Ertharin Cousin
Encyclopedia
Ertharin Cousin is the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture
, serving in Rome
, Italy
, and chief of the United States Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome
. Before that, she worked in a variety of public and private sector positions, specializing in the food industry and related charities from the late 1990s on.
of Chicago, Illinois along with her three sisters. Her mother, Anne Cousin, worked in the social services field and her father often engaged in volunteer community development work.
She earned a B.A. degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago
in 1979 and a J.D. degree from the University of Georgia School of Law
in 1982. At the latter, she studied international law under former U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk
.
Cousin worked in Illinois as Assistant Attorney General and Western Regionals Office Director for the Illinois Attorney General
’s office and as Deputy Director of the Chicago Ethics Board. In the private sector she was Director of Governmental Affairs for AT&T
.
, and during 1993 worked as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Democratic National Committee
. She joined the Clinton administration in 1994 as the White House Liaison at the U.S. State Department. There she received a Meritorious Service Award. She served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
In 1996 she stepped down from that post in order to run the Illinois operation of the Clinton–Gore presidential campaign
. After the campaign's victory, she served as Vice-President of Government, Community and Political Affairs for the 1997 Presidential Inaugural Committee making reference to the Second inauguration of Bill Clinton
.
. At the same time, she was Vice-President for Government and Community Affairs for Jewel Food stores
. In 1999, Albertsons LLC
bought Jewel and Cousin became Group Vice President of Public Affairs for Albertsons and then Senior Vice President of Public Affairs. While working for Albertsons, she also served as President and Chair of the company’s corporate foundation, managing the organization’s philanthropic activities. She also served as the Albertsons' official spokesperson.
In 2002, Cousin joined the board of America's Second Harvest
, the nation’s largest domestic hunger organization, and in 2004 she became its Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer . Among her achievements during this period was leading the organization’s response to Hurricane Katrina
in 2005, an effort which resulted in the distribution of more than 62 million pounds of food to those in need across the Gulf Coast region of the United States. Cousin helped raise the annual revenue of the organization from $20 million to $56 million during her time there.
Cousin left America's Second Harvest in 2006 and founded and served as President of The Polk Street Group, a national public affairs consulting firm located in Chicago. In 2009, she handed over the reins to her son, Maurice Cousin, in order to accept the ambassadorial appointment.
to become United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture
, serving in Rome
, Italy
. She was confirmed by the United States Senate
on August 7, 2009, and sworn in as Ambassador on August 17, 2009. There she is chief of the United States Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome
and is part of the "Tri-Mission Community" that also includes the United States Ambassador to Italy
and the United States Ambassador to the Holy See
.
During her time in Rome, she has efforted the setting up of new country-led aid programs. She worked towards providing food relief to Port-au-Prince
following the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake
. She has said that seeing the famous sights of Rome does not get old and that her biggest surprise in the job is, "When people talk about 'Her Excellency, Ertharin Cousin.' You know, I grew up in Lawndale. You're a long way from there when someone's referring to you as 'Your Excellency.'"
United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture is the head of the United States Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome and thus is the United States ambassador to the three United Nations agencies for food and agriculture located in Rome, Italy: the Food and...
, serving in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and chief of the United States Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome
United States Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome
The United States Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome serves as a link between the Rome-based international organizations and the U.S. government. With staff representing the Departments of State, Agriculture, and the Agency for International Development, the U.S...
. Before that, she worked in a variety of public and private sector positions, specializing in the food industry and related charities from the late 1990s on.
Early life, education, and early career
Cousin grew up in the poor Lawndale neighborhoodNorth Lawndale, Chicago
North Lawndale located on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, is one of the well-defined community areas in the city of Chicago.-History:...
of Chicago, Illinois along with her three sisters. Her mother, Anne Cousin, worked in the social services field and her father often engaged in volunteer community development work.
She earned a B.A. degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Illinois at Chicago
The University of Illinois at Chicago, or UIC, is a state-funded public research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its campus is in the Near West Side community area, near the Chicago Loop...
in 1979 and a J.D. degree from the University of Georgia School of Law
University of Georgia School of Law
The University of Georgia School of Law is a graduate school of the University of Georgia. Founded in 1859 and located in Athens, Georgia, USA, Georgia Law was formerly known as the Lumpkin School of Law. The Law School is the second oldest of the University's schools and colleges. The University...
in 1982. At the latter, she studied international law under former U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk
Dean Rusk
David Dean Rusk was the United States Secretary of State from 1961 to 1969 under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. Rusk is the second-longest serving U.S...
.
Cousin worked in Illinois as Assistant Attorney General and Western Regionals Office Director for the Illinois Attorney General
Illinois Attorney General
The Illinois Attorney General is the highest legal officer of the state of Illinois in the United States. Originally an appointed office, it is now an office filled by election through universal suffrage...
’s office and as Deputy Director of the Chicago Ethics Board. In the private sector she was Director of Governmental Affairs for AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
.
Washington years
Cousin moved to Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and during 1993 worked as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
. She joined the Clinton administration in 1994 as the White House Liaison at the U.S. State Department. There she received a Meritorious Service Award. She served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
In 1996 she stepped down from that post in order to run the Illinois operation of the Clinton–Gore presidential campaign
United States presidential election, 1996
The United States presidential election of 1996 was a contest between the Democratic national ticket of President Bill Clinton of Arkansas and Vice President Al Gore of Tennessee and the Republican national ticket of former Senator Bob Dole of Kansas for President and former Housing Secretary Jack...
. After the campaign's victory, she served as Vice-President of Government, Community and Political Affairs for the 1997 Presidential Inaugural Committee making reference to the Second inauguration of Bill Clinton
Second inauguration of Bill Clinton
January 20, 1997 signified both the second inauguration of Bill Clinton as President of the United States as well as being the last inauguration of a president in the 20th century. Born August 19, 1946 in the town of Hope, Arkansas, Bill Clinton had a long career in law before his first...
.
Food industry and charity
In 1997 she received a White House appointment for a four-year term to the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development. There she supported many of the agricultural projects being run by the United States Agency for International DevelopmentUnited States Agency for International Development
The United States Agency for International Development is the United States federal government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. President John F. Kennedy created USAID in 1961 by executive order to implement development assistance programs in the areas...
. At the same time, she was Vice-President for Government and Community Affairs for Jewel Food stores
Jewel (supermarket)
Jewel-Osco is a supermarket chain headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. Jewel-Osco has 182 stores across northern, central, and western Illinois; eastern Iowa; and portions of northwest Indiana.Jewel-Osco and Jewel are currently wholly owned subsidiaries of Eden Prairie,...
. In 1999, Albertsons LLC
Albertsons LLC
Albertsons LLC is a North American grocery company based in Boise, Idaho, with over 240 supermarkets located in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Florida under the Albertson's and Super Saver Foods banners...
bought Jewel and Cousin became Group Vice President of Public Affairs for Albertsons and then Senior Vice President of Public Affairs. While working for Albertsons, she also served as President and Chair of the company’s corporate foundation, managing the organization’s philanthropic activities. She also served as the Albertsons' official spokesperson.
In 2002, Cousin joined the board of America's Second Harvest
America's Second Harvest
Feeding America is a United States-based non-profit organization. It consists of a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks and food rescue organizations that serve virtually every county in the United States as well as Puerto Rico. It is the nation's leading hunger-relief charity,...
, the nation’s largest domestic hunger organization, and in 2004 she became its Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer . Among her achievements during this period was leading the organization’s response to Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
in 2005, an effort which resulted in the distribution of more than 62 million pounds of food to those in need across the Gulf Coast region of the United States. Cousin helped raise the annual revenue of the organization from $20 million to $56 million during her time there.
Cousin left America's Second Harvest in 2006 and founded and served as President of The Polk Street Group, a national public affairs consulting firm located in Chicago. In 2009, she handed over the reins to her son, Maurice Cousin, in order to accept the ambassadorial appointment.
U.S. Ambassador
On Jun 19, 2009, Cousing was nominated by President Barack ObamaBarack 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...
to become United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture
United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture is the head of the United States Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome and thus is the United States ambassador to the three United Nations agencies for food and agriculture located in Rome, Italy: the Food and...
, serving in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. She was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on August 7, 2009, and sworn in as Ambassador on August 17, 2009. There she is chief of the United States Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome
United States Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome
The United States Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome serves as a link between the Rome-based international organizations and the U.S. government. With staff representing the Departments of State, Agriculture, and the Agency for International Development, the U.S...
and is part of the "Tri-Mission Community" that also includes the United States Ambassador to Italy
United States Ambassador to Italy
Since 1840, the United States has had diplomatic representation in the Italian Republic and its predecessor nation, the Kingdom of Italy, with a break in relations from 1941 to 1944 while Italy and the U.S. were at war during World War II. The U.S. Mission to Italy is headed by the Embassy of the...
and the United States Ambassador to the Holy See
United States Ambassador to the Holy See
A U.S. Ambassador serves as that country's official representative to the Holy See since formal diplomatic relations began in 1984. Before the establishment of official relations, Myron Taylor served during World War II as an emissary for President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1951, President Harry S....
.
During her time in Rome, she has efforted the setting up of new country-led aid programs. She worked towards providing food relief to Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
following the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
. She has said that seeing the famous sights of Rome does not get old and that her biggest surprise in the job is, "When people talk about 'Her Excellency, Ertharin Cousin.' You know, I grew up in Lawndale. You're a long way from there when someone's referring to you as 'Your Excellency.'"
Sources
- Biography at The History Makers
- Biography at The Polk Street Group
- Interview in Chicago Tribune
- Senate confirmation testimony of Ertharin Cousin, July 28, 2009
External links
The Ambassador's Blog- "Women Can Drive Agricultural-Led Growth" - Mar. 8, 2010
- "Haiti’s Agriculture Focus: Enhance Food Security, Generate Income, Create Jobs - Feb. 19, 2010
- "Working With Haiti To Improve Food Supply and Nutrition" - Feb. 5, 2010
- "Kilimo Kwanza" - Dec. 15, 2009
- Leveraging Food - Dec. 8, 2009
- Livestock as Lifeblood- Dec. 7, 2009