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 February 21, 1956) is an American business leader and environmental expert. She served as the 51st United States Secretary of the Interior for President Barack Obama. This important job involves looking after America's public lands and natural resources. She held this role from 2013 to 2017.
Sally was born in London, England, and moved to the United States when she was three. She grew up in Washington State and went to the University of Washington. After college, she worked as an oil engineer for a short time. Then, she moved into the banking world. Later, she joined the board of Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), a popular store for outdoor gear. She became the chief operating officer and then the chief executive officer (CEO) of REI.
Sally loves the outdoors and is a big supporter of protecting nature. Her work at REI showed her passion for conservation. This caught the attention of the Obama administration. She was chosen to be the Secretary of the Interior in 2013. The Senate easily approved her nomination. Sally Jewell is the second woman to hold this important position.
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Early Life and School Days
Sarah Margaret Roffey was born in London, England. Her parents were Anne and Peter Roffey. When she was three, her family moved to the United States in 1959. Her father, a doctor who helps people sleep during surgery (anesthesiologist), worked at the University of Washington. Her mother was a nurse practitioner who focused on women's health.
Sally and her three siblings loved spending time outdoors. She enjoyed sailing and hiking from a young age. A two-week camping trip when she was nine taught her about nature. This trip made her love for the outdoors even stronger. 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 met Warren Jewell, an engineering student, and found she was good at engineering too. As a student, she worked for General Electric. She helped with parts for the Alaska Pipeline. In 1978, she earned her degree in mechanical engineering.
Soon after graduating, Sally married Warren Jewell. They both got engineering jobs with Mobil oil company. They moved to Oklahoma.
From Engineer to CEO
Working in Banking
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 almost 20 years. She stayed with Security Pacific after it bought Rainier Bank until 1992. She also worked for WestOne Bank and Washington Mutual.
Leading REI Outdoor Gear
In 1996, Sally Jewell joined the board of Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI). REI is a store that sells outdoor gear. It's special because it's owned by its members. In 2000, she became the chief operating officer. This means she helped manage the company's daily operations.
In 2005, she became the chief executive officer (CEO) of REI. Under her leadership, REI's sales grew a lot. They went from $600 million in 2005 to over $2 billion by 2015. The company also doubled the number of its stores. Sally made sure REI gave back to nature. She noted that REI helped with millions of hours of volunteer work in parks. The company also spent three percent of its profits on protecting outdoor spaces. Sally remained CEO of REI until she became Secretary of the Interior in 2013.
A Champion for Nature
While working in business, Sally Jewell became known for her efforts to protect nature. She was involved in many groups that work for conservation and environmental protection. She served on the boards of Premera and the National Parks Conservation Association. She also helped start the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust. This group works to protect a green corridor in Washington State.
Sally received several awards for her dedication to conservation. In 2009, she got the National Audubon Society's Rachel Carson Award. This award honors leaders in conservation. She was also recognized by the Girl Scouts of Western Washington in 2012. That same year, the Woodrow Wilson Center gave her an award for public service. The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust also honored her for her long leadership. In 2017, she received the Murie Spirit of Conservation Award. This award recognized her lifelong work in conservation.
Becoming Secretary of the Interior
On February 6, 2013, President Barack Obama chose Sally Jewell to be the next United States Secretary of the Interior. The Secretary of the Interior manages America's vast public lands. This includes national parks, wildlife refuges, and other natural areas. The United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources approved her nomination. On April 10, 2013, the Senate voted 87 to 11 to confirm her. She officially became Secretary of the Interior on April 12, 2013.
As Secretary, she was in charge of the Interior Department. This department has a budget of $11 billion and employs 70,000 people. It manages about one-fifth of all the land in the United States.
Protecting Our Lands and Parks
Sally Jewell's first action as Secretary was to create a plan. This plan aimed to balance new development projects with conservation efforts. For example, fees from offshore drilling permits could be used to expand parks. She also promised to work with President Obama to protect mountains and rivers. They were ready to use existing laws, like the Antiquities Act of 1906. This law gives the president power to protect land.
Making Parks Accessible
A big goal for Sally Jewell was to make parks more accessible. She wanted more young people to visit and enjoy national parks. In 2014, she launched a plan to create opportunities for youth. This included chances to play, learn, serve, and work in parks.
She helped kick off the Every Kid Every Park program. She even led fourth graders on a hike in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. This program gave every fourth grader 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 go on overnight trips in public wildlands.
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Renaming Denali
On August 28, 2015, Sally Jewell used her power as Secretary to rename North America's tallest mountain. The mountain had been called Mount McKinley since 1917. However, the Koyukon Athabascan people, who are native to Alaska, had always called it Denali. President Obama supported her decision to change the name back to Denali.
Supporting Clean Energy
As Secretary, Jewell approved the first part of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP). This plan focuses on clean energy and protecting land in California's desert. She stated that the plan would make it easier to approve solar, wind, and geothermal projects. The DRECP also aimed 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 job. Unlike many past Secretaries, she had never been elected to a public office. Because she became a U.S. citizen later in life, she could not become president.
After Her Time in Government
After leaving her government role, 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. From 2019 to 2020, she served as the interim CEO of The Nature Conservancy. In 2020, she joined the board of Costco.
In 2015, Sally Jewell was chosen to be the sponsor for the USS Montana (SSN-794). This is a type of submarine. She officially named the vessel in a special ceremony in 2020.
Her Life Outside Work
Sally Jewell is married to Warren Jewell, who is also an engineer. They have two grown children. Their son works as a nurse for children in intensive care. Their daughter works for the federal government. Both lived in Seattle in 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. She has even climbed Mount Rainier seven times! She truly loves all kinds of outdoor activities.
See also
In Spanish: Sally Jewell para niños
- List of female United States Cabinet members
- List of foreign-born United States Cabinet members
