallest mountain in North America to Denali. The U.S. government had called it Mount McKinley since 1917. However, the Koyukon Athabascan people, who are native to Alaska, had always called it Denali. President Obama supported this name change.
As Secretary, Sally approved the first part of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP). This plan focuses on clean energy and land protection in California's desert. It aims to make it easier to approve solar, wind, and geothermal projects. The DRECP also planned to protect 4.2 million acres of land.
Sally Jewell was the 51st Secretary of the Interior. She was also the second woman to hold this important job. Unlike many others in this role, Sally had never been elected to a public office before.
After Her Time as Secretary
After leaving the government, Sally Jewell returned to Seattle. She became an advisor at the University of Washington's EarthLab. This group works on solutions for climate change and environmental issues. She also joined the boards of The Nature Conservancy and Symetra, a life insurance company. Sally served as the temporary CEO of The Nature Conservancy from September 2019 to May 2020. In January 2020, she joined the board of Costco.
In 2015, Sally was chosen to be the sponsor for the USS Montana (SSN-794), a U.S. Navy submarine. She officially named the vessel on September 12, 2020, in a special online ceremony due to the COVID pandemic.
About Sally's Life
Sally is married to Warren Jewell, who is also an engineer. They have two grown children. Their son works as a pediatric intensive care nurse. Their daughter works for the federal government. Both lived in Seattle as of 2013.
In her free time, Sally enjoys snowboarding and kayaking. She also loves mountain climbing. She has climbed Vinson Massif, the highest mountain in Antarctica. She has also climbed Mont Blanc, Western Europe's highest mountain. Sally has climbed Mount Rainier seven times. She is truly an outdoor enthusiast!
Learn More
- List of female United States Cabinet members
- List of foreign-born United States Cabinet members
See also
In Spanish: Sally Jewell para niños
