Eleanor Mariano
Encyclopedia
Eleanor Concepcion "Connie" Mariano is a Filipino-American physician
and former flag officer
in the United States Navy
. She is the first Filipino-American and graduate of the Uniformed Services University of Medicine to reach the rank of Rear Admiral
in the U.S. Navy as well as the first woman to be the director of the White House Medical Unit
.
, Philippines
in 1955. Two years later, her parents arrived in the United States. Her father served in the navy as a steward
and eventually retired with the rank of Master Chief
. Mariano was the valedictorian
of her Mar Vista High School
, Imperial Beach, California
, class of 1973. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego
's Revelle College with cum laude honors and a degree in biology. Mariano joined the U.S. Navy in 1977 and received a medical degree
from the Uniformed Services University of Medicine in 1981.
Mariano was nominated to the rank of Rear Admiral by President Bill Clinton
and eventually served as the White House Physician for President Clinton and President George W. Bush
.
In 2001, Dr. Mariano retired from the Navy and left the White House to join the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona
. She was succeeded as White House Physician by Richard Tubb
. In 2005, she went on to found the Center for Executive Medicine in Scottsdale.
Hawaii State Senator Will Espero, (D-20) submitted Mariano's name to President Barack Obama
for the position of Surgeon General of the United States
in May 2009.
She is the author of the book The White House Doctor: My Patients Were Presidents - A Memoir. With a foreword from Bill Clinton, the autobiographical book takes a look at the personal lives of the three American Presidents and three American First Ladies she had taken care of while working as a Physician to the President
.
Connie Mariano supports National Youth Leadership Forum.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and former flag officer
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. She is the first Filipino-American and graduate of the Uniformed Services University of Medicine to reach the rank of Rear Admiral
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
in the U.S. Navy as well as the first woman to be the director of the White House Medical Unit
White House Medical Unit
The White House Medical Unit is the unit of the White House Military Office responsible for the medical needs of White House staff and visitors. The Unit provides medical care to the President, the Vice President, and their families....
.
Background
Mariano was born at the Sangley Point Naval Base in Cavite CityCavite City
The City of Cavite is a fourth class city in the province of Cavite, Philippines. The city occupies a hook shaped peninsula jutting out into Manila Bay. Cavite City used to be the capital of the province...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
in 1955. Two years later, her parents arrived in the United States. Her father served in the navy as a steward
Culinary Specialist (US Navy)
Culinary Specialist is a United States Navy occupational rating. It was formerly the Mess Management Specialist rating until 15 January 2004, and as Steward prior to 1975.-Duties:...
and eventually retired with the rank of Master Chief
Master Chief Petty Officer
- Master Chief Petty Officer :U.S. Coast GuardMaster ChiefPetty OfficerCap & Collar deviceU.S. Coast GuardMaster ChiefPetty OfficerinsigniaGood conductRating badgeMaster ChiefPetty OfficerCap & Collar Insignia...
. Mariano was the valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
of her Mar Vista High School
Mar Vista High School
Mar Vista Senior High , in Imperial Beach, California, United States, is a high school established in 1951. Part of the Sweetwater Union High School District, the school serves students living in Imperial Beach, and San Diego, California...
, Imperial Beach, California
Imperial Beach, California
Imperial Beach is a residential beach city in San Diego County, California, with a population of 26,324 at the 2010 census. The city is the most southern beach city in Southern California and the West Coast of the United States...
, class of 1973. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
's Revelle College with cum laude honors and a degree in biology. Mariano joined the U.S. Navy in 1977 and received a medical degree
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
from the Uniformed Services University of Medicine in 1981.
Mariano was nominated to the rank of Rear Admiral by President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and eventually served as the White House Physician for President Clinton and President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
.
In 2001, Dr. Mariano retired from the Navy and left the White House to join the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
. She was succeeded as White House Physician by Richard Tubb
Richard Tubb
Richard Tubb was the personal physician to President George W. Bush as well as being personal physician to Vice President Al Gore during the Clinton Administration. He is a brigadier general in the United States Air Force...
. In 2005, she went on to found the Center for Executive Medicine in Scottsdale.
Hawaii State Senator Will Espero, (D-20) submitted Mariano's name to President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
for the position of Surgeon General of the United States
Surgeon General of the United States
The Surgeon General of the United States is the operational head of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and thus the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the federal government...
in May 2009.
She is the author of the book The White House Doctor: My Patients Were Presidents - A Memoir. With a foreword from Bill Clinton, the autobiographical book takes a look at the personal lives of the three American Presidents and three American First Ladies she had taken care of while working as a Physician to the President
Physician to the President
The Physician to the President is the formal and official title of the physician who is director of the White House Medical Unit, a unit of the White House Military Office responsible for the medical needs of the President of the United States, Vice President, White House staff, and visitors...
.
Connie Mariano supports National Youth Leadership Forum.