Ann Margaret Veneman ( born June 29, 1949 ) is the former Executive Director of UNICEF, a position she held from 2005 to 2010.

Veneman is an Honorary Member of Rotary International ( 2008 ), received Sesame Workshop ’ s Leadership Award for Children ( 2006 ), and a Humanitarian Award from the United Nations Association of New York ( 2006 ).

Veneman is currently a board member of Malaria No More, a New York-based nonprofit that was launched at the 2006 White House Summit with the goal of ending all deaths caused by malaria.

Veneman is also a second cousin of Star Wars creator George Lucas.

At this point Veneman took a break from political and administrative office to practice with the law firm and lobby group Patton, Boggs & Blow and also served on several boards of directors and advisory groups.

Veneman also serves as a board member of the Close Up Foundation, a civic education organization, and has served previously on a number of advisory councils and committees, particularly those involving higher education.

USDA also confronted various food safety recalls, prompting Veneman to take several actions to strengthen USDA ’ s regulatory oversight and protections.

Veneman has also called for greater efforts to end female genital mutilation.

In February 2009, marking the International Day against the harmful practice that three million girls and women endure each year, Veneman said, “ Some 70 million girls and women alive today have been subjected to female genital cutting.

This consistent policy vision, along with Secretary Veneman ’ s bipartisan approach and emphasis on the improved management of USDA, yielded many accomplishments.

Borlaug with USDA Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman near the birthday cake prepared for his 90th birthday

Veneman began her legal career as a staff attorney with the General Counsel's office of the Bay Area Rapid Transit District in Oakland, California, in 1976.

From 1999 to 2001 Veneman was an attorney with Nossaman LLP, where she focused her attention on food, agriculture, environment, technology, and trade related issues.

In 2004 Veneman was honored with an Honorary Membership with the U. S. State Department ’ s U. S .- Afghan Women ’ s Council and an Honorary Membership with Sigma Alpha Sorority, the national professional agriculture sorority.

In 2002, Veneman was diagnosed with breast cancer and received successful treatment.

As the 27th Secretary of the U. S. Department of Agriculture ( USDA ), Veneman managed a department of 111, 000 employees, the sixth-largest employer in the federal government, with personnel in more than 25, 000 buildings around the world ; a program level of $ 113 billion that would rank USDA sixth if it were a U. S. corporation ; a spending level that ranks fifth in the federal government ; a loan portfolio that would rank USDA seventh if it were a U. S. bank ; and one of the most diverse and challenging missions across all of government.

On December 23, 2003, Veneman announced the discovery of a single cow with Bovine spongiform encephalopathy ( BSE ), or mad cow disease, in Washington State.

Veneman worked to foster the next generation of agricultural leadership, establishing USDA ’ s “ Leaders of Tomorrow ” initiative to strengthen education programs, particularly those involved with mentoring youth.

In her tenure as Executive Director from 2005 to 2010, Veneman has, like her predecessors, continued to foster a culture of improvement working to strengthen the results-based focus of the organization to most effectively and sustainably achieve the rights of children, in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

In 2007, Veneman helped launch a partnership with renowned US playwright and ‘ V-Day ’ founder Eve Ensler in 2007, to bring awareness and change to the sexual abuse and violence of women in the DRC.

In December 2009, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said of Veneman, “ She has fulfilled her mandate with immense dedication, and I have been impressed by her extraordinary energy and determination to improve children ’ s health, education and well-being around the world.

Forbes cited Veneman in part because she " played a key role in the joint effort by UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Population Fund and the World Bank to help accelerate progress on maternal and newborn health in the 25 countries with the highest rates of infant mortality worldwide.

* 2004: Co-convener of Women Leaders for WASH ( Water Sanitation and Hygiene ), a high level Advocacy-network to focus on a key health and development-issue for women, together with Executive Director Ann M. Veneman of UNICEF and Minister Maria Mutagamba from Uganda

Her father, John Veneman, was former undersecretary of Health, Education and Welfare and member of the California State Assembly.

U. S. Senator Tom Harkin said at Veneman ’ s confirmation hearing, " I was encouraged by the nomination of Ann Veneman to serve as Secretary of Agriculture.

* Ann Veneman ( 1976 ) – 27th U. S. Secretary of Agriculture, Executive Director of UNICEF

Previously, Veneman was the United States Secretary of Agriculture, the first and only woman to hold that position.

Veneman served as USDA Secretary from January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2005, leaving to become the fifth executive director of UNICEF.

A lawyer by training, Veneman has practiced law in Washington, DC and California, including being a deputy public defender.

Veneman serves as a co-leader of the Nutrition and Physical Activity Initiative at the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Veneman was raised on a peach farm in Modesto, California.

Veneman joined the United States Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service in 1986, serving as Associate Administrator until 1989.

In 1995 Veneman re-entered government, when she was appointed Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, again being the first woman to hold the position.

Veneman has received several awards and distinctions throughout her career.

In 2009 Veneman was named to the Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women list, ranking 46th.

In 2002, Veneman received the California Council for International Trade Golden State Award, the Dutch American Heritage Award, Junior Statesman Foundation Statesman of the Year Award and the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Distinguished Service Award.

In 2001 Veneman received the Outstanding Woman in International Trade Award, the UC Davis Outstanding Alumna of the Year Award and the Food Research and Action Center Award.

As part of several actions to implement the President ’ s Management Agenda ( PMA ), Veneman began USDA ’ s e-Government Initiative, which made an unprecedented array of programs and services available electronically.

On December 2, 2004, Johanns was nominated by President George W. Bush to replace outgoing Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman.

In the spring of 1970, while requesting $ 100 million to train more doctors and nurses, Egeberg alleged the Health, Education and Welfare Secretary, Robert H. Finch, and the department's Under Secretary, John C. Veneman, were not considering his advice on health matters and that Nixon's advisers were ignoring him.

Sworn in as the first female Secretary of USDA on January 20, 2001, Veneman presided over one of the most historic times in American agriculture.

Carol Tucker-Foreman of the Consumer Federation of America said of Veneman, “ Secretary Veneman recognized the increasing problem of obesity in this country and took some steps to begin to address it.

As Secretary, Veneman focused on new approaches to help feed the hungry around the world.

If confirmed by the Senate, Johanns would fill the Cabinet position currently held by resigning Secretary Ann Veneman.

On May 24, 2001, during the George W. Bush administration, Hawks was sworn in as the Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs by United States Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman.

A week later, on November 14, several more announced their plans to resign: Secretary of State Colin Powell, Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, Education Secretary Rod Paige, and Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham.

Republican Governor Mike Johanns of Nebraska was nominated by Bush on December 2 to replace outgoing United States Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman.