Ruby B. DeMesme
Encyclopedia
Ruby Butler DeMesme was United States
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower, Reserve Affairs, Installations and Environment
from 1998 to 2001.
, receiving a B.A. in 1969. She later earned an M.S.W. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
.
From 1969 to 1980, DeMesme worked as an executive administrator in the Cumberland County, North Carolina
Department of Social Services
. In 1980, she joined the United States Department of the Army
and spent the next decade working in a number of positions dealing with personnel. From January 1989 to April 1990, she was a United States Office of Personnel Management Congressional Fellow in the Office of Sen.
John Glenn
(D
–Ohio). She then returned to the Department of the Army.
In 1991, DeMesme moved to the United States Department of the Air Force, becoming Assistant Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Health Affairs, and Morale, Welfare, Recreation and Services Program. In February 1993, she became Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Force Management and Personnel, being promoted to full Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Force Management and Personnel in May 1994. On July 6, 1998, President of the United States
Bill Clinton
announced his intent to nominate DeMesme to be Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower, Reserve Affairs, Installations and Environment
. She was the first African American woman to be appointed to this position.
DeMesme retired from government service in 2001, joining IBM
as Senior Defense Fellow and, later becoming Director of Human Capital Solutions & Defense Practices. In 2005, she joined BearingPoint's Public Services Business Transformation Team. In May 2009, she joined Deloitte as a Senior Executive Advisor/Strategist on Federal Government Human capital Programs and Policies. She is Chairman of the Andrews Federal Credit Union Board, White House Appointee to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS); member of the Army Science Board, and the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Social work. She is a noted author, mentor, and inspirational speaker.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower, Reserve Affairs, Installations and Environment
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Manpower & Reserve Affairs)
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force is the title of a civilian office in the United States Department of the Air Force...
from 1998 to 2001.
Biography
Ruby B. DeMesme was educated at St. Augustine's College in Raleigh, North CarolinaRaleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, receiving a B.A. in 1969. She later earned an M.S.W. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
.
From 1969 to 1980, DeMesme worked as an executive administrator in the Cumberland County, North Carolina
Cumberland County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 302,963 people, 107,358 households, and 77,619 families residing in the county. The population density was 464 people per square mile . There were 118,425 housing units at an average density of 181 per square mile...
Department of Social Services
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
. In 1980, she joined the United States Department of the Army
United States Department of the Army
The Department of the Army is one of the three military departments within the Department of Defense of the United States of America. The Department of the Army is the Federal Government agency which the United States Army is organized within, and it is led by the Secretary of the Army who has...
and spent the next decade working in a number of positions dealing with personnel. From January 1989 to April 1990, she was a United States Office of Personnel Management Congressional Fellow in the Office of Sen.
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...
John Glenn
John Glenn
John Herschel Glenn, Jr. is a former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States senator who was the first American to orbit the Earth and the third American in space. Glenn was a Marine Corps fighter pilot before joining NASA's Mercury program as a member of NASA's original...
(D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
–Ohio). She then returned to the Department of the Army.
In 1991, DeMesme moved to the United States Department of the Air Force, becoming Assistant Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Health Affairs, and Morale, Welfare, Recreation and Services Program. In February 1993, she became Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Force Management and Personnel, being promoted to full Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Force Management and Personnel in May 1994. On July 6, 1998, President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
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...
announced his intent to nominate DeMesme to be Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower, Reserve Affairs, Installations and Environment
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Manpower & Reserve Affairs)
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force is the title of a civilian office in the United States Department of the Air Force...
. She was the first African American woman to be appointed to this position.
DeMesme retired from government service in 2001, joining IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
as Senior Defense Fellow and, later becoming Director of Human Capital Solutions & Defense Practices. In 2005, she joined BearingPoint's Public Services Business Transformation Team. In May 2009, she joined Deloitte as a Senior Executive Advisor/Strategist on Federal Government Human capital Programs and Policies. She is Chairman of the Andrews Federal Credit Union Board, White House Appointee to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS); member of the Army Science Board, and the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Social work. She is a noted author, mentor, and inspirational speaker.