Jump to content

Dina Powell: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Line 63: Line 63:
Once in office, Johnson took her on as a [[Deputy Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel]].<ref name=busmiller/> During the following year, Powell's parents visited a [[Marine One]] landing on the [[South Lawn]] of the [[White House]]; after Powell had the president introduce himself to them on the [[rope line]], they were overwhelmed with emotion.<ref name=alcade/> Powell later said, "It affirmed for them the tough decision to leave everything they knew behind. In what other country could an immigrant family go from risking it all to one day having their daughter work for the president?"<ref name=scene>Johanna Neuman, [http://articles.latimes.com/2005/jan/10/nation/na-dina10 "From Behind the Scenes She Recruits Bush's Team"], ''Los Angeles Times'', January 10, 2005.</ref>
Once in office, Johnson took her on as a [[Deputy Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel]].<ref name=busmiller/> During the following year, Powell's parents visited a [[Marine One]] landing on the [[South Lawn]] of the [[White House]]; after Powell had the president introduce himself to them on the [[rope line]], they were overwhelmed with emotion.<ref name=alcade/> Powell later said, "It affirmed for them the tough decision to leave everything they knew behind. In what other country could an immigrant family go from risking it all to one day having their daughter work for the president?"<ref name=scene>Johanna Neuman, [http://articles.latimes.com/2005/jan/10/nation/na-dina10 "From Behind the Scenes She Recruits Bush's Team"], ''Los Angeles Times'', January 10, 2005.</ref>


Beginning in January 2003, Johnson moved up and elsewhere in the administration and Powell took on his position, thereby serving as the [[Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel]], a senior staff member at the [[White House]].<ref name=poste/> In this role, she was responsible for assisting the President on the appointments of the cabinet, subcabinet and ambassadorial positions across the U.S. Government.<ref name=poste/> She had a staff of 35 reporting to her and, especially once the second term of the Bush presidency began in January 2005, was part of hiring some 4,000 people.<ref name=cosmo>Helin Jung, [http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a9140526/dina-powell-national-security-advisor-trump/ "5 Things to Know About Dina Powell, Trump's Deputy National Security Adviser"], ''Cosmopolitan'', March 16, 2017.</ref><ref name=poste/> She participated in some of the recommendations process as well as processing the applications, and was part of the inner circle of knowledge regarding who would be hired along with Bush, Vice President [[Dick Cheney]], and political mind [[Karl Rove]].<ref name=poste/> At age 29, she was the youngest person ever to hold this position.<ref name = cosmo/>
Beginning in January 2003, Johnson moved up and elsewhere in the administration and Powell took on his position, thereby serving as the [[Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel]], a senior staff member at the [[White House]].<ref name=poste/> In this role, she was responsible for assisting the President on the appointments of the cabinet, subcabinet and ambassadorial positions across the U.S. Government.<ref name=poste/> She had a staff of 35 reporting to her and, especially once the second term of the Bush presidency began in January 2005, was part of hiring some 4,000 people.<ref name=cosmo>Helin Jung, [http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a9140526/dina-powell-national-security-advisor-trump/ "5 Things to Know About Dina Powell, Trump's Deputy National Security Adviser"], ''Cosmopolitan'', March 16, 2017.</ref><ref name=poste/> She participated in some of the recommendations process as well as processing the applications, and was part of the inner circle of knowledge regarding who would be hired along with Bush, Vice President [[Dick Cheney]], and political mind [[Karl Rove]].<ref name=poste/> At age 29, she was the youngest person ever to hold this position.<ref name = cosmo/> She praised the family-friendly practices of the Bush White House, as well as support from her husband, for giving her the chance to be a successful [[working mother]].<ref name=scene/>


The experience confirmed her belief that the United States is a [[meritocracy]].<ref name=scene/> Some of the recommendations she made for the U.S. State Department put her in good stead with Secretary of State [[Condoleeza Rice]].<ref name=wapo2007/> U.S. Secretary of Commerce [[Carlos M. Gutierrez]], a businessman whom Powell recruited for that Cabinet position, said: "In a nutshell, Dina Powell is probably one of the most talented people I've ever met in my life."<ref name=busmiller/>
The experience confirmed her belief that the United States is a [[meritocracy]].<ref name=scene/> Some of the recommendations she made for the U.S. State Department put her in good stead with Secretary of State [[Condoleeza Rice]].<ref name=wapo2007/> U.S. Secretary of Commerce [[Carlos M. Gutierrez]], a businessman whom Powell recruited for that Cabinet position, said: "In a nutshell, Dina Powell is probably one of the most talented people I've ever met in my life."<ref name=busmiller/>

Revision as of 01:47, 10 April 2017

Dina Habib Powell
Deputy National Security Advisor
Assumed office
March 15, 2017
Serving with K.T. McFarland
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byBen Rhodes
Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs
In office
July 11, 2005 – June 7, 2007
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Preceded byPatricia Harrison
Succeeded byGoli Ameri
Personal details
Born
Dina Habib

1973 (age 50–51)
Cairo, Egypt
Political partyRepublican
SpouseRichard C. Powell
Children2
EducationUniversity of Texas, Austin (BA)

Dina Habib Powell (born 1973) is an Egyptian-American business executive, philanthropist and U.S. policymaker. She is the current U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy[1] to President Donald Trump.[2][3]

Before being promoted to Deputy National Security Advisor, Powell served in the Trump administration as an Assistant to the President and Senior Counselor for Economic Initiatives.[4] Powell worked at Goldman Sachs from 2007 through 2016 and was president of the Goldman Sachs Foundation.

Powell previously served in the George W. Bush administration as Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Deputy Undersecretary of State for Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy, and an Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel.[3][5]

Early life and education

Dina Habib was born in Cairo, Egypt to a middle-class, Coptic Christian family.[5][6] She has a younger sister.[7] Her father, who was a captain in the Egyptian Army, and her mother, who had attended American University in Cairo, wanted the best for their daughters.[5][8] Consequently, she came to the United States with her family when she was four years and knew no English.[5]

The Habib family settled in Dallas, Texas, where they had relatives among the Coptic community there; the parents ran a convenience store.[5] While Dina quickly learned English at school, her family insisted that she be raised with Egyptian culture and language as well.[5][9] As a result she is fluent in Arabic.[2] Of her parents' actions, she later said, "I so desperately wanted a turkey and cheese sandwich with potato chips, and instead I always got grape leaves and hummus and falafel, not even in a cool brown paper bag. And now, of course, I appreciate so much that I did."[5] Each of the family members became a naturalized citizen of the United States.[10] She attended the noted prep school for girls Ursuline Academy of Dallas,[6] from which she graduated in 1991.[9]

She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she enrolled in the Liberal Arts Plan I honors program, studying a mixture of humanities, sociology, political science, and criminology.[9] She performed community service both as part of her program and her membership in the Delta Delta Delta sorority.[9]

She helped pay for school by working as a legislative assistant for two Republican members of the Texas State Senate: O.H. "Ike" Harris and Jerry E. Patterson.[9] With them, she worked on a number of policy matters, including juvenile justice reform.[9] She had grown up in a family that strongly identified with the Republican Party and greatly admired Ronald Reagan.[11] She maintained the same views, later recalling that "... when I started to work with Republicans I realised that I agree with the views of personal empowerment, of less government involvement, of having the ability to talk about things without the government necessarily being involved. And on the economic side I'm definitely a believer that people should spend more of their money and spend it the way they think so and invest it wisely."[11]

For her honors thesis, she wrote about the value of mentoring on juvenile delinquents.[9] She graduated from Texas with honors with a bachelors degree in Humanities[12] from the College of Liberal Arts in 1995.[13]

Early government and political positions

Habib had applied to, and been accepted by, a law school.[14] However, she received an offer of an internship with the U.S. Senator from Texas, Kay Bailey Hutchison.[14][5] Much to the consternation of her parents, who wanted her to become an engineer, doctor, or lawyer, she deferred the school and accepted the internship.[14] This began a chain of political and governmental positions that would span a decade or more and she never came to the study of law.[8]

After the internship concluded, she took a job with Dick Armey, the Republican Majority Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives.[5] There she worked as a member of his leadership staff.[9] Armey later said, "We immediately recognized her brains and her ability, and then her charm, and finally, I think somebody noticed she was gorgeous, too."[5] Armey's was one among a number of remarks that various governmental officials have made regarding not just her professional abilities but also her physical attractiveness.[15]

After that, she took a job with the Republican National Committee where she was Director of Congressional Affairs and helped to find positions for Republicans in lobbying firms.[12][5] As part of this role she became involved in the George W. Bush presidential campaign, 2000.[9]

Marriage and family

She married Richard C. Powell; a man who works in public relations, who became a managing director of the Washington-based Quinn Gillespie & Associates.[9]

The couple has two daughters born in 2002 and 2006.[3]

Bush administration

Official White House photo during Bush years

While working at the RNC, Powell was spotted by Clay Johnson III, who would become in charge of hiring for the George W. Bush administration.[16] The day after the election Johnson called Powell regarding the presidential transition,[9] even though the result was mired in uncertainty. Once in office, Johnson took her on as a Deputy Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel.[16] During the following year, Powell's parents visited a Marine One landing on the South Lawn of the White House; after Powell had the president introduce himself to them on the rope line, they were overwhelmed with emotion.[9] Powell later said, "It affirmed for them the tough decision to leave everything they knew behind. In what other country could an immigrant family go from risking it all to one day having their daughter work for the president?"[10]

Beginning in January 2003, Johnson moved up and elsewhere in the administration and Powell took on his position, thereby serving as the Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel, a senior staff member at the White House.[5] In this role, she was responsible for assisting the President on the appointments of the cabinet, subcabinet and ambassadorial positions across the U.S. Government.[5] She had a staff of 35 reporting to her and, especially once the second term of the Bush presidency began in January 2005, was part of hiring some 4,000 people.[15][5] She participated in some of the recommendations process as well as processing the applications, and was part of the inner circle of knowledge regarding who would be hired along with Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, and political mind Karl Rove.[5] At age 29, she was the youngest person ever to hold this position.[15] She praised the family-friendly practices of the Bush White House, as well as support from her husband, for giving her the chance to be a successful working mother.[10]

The experience confirmed her belief that the United States is a meritocracy.[10] Some of the recommendations she made for the U.S. State Department put her in good stead with Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.[3] U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez, a businessman whom Powell recruited for that Cabinet position, said: "In a nutshell, Dina Powell is probably one of the most talented people I've ever met in my life."[16]

In March 2005, Powell received a new assignment, which included becoming an ambassador of sorts to the Arabic-speaking world.[16] News of the appointment landed on the front page of Al-Ahram made her a celebrity in Egypt.[16] This position was that Powell became, and subsequently served as Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs from July 11, 2005, through June 6, 2007.[12][17] Powell was also designated by Secretary Rice to the office of Deputy Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. In addition, Powell led the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.[12] In her role, Powell traveled worldwide with Secretary Rice, but mostly focused on going to the Middle East.[18]

In 2007, she left the White House and government service, saying "It's the right time for me and my family."[3] She had been the highest-ranking Arab-American in the Bush administration.[3] Secretary Rice said, "I'm really sorry to lose her. She is fantastic. She had so many ideas. There are people who have ideas but can't execute them. She really executed them."[3] The Washington Post assayed that Dina Habib Powell had "played a critical role in the administration's efforts to bolster public diplomacy in the face of the wave of anti-Americanism that has swept the Arab world since the U.S. invasion of Iraq."[3]

Goldman Sachs

See also: Goldman Sachs Foundation
Gary Cohn, president and COO, Goldman Sachs; James Dimon, chairman, president and CEO, JP Morgan; Mary Callahan Erdoes, CEO, JP Morgan Asset Management; and Dina Habib Powell, in January 2013

Powell joined Goldman Sachs in 2007 as a managing director[3] and was named partner in 2010,[19] thus achieving one of the most highly sought-after prizes in American finance.[20] Powell oversaw the firm’s impact investing business and served as the president of the Goldman Sachs Foundation beginning in 2010.[21] This was in addition to her responsibilities as global head of the Office of Corporate Engagement and a member of the Goldman Sachs Partnership Committee.[22]

As leader of Goldman Sachs Impact Investing, Powell was responsible for a business with more than $4 billion in housing and community development investments across the U.S.[23][24]

In her role as president of the Goldman Sachs Foundation, Powell led one of the world’s largest corporate foundations with over $500 million in assets.[25] Powell helped build and was responsible for all the Foundation’s initiatives supporting and developing entrepreneurs around the world, including 10,000 Women and 10,000 Small Businesses. 10,000 Women provides women entrepreneurs in developing countries with business education, access to capital and mentors.[26][27] Under Powell, Goldman Sachs partnered with International Finance Corporation and Overseas Private Investment Corporation to raise 600 million dollars, to provide access to capital for more than 100,000 women worldwide.[28] In efforting this project, Powell worked closely with the State Department.[18]

Goldman's 10,000 Small Businesses, which was co-chaired by Lloyd Blankfein, Warren Buffett, Michael Bloomberg and Michael Porter of Harvard Business School, supports the growth and expansion of small business in the U.S. and UK.[29][30] Part of Goldman Sachs' rationale for these two publicized programs was to repair its image following the 2008 global financial crisis.[31]

Earning a salary of $2 million as president of the foundation, Powell engendered some disapproving comments within the firm from those who thought the pay package too large given she was not an earner.[31] However, her compensation was in line with those top people in other high-monied charities.[31]

Powell also led Goldman Sachs Gives, a donor-advised fund through which the firm's current and retired partners can recommend grants in support of communities around the world. Goldman Sachs Gives was established in 2007 and structured as a vehicle to consolidate Goldman Sachs partners’ charitable giving.[32]

During her time at Goldman Sachs, Powell joined the boards of directors or trustees of the Harvard Business School's Social Enterprise Initiative,[33] the American University in Cairo,[34] the Center for Global Development,[35] and the Nightingale-Bamford School.[35] Dina Habib Powell is listed as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations[36] and a member of the Trilateral Commission.[37]

Powell has worked productively with Democrats such as President Obama's advisors Valerie Jarrett and Gene Sperling.[38] Left-leaning publisher Arianna Huffington has spoken highly of Powell.[38]

Trump administration

Powell (at far right) during the April 2017 Syrian missile strike operation[39]

Starting January 20, 2017, Powell served as Senior Advisor to the President for Entrepreneurship, Economic Growth and the Empowerment of Women.

Powell had been advising Ivanka Trump during the transition period, particularly with regard to the empowerment of women and girls and female entrepreneurship.[6] In this role she led a joint American-Canadian program to advance the role of women in business.[18] She was visible outside that scope when she was part of a meeting between the chief executive and Saudi defense minister Mohammed bin Salman.[2]

On March 15, 2017, Powell was promoted to the post of Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy.[1] There she was seen as a possible rival to the existing Deputy, former commentator K. T. McFarland.[18] It was expected that her brief would focus on fostering inter-agency cooperation, but how her past administration experiences that revolved around the use of soft power would play out in a new administration dedicated to the use of hard power was unclear.[18] In April 2017 the New York Times labeled Powell a "rising star" in the national security establishment.[39]

Awards and honors

Dina Habib Powell was selected as one of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders.[12]

She received the Outstanding Young Texas Ex Award in 2006.[13]

In 2007, Powell was presented with an American by Choice Award during a special naturalization ceremony performed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; the award recognizes outstanding achievements of naturalized U.S. citizens.[40]

References

  1. ^ a b Margaret Brennan and Jacqueline Alemany, "Dina Powell promoted to deputy national security adviser", CBS News, March 15, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Gordon, Michael (March 15, 2017). "Dina Powell, Donald Trump Aide, Named to National Security Post". The New York Times.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kessler, Glenn (2007-05-02). "Top-Ranking Arab American Is Leaving State for Wall Street". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company. Retrieved 2015-09-11.
  4. ^ Campbell, Dakin; et al. "Goldman Sachs's Dina Powell Named as Trump's Economic Assistant". Bloomberg Politics. {{cite web}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |first1= (help) January 12, 2017
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Gerhart, Ann (2005-01-11). "Dina Powell, the West Wing's Hire Power". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company. pp. C1. Retrieved 2015-09-11.
  6. ^ a b c Klein, Betsy (January 11, 2017). "Meet Dina Powell, Ivanka Trump's woman in the White House". CNN. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference sister was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b Leive, Cindi (2014-06-11). "Success Secrets From a Wall Street Superstar". Glamour. Conde Nast. Retrieved 2015-09-11.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Rae Nadler, "Marketing America: Dina Habib Powell", The Alcade (January/February 2007), pp. 53-55.
  10. ^ a b c d Johanna Neuman, "From Behind the Scenes She Recruits Bush's Team", Los Angeles Times, January 10, 2005.
  11. ^ a b Jasmine El-Rashidi, "Dina Habib Powell: Egyptian in the White House", Al-Ahram Weekly (Cairo), 7-13 October 2004.
  12. ^ a b c d e "Biography Dina Powell". Archive 2001-2009. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 2015-09-11. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help)
  13. ^ a b "Longhorns Assume Leadership Roles in Trump Administration", UTNews, University of Texas, February 1, 2017.
  14. ^ a b c "Q&A with Dina Habib Powell, assistant secretary of state". The Dallas Morning News. April 22, 2007. Archived from the original on October 15, 2008.
  15. ^ a b c Helin Jung, "5 Things to Know About Dina Powell, Trump's Deputy National Security Adviser", Cosmopolitan, March 16, 2017.
  16. ^ a b c d e Elisabeth Bumiller, "A Mideast Strategy That Includes a Mideast Card", The New York Times, March 21, 2005.
  17. ^ Anderson, Melissa (2012-10-24). "Movers and Shakers: Dina Powell, President, Goldman Sachs Foundation and Global Head of Corporate Engagement, Goldman Sachs". The Glass Hammer. New York: Evolved People Media LLC. Retrieved 2015-09-11.
  18. ^ a b c d e Dan Merica, Nicole Gaouette and an Merica, Nicole Gaouette and Elise Labott, CNN http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/17/politics/dina-powell-nsc-ivanka-trump/index.html "What Dina Powell's promotion to the NSC means"], CNN, March 17, 2017.
  19. ^ Carney, John (2010-11-17). "Partnership Day at Goldman Sachs!". CNBC NET NET. CNBC LLC. Retrieved 2015-09-11.
  20. ^ Julia La Roche, "Meet The Goldman Partner Who Gets Paid $2 Million To Give Away The Bank's Money", Business Insider, October 28, 2013.
  21. ^ Jaquetta White, "Goldman Sachs to lend $20 million to N.O. small businesses", The Times-Picayune, November 22, 2010.
  22. ^ "Dina Powell". World Bank Blogs. The World Bank. n.d. Retrieved 2015-09-11.
  23. ^ Rose-Smith, Imogen (2015-03-10). "An Urban Revival Grows in Brooklyn". Institutional Investor. Brooklyn, NY: Institutional Investor LLC. pp. 64–70. Retrieved 2015-09-11.
  24. ^ Spielman, Fran (2015-08-28). "10,000 Small Businesses program thriving in Chicago". Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago, Ill.: Sun Times Network. Archived from the original on 2015-09-03. Retrieved 2015-09-11. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ Kolhatkar, Sheelah (2012-05-24). "Goldman's Jobs Act". Bloomberg Businessweek. Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 2015-09-11.
  26. ^ White, Ben (2008-03-10). "A helping hand for women". Financial Times. The Financial Times Limited. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
  27. ^ Lawrence, Christopher (2014-08-18). "Dina Habib Powell Wants to Invest In Your Future". Marie Claire. Hearst Communications. Retrieved 2015-09-11.
  28. ^ "OPIC Announces Plans to Join Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women and IFC in the Women Entrepreneurs Opportunity Facility, Committing $100 Million to Enable 100,000 Women to Access Capital" (Press release). OPIC. July 27, 2015. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  29. ^ McGill Murphy, Richard (2011-01-18). "Goldman Sachs's gift to 10,000 small businesses". FORTUNE. Time Inc. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
  30. ^ Walsh, Tom (2014-09-18). "Buffett, Bloomberg, Goldman add star power to graduation". Detroit Free Press. Gannett. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
  31. ^ a b c Susanne Craig, "Goldman Sachs, Buying Redemption", The New York Times, October 26, 2013.
  32. ^ Banjo, Shelly (Dec 9, 2010). "Goldman to Donate $20 Million to Nonprofits". The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Co. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
  33. ^ "Advisory Board - Social Enterprise - Harvard Business School".
  34. ^ Cairo, American University in. "Mohamed ElBaradei, Dina Powell, Mohamed Abughazaleh, Lisa Anderson Named as AUC Trustees".
  35. ^ a b "Dina Powell - Goldman Sachs - Global Head of Corporate Engagement and Head of Urban Investment Group".
  36. ^ "Membership Roster - Council on Foreign Relations".
  37. ^ http://trilateral.org/download/files/membership/TC_list_1_17.pdf - see page 14.
  38. ^ a b Brendan Morrow, "Dina Powell: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know", The Heavy, January 11, 2017.
  39. ^ a b David E. Sanger, "Who Was in the Room? These Advisers Joined Trump for the Syria Strike", The New York Times, April 7, 2017.
  40. ^ <!—Staff writer(s); no by-line--> (2007-04-20). "Secretary Rice to Address Special Naturalization Ceremony; Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs Dina Habib Powell to Receive American by Choice Award" (Press release). U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 2015-09-16.{{cite press release}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Political offices
Preceded by Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs
2005–2007 		Succeeded by
Vacant
Title last held by
John Podesta
as Counselor to the President 		Senior Counselor to the President for Economic Initiatives
January 20, 2017–March 15, 2017
Served alongside: Steve Bannon, Kellyanne Conway 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dina_Powell&oldid=774684877"