Ann O'Leary

{{for|the American behavioral psychologist|Ann O'Leary (psychologist)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Ann O'Leary

| image = Ann O'Leary, Vice President and Director, 2014 (cropped).jpg

| alt = Ann O'Leary speaks in front of a podium

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1971}}

| birth_place = Orono, Maine, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Democratic

| spouse = {{marriage|Goodwin Liu|2002|2016|end=separated}}

| children = 2

| education = Mount Holyoke College (BA)
Stanford University (MA)
University of California, Berkeley (JD)

}}

Ann M. O'Leary (born 1971) is an American political advisor, attorney, and nonprofit leader, who served as Chief of Staff to California Governor Gavin Newsom and as co-chair of the Governor's Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery.{{Cite web|date=2020-04-17|title=Governor Newsom Taps California Business, Labor, Health Care and Community Leaders for New Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery|url=https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/04/17/governor-newsom-taps-california-business-labor-health-care-and-community-leaders-for-new-task-force-on-business-and-jobs-recovery/|access-date=2020-11-21|website=California Governor|language=en}} She is now a partner at the international law firm Jenner & Block.

O'Leary previously served as co-executive director of the Clinton-Kaine Transition Project, after serving as a senior policy advisor to Hillary Clinton's 2016 Presidential Campaign.{{Cite web|title=Clinton-Kaine Transition Project - Staff and Organization|url=http://www.p2016.org/clinton/clintontransition.html|access-date=2020-11-21|website=www.p2016.org}} After the 2016 Presidential election, she became a partner in the Silicon Valley office of an international law firm, where her practice focused on strategic consulting and crisis management.{{Cite press release|last=LLP|first=Boies Schiller Flexner|title=Ann O'Leary To Join Boies Schiller Flexner|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ann-oleary-to-join-boies-schiller-flexner-300392716.html|access-date=2020-11-21|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en}}

Over her career, O'Leary has helped to establish several non-profit organizations promoting progressive policy on income inequality, health care, education, and workforce development.{{Cite news|last=Brown|first=Emma|date=2016-02-17|title=New nonprofit aims to push for social mobility, educational equity|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/new-nonprofit-aims-to-push-for-social-mobility-educational-equity/2016/02/16/ad9339f0-d4ec-11e5-b195-2e29a4e13425_story.html|access-date=2020-11-21|issn=0190-8286}} Early in her career, she served as legislative director to Senator Hillary Clinton and worked in the White House and the U.S. Department of Education.{{Cite web|date=2015-10-08|title=Bio: Ann O'Leary '93|url=https://www.mtholyoke.edu/calendar/women-leading-public-service-2015/speakers-and-presenters/bio-ann-oleary-93|access-date=2020-11-21|website=Mount Holyoke College|language=en}}

Early life and education

O'Leary was born and raised in Orono, Maine.{{Cite news|url=http://thetippingpoint.bangordailynews.com/2016/10/31/state-politics/the-woman-who-could-bring-maine-values-to-the-white-house/|title=The woman who could bring Maine values to the White House|last=Tipping|first=Mike|date=October 31, 2016|work=Bangor Daily News|access-date=March 26, 2017}} She is the daughter of Charles John "Chick" O'Leary, a union leader, and Pamela Braley O'Leary, a social worker.{{cite news|url=http://bangordailynews.com/2014/01/05/obituaries/charles-john-chick-charlie-oleary-jr/|title=Charles John "Chick," "Charlie," O'Leary Jr.|date=January 14, 2014|work=Bangor Daily News|accessdate=April 15, 2015}} She is of Irish descent.{{Cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/crec/2011/05/18/CREC-2011-05-18-pt1-PgS3086.pdf|title=Congressional Record—Senate: Executive Session|date=May 18, 2011|website=Congressional Record|access-date=March 30, 2017|quote=Liu uses a wedding photo that shows him and his new bride, Ann O'Leary, the Irish American daughter of a social worker and union leader from Orono, ME.}}

After graduating from Orono High School,{{Cite news|url=http://stateandcapitol.bangordailynews.com/2015/04/15/maine-woman-hired-as-one-of-hillary-clintons-three-senior-advisers/|title=Maine woman hired as one of Hillary Clinton's three senior advisers|last=Cousins|first=Christopher|date=April 15, 2015|work=Bangor Daily News|access-date=March 28, 2017}} O'Leary attended Mount Holyoke College, where she was a member of the College Democrats. She earned a B.A. in critical social thought in 1993,{{Cite web|url=http://alumnae.mtholyoke.edu/blog/policy-runner/|title=The visionary work of Ann O'Leary '93|last=Kertscher|first=Tom|date=October 12, 2016|website=Mount Holyoke College Alumnae Association|access-date=March 28, 2017}} a M.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 1997, and a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law in 2005.{{Cite news|url=http://fortune.com/2015/06/02/meet-the-wonk-shaping-hillary-clintons-plans-for-the-country/|title=Meet the wonk shaping Hillary Clinton's plans for the country|last=Easton|first=Nina|date=June 2, 2015|work=Fortune|access-date=March 29, 2017}}

Career

=Clinton administration=

O'Leary began her career as a volunteer in the Clinton administration.{{Cite magazine|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/121535/ann-oleary-puts-paid-leave-hillary-clintons-agenda|title=Paid Leave Takes a Place on Hillary Clinton's Platform|last=Sandler|first=Lauren|date=April 14, 2015|magazine=The New Republic|access-date=March 30, 2017}} She later worked as a Special Assistant to the President at the White House Domestic Policy Council.{{cite web|url=http://clinton4.nara.gov/textonly/WH/DPC/staff.html|title=Domestic Policy Council: Staff|website=National Archives and Records Administration|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530161448/http://clinton4.nara.gov/textonly/WH/DPC/staff.html|archive-date=May 30, 2015|accessdate=April 14, 2015|url-status=dead}} She also advised First Lady Hillary Clinton, acting as a liaison between Hillary Clinton's and President Bill Clinton's policy teams.{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/04/clinton-white-house-gay-rights-hillary-clinton-staff-116859.html|title=In Bill Clinton White House, Hillary Clinton's staff helped push on gay rights|date=April 10, 2015|work=Politico|last1=Gerstein|first1=Josh|access-date=April 16, 2015}} In an August 2000 memo to Bill Clinton's Domestic Policy Adviser Bruce Reed, O'Leary urged the government to consider an executive order banning federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation, similar to one issued in 1941 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt banning them from race-based discrimination.

=United States Senate=

From 2001 to 2003, O'Leary was Hillary Clinton's Senate aide and legislative director.{{Cite news|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/content/printView/6428810|title=While Schumer Slept|last=Lombardi|first=Kristen|date=February 13, 2007|work=The Village Voice|access-date=April 1, 2017|quote="Schumer was happy to support the effort," says Ann O'Leary, Clinton's legislative director in D.C. from 2001 to 2003.}} She oversaw a "wide range of issues,"{{cite news|url=https://www.vox.com/2016/8/16/12500798/clinton-transition-team-salazar|title=Hillary Clinton's newly announced transition team gives us a hint of her priorities as president|date=August 16, 2016|work=Vox|last1=Yglesias|first1=Matthew|accessdate=October 30, 2018}} including passage of the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund and the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act.

=Legal career=

Following her service in the U.S. Senate, O'Leary attended and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 2005. She clerked for Judge John T. Noonan, Jr. of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.{{cite news|url=https://www.law.berkeley.edu/article/trio-honored-berkeley-laws-citation-award-luncheon/|title=Trio Honored at Berkeley Law's Citation Award Luncheon|date=June 19, 2017|work=UC Berkeley|accessdate=June 16, 2018}} Following her judicial clerkship, O'Leary served as a deputy city attorney for the City of San Francisco, where she provided counsel to city agencies and served on the City Attorney's Affirmative Litigation Task Force. As a deputy city attorney, she helped develop the strategy to combat predatory lending practices by payday lenders, which resulted in a $7.5 million settlement for low-income victims.{{cite news|url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Payday-Lender-Settlement-Refund-Lending-Practices-Money-Mart-Loan-Mart-Herrera-170253086.html|title=Payday Lender to Refund Up to $7.5M for Alleged Illegal Lending Practices|date=September 18, 2012|work=NBC News|last1=Pamer|first1=Melissa|accessdate=June 16, 2018}}

=Public policy=

In 2008, O'Leary was appointed as a Lecturer and the founding executive director of the Center on Health, Economic & Family Security at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.{{cite news|url=http://prospect.org/article/power-act-0|title=The Power to Act|date=September 1, 2010|work=The American Prospect|accessdate=June 16, 2018}} From 2008 to 2015, she also served as a Senior Fellow with the Center for American Progress.{{cite news|url=http://shriverreport.org/people/ann-oleary/|title=The Shriver Report|date=September 1, 2010|work=The American Prospect|accessdate=June 16, 2018}} She published work regarding a variety of policy issues, including the international competitiveness of the American workforce.{{cite news|url=https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2012/08/21/11983/the-competition-that-really-matters/|title=The Competition that Really Matters|date=August 21, 2012|work=Center For American Progress|accessdate=June 16, 2018}} After President Barack Obama was elected, O'Leary advised his transition team on early childhood education.{{Cite news|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/06/18/hillary-clinton-and-the-democratic-divide-on-education|title=Bridging the Democratic Divide|last=Bidwell|first=Allie|date=June 18, 2015|work=U.S. News & World Report|access-date=April 2, 2017}}

In 2011, O'Leary was appointed as a senior vice president at Next Generation, a non-profit organization promoting progressive policy to address economic inequality and climate change.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/25/us/politics/hillary-clinton-caught-between-dueling-forces-on-education-teachers-and-wealthy-donors.html|title=Hillary Clinton Caught Between Dueling Forces on Education: Teachers and Wealthy Donors|last=Haberman|first=Maggie|date=March 24, 2015|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 4, 2017}}

O'Leary was recognized for her policy leadership in 2015 as one of Politico's Top 50 Thinkers, Doers, and Visionaries Transforming American Politics.{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/politico50/2015/heather-boushey-ann-oleary/|title=Our Guide to the Thinkers, Doers, and Visionaries Transforming American Politics|date=2015|work=Politico|access-date=September 8, 2018}}

=2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign=

During the 2016 United States presidential election, O'Leary served as one of three senior policy advisors to Hillary Clinton, focusing on developing policy related to health, education, labor, and economic security.{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/04/clinton-names-top-three-wonks-for-campaign-116975.html?hp=l2_4|title=Hillary Clinton names top three wonks for campaign|date=April 14, 2015|work=Politico|last1=Nather|first1=David|access-date=April 14, 2015}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.nextavenue.org/hillary-clinton-acceptance-speech/|title=What About Health Care and Alzheimer's?|last=Harris|first=Richard|date=July 29, 2016|work=Next Avenue|access-date=April 1, 2017}} For her role in the campaign, O'Leary was named to the Politico Top 50 list for a second consecutive year.{{Cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/politico50/2016/heather-boushey-ann-oleary-neera-tanden/|title=Heather Boushey, Ann O'Leary, Neera Tanden|date=2015|work=Politico|access-date=April 2, 2017}}

In August 2016, O'Leary was appointed as co-executive director of Clinton's transition team in Washington, D.C.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/16/us/politics/hillary-clinton-transition-team.html|title=Hillary Clinton Puts White House Transition Team in Place|last=Flegenheimer|first=Matt|date=August 16, 2016|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 2, 2017}}{{Cite news|url=http://highline.huffingtonpost.com/articles/en/hillary-clinton-policy-agenda/|title=The Future of America Is Being Written in This Tiny Office|last=Cohn|first=Jonathan|date=September 21, 2016|work=The Huffington Post|access-date=April 2, 2017|quote=O'Leary is now leading the official transition operation in Washington.}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/11/03/who-will-be-the-next-u-s-education-secretary/|title=Who will be the next U.S. education secretary?|last=Strauss|first=Valerie|date=November 3, 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=April 7, 2017}}

=Post-2016 law practice=

After the 2016 election, O'Leary joined the Silicon Valley office of international law firm Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, as a partner, where her practice focused on strategic consulting and crisis management.{{Cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/trailguide/la-na-trailguide-updates-ann-o-leary-clinton-silicon-1484700769-htmlstory.html|title=Former Hillary Clinton policy advisor heads to Silicon Valley |last=Megerian |first=Chris |date=January 18, 2017|work=Los Angeles Times |accessdate=April 12, 2017}} She has advised multiple high-profile organizations, including the Silicon Valley Community Foundation as it investigated and navigated allegations of a toxic work environment.{{cite news|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/04/24/community-foundation-widens-probe-of-toxic-workplace/|title=Silicon Valley Community Foundation widens probe of 'toxic' workplace|date=April 24, 2016|work=Vox|last1=Yglesias|first1=Matthew|accessdate=October 30, 2018}} A team of lawyers led by O'Leary published a report that found "many allegations from current and former employees were substantiated," and made recommendations for reform that were adopted by the Foundation's board in full.{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kerryadolan/2018/06/27/after-an-investigation-into-harassment-claims-ceo-of-silicon-valley-community-foundation-leaves/#45a084552bd5|title=After an Investigation Into Harassment Claims, CEO of Silicon Valley Community Foundation Leaves|date=June 27, 2018|work=Forbes|last1=Dolan|first1=Kerry|accessdate=October 30, 2018}}

O'Leary also represented numerous clients on a pro bono basis, including law professors in defending California's Sanctuary City laws, the National Women's Law Center in combating workplace sexual harassment, and Mark Barnes and Leana Wen in providing a public-health perspective to a case involving Connecticut's response to the threat of an Ebola outbreak.{{cite news|url=http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/general/2018/03/06/Administrative-Law-Professors-Amicus-Brief.pdf|title=Brief of Amicus Curiae in City and County of San Francisco v. Donald Trump|date=February 12, 2018|work=Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals|accessdate=November 7, 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://www.sccgov.org/sites/cco/Documents/Administrative%20Law%20Professors%20Brief.pdf|title=Brief of Amicus Curiae in City and County of San Francisco v. Donald Trump|date=October 4, 2017|work=County of Santa Clara|accessdate=November 7, 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://nwlc-ciw49tixgw5lbab.stackpathdns.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/2018-05-30-NWLC-Amici-Brief.pdf|title=Brief of Amicus Curiae in Parker v. Reema Consulting Services, Inc.|date=May 30, 2018|work=Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals|accessdate=November 7, 2018}}

In 2021, she joined Jenner & Block as one of the founding partners of its San Francisco office.

= Chief of Staff to the Governor of California =

On November 9, 2018, three days after Election Day, Governor-elect Gavin Newsom announced O'Leary as his incoming chief of staff.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-gavin-newsom-chief-of-staff-ann-oleary-20181109-story.html|title=Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom names former Clinton advisor his chief of staff|date=November 9, 2018}}

In this role, O’Leary has championed several key administration initiatives, including an increase in California's [https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/personal/credits/california-earned-income-tax-credit.html earned income tax credit],{{Cite web|last=Matthews|first=Dylan|date=2019-06-27|title=Gavin Newsom's biggest accomplishment as governor yet: a $1 billion cash plan for the poor|url=https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/6/27/18744563/gavin-newsom-california-earned-income-tax-credit|access-date=2020-11-22|website=Vox|language=en}} expanded child care and paid family leave,{{Cite web|last=Murphy|first=Katy|title=California expands family leave protections to millions of small business workers|url=https://politi.co/2H4AlFy|access-date=2020-11-22|website=Politico PRO|date=17 September 2020 |language=en}} subsidies to help families afford health insurance,{{Cite web|last=Adler|first=Ben|title=Budget Deal's Big Health Care Changes: Middle Class Subsidies On Covered California, And A State Individual Mandate|url=https://www.capradio.org/135573|access-date=2020-11-22|website=www.capradio.org}} new investments to build housing and reduce homelessness,{{Cite news|last=Garcia|first=Jacqueline|date=2020-10-02|title=Newsom allocates $600 million for permanent housing for homeless|url=https://calmatters.org/california-divide/2020/10/newsom-permanent-housing-homeless/|access-date=2020-11-22|website=CalMatters|language=en-US}} and the promotion of civil rights, including Newsom's decision to halt capital punishment in the state.{{Cite news|last=Arango|first=Tim|date=2019-03-13|title=California Death Penalty Suspended; 737 Inmates Get Stay of Execution (Published 2019)|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/12/us/california-death-penalty.html|access-date=2020-11-22|issn=0362-4331}}

In addition to serving as the Governor's highest-ranking advisor, O’Leary also led the Governor's energy strike team in the aftermath of devastating wildfires,{{Cite news|date=2019-01-16|title=California Gov. Gavin Newsom gets no honeymoon as PG&E bankruptcy, LA school strike hit|url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/California-Gov-Gavin-Newsom-has-two-crises-after-13536637.php|access-date=2020-11-22|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle|language=en-US |last1=Garofoli |first1=By Joe }} which led to both safety improvements and new measures to fight climate change, including the Governor's executive order that requires that all new cars and passenger trucks sold in the state be zero-emission vehicles by 2035.{{Cite web|title=CaliforniasEnergyFuture|url=https://www.gov.ca.gov/safety-and-accountability-for-californias-energy-future-status-update/|access-date=2020-11-22|website=California Governor|language=en}}{{Cite news|last=Becker|first=Rachel|date=2020-09-23|title=Newsom orders ban of new gas-powered cars by 2035|url=https://calmatters.org/environment/2020/09/california-ban-gasoline-powered-cars-in-2035/|access-date=2020-11-22|website=CalMatters|language=en-US}}

O’Leary co-chaired the Governor's Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The task force released its final report in November 2020.{{Cite web|date=2020-11-20|title=Governor Releases Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery Report|url=https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/11/20/carecoverytaskforcereport/|access-date=2020-11-22|website=California Governor|language=en}}

On December 21, 2020, O'leary resigned as Chief of Staff. Her resignation was announced along with the hiring of lobbyist Jim Deboo, who was selected to serve as Executive Secretary.{{Cite news|last=Bollag|first=Sophia|date=December 21, 2020|title=Gavin Newsom's Chief of Staff Ann O'Leary Steps Down|work=Sacramento Bee|url=https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article247709890.html|access-date=}}

Personal life

In 2002, O'Leary married Goodwin Liu, now a justice on the California Supreme Court.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Obama-nominee-Goodwin-Liu-an-unassuming-man-3270392.php|title=Obama nominee Goodwin Liu an unassuming man|last=Egelko|first=Bob|date=March 14, 2010|website=SFGate|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle|access-date=March 26, 2017|quote=Liu and his wife of eight years, Ann O'Leary....}} They have two children. On August 30, 2016, O'Leary and Liu announced in a joint statement that they were separating.{{Cite news|url=http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/Goodwin-Liu-now-dating-Jane-Kim-splitting-from-9193794.php|title=Clinton adviser, state justice in marital split—enter Jane Kim|last1=Matier|first1=Phil|date=August 31, 2016|work=San Francisco Chronicle|access-date=April 12, 2017|last2=Ross|first2=Andy}}