Secretary Elaine Chao currently is the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. She served as U.S. Secretary of Labor from 2001 to January 2009, and is the first Asian American woman to be appointed to the President's cabinet in American history. Early in her career, she specialized in transportation financing in the private sector. She began her executive career in public service working on transportation issues at the White House. She then served as Deputy Maritime Administrator, U. S. Department of Transportation; Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission; and, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. As U.S. Secretary of Transportation, she is a strong advocate for safety, and the importance of infrastructure and innovation in our nation’s economic competitiveness and growth – all of which she will cover during this special keynote with the Women In Trucking Association.
Presented by Secretary Elaine Chao currently is the U.S. Secretary of Transportation
Secretary Elaine L. Chao is currently the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. This is her second cabinet position. Previously she served as U.S. Secretary of Labor, the first Asian American woman appointed to the President's cabinet in American history.
An immigrant who arrived in America at the age of eight speaking no English, she has devoted most of her professional life to ensuring that everyone has access to opportunities in our country. As Secretary of Transportation, Secretary Chao is a strong advocate for safety, and the role infrastructure and innovation play in our nation’s economic competitiveness and growth.
Secretary Chao came to the U.S. Department of Transportation with extensive experience in the transportation sector. Early in her career, she specialized in transportation financing in the private sector. She also worked on transportation issues at the White House. She then served as Deputy Maritime Administrator, U.S. Department of Transportation; Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission; and, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
As Secretary of Labor, Secretary Chao focused on increasing the competitiveness of America’s workforce in a global economy, promoted job creation, and achieved record results in workplace safety and health. She also launched new programs to help women advance within the federal sector, and to help women small business owners access opportunities in the federal sector. During her tenure, she achieved gender parity in the top non-career leadership of the U.S. Department of Labor.
Prior to the U.S. Department of Labor, Secretary Chao was President and Chief Executive Officer of United Way of America, where she restored public trust and confidence in the organization, after it had been tarnished by financial mismanagement and abuse. Secretary Chao also served as Director of the Peace Corps, where she established the first programs in the Baltic nations and the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union, including programs to empower women entrepreneurs.
Secretary Chao earned her MBA from the Harvard Business School, and is the recipient of 37 honorary doctorate degrees. She is the eldest of six daughters.
Secretary Elaine Chao was recently featured in WIT’s Redefining the Road magazine, Edition 2, 2020.
