President-elect Donald Trump has recently announced several Cabinet picks for his upcoming second administration. To date, five of his picks to head federal departments are women.
Linda McMahon has been selected as Trump’s pick for Secretary of the Department of Education. She is currently chair of America First Policy Institute, a think-tank of Trump-advisors. She holds a bachelor’s degree in French from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.
Pam Bondi, the first woman elected Attorney General for the state of Florida, has been nominated for U.S. Attorney General. She is currently the senior legal advisor for America First Policy Institute. Her academic credentials include a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Florida and a juris doctorate from the Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida.
Kristi Noem has been nominated for Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. She is currently the governor of South Dakota. She began her postsecondary education in 1990 at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota, but ultimately did not graduate. She later earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from South Dakota State University in 2012 while she was a member of the United States Congress.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer has been nominated for Secretary of the Department of Labor. She currently serves as a United States congresswoman for Oregon. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from California State University, Fresno.
Brooke Rollins has been nominated for Secretary of the Department of Agriculture. Currently, she is president and CEO of America First Policy Institute. She received her bachelor’s degree in agricultural development from Texas A&M University and her juris doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law.
Dr. Soufleris, a three-time alumna of the State University of New York System, has more than 35 years of higher education experience spanning student affairs, enrollment management, retention, and student success initiatives.
Most recently, Dr. Van Vlerah served as vice president for student success and institutional strategy at Manchester University in Indiana. She is slated to become the fifteenth president of Notre Dame of Maryland University on July 6.
Dr. Egan comes to her new role as president of Bennington College from Connecticut College, where she has been serving as the Fuller-Maathai Professor of Gender, Sexuality, and Intersectionality Studies, dean of the faculty, and chief academic officer.
Dr. Pfluger has spent the past year as Bakersfield College's interim president. She previously served as vice chancellor of educational services and student success at the Kern Community College District.
Dr. Geneco comes to her new role from Tufts University in Massachusetts, where she has served as provost for the past four years. She is slated become the University at Buffalo's first woman president on August 10.