Wendy Chun-Hoon (2021 - Present)
Wendy Chun-Hoon serves as the 20th director of the Women’s Bureau, appointed by President Biden on February 1, 2021. Wendy is skilled at coalition building, bridging strategy across grassroots community organizing, and public sector and policy making at state and national levels. She has held senior positions in Maryland state government and private philanthropy, overseeing large-scale, results-driven initiatives for worker and family economic justice.
For the past 10 years, Wendy’s led Family Values @ Work, a national network of grassroots coalitions that have won more than 60 new paid leave policies bringing new rights to 55 million workers and their loved ones and are organizing to win greater access to child care, and fair wages and employment conditions for workers. Recognizing the ways in which her own family would be excluded from new policies for paid time to care, Wendy spearheaded the development of the Family Justice Network, building cross-movement organizing among paid leave advocates, communities of color, groups working for reproductive and disability justice, equality for LGBTQ individuals, and organized labor that has made inclusive family recognition a hallmark of the paid leave movement. Under Wendy’s leadership, FV@W’s staff and board grew and are now majority women of color. She was also instrumental in bringing together dozens of organizations to form a coordinated national campaign known as Paid Leave for All.
Born and raised in Hawaii, Wendy graduated from Vassar College before earning master’s degrees in Philanthropic Studies and Nonprofit Management from Indiana University. An avid soccer player, Wendy lives with her wife and their two kids in Silver Spring, MD.
Dr. Laurie Todd-Smith (served 2019-2021)
Dr. Laurie Todd-Smith of Mississippi was appointed by President Trump to lead the Women's Bureau in October 2019. She brings more than 25 years of experience in education and research to the Women's Bureau.
Dr. Todd-Smith is the former Executive Director of the State Workforce Investment Board and State Early Childhood Advisory Council in Mississippi. Playing a leading role in the creation of the Family Based Unified and Integrated State Plan, she also served as a Senior Education Policy and Workforce Advisory to Governor Phil Bryant. Dr. Todd-Smith led numerous legislative efforts to help improve public education in Mississippi including The Literacy Based Promotion Act, Early Childhood Education, Charter Schools, Special Needs Education Scholarship Account, and an A-F rating system for school districts, which resulted in improved outcomes for students. She has testified before Congress at the House Committee on Education and Workforce on strengthening welfare-to-work policies that aided in securing additional funds for families. Dr. Todd-Smith's efforts led to the creation of a one-stop shop digital application, MS Works, which connects people to job opportunities.
Dr. Todd-Smith is a former elementary school teacher and has a doctorate in education leadership from Mississippi State University, a master's degree from Western New Mexico University, and a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona.
Patricia G. Greene (served 2017-2019)
Patricia G. Greene of Texas is the 18th Director of the Women’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor. She joined the Department of Labor in November 2017.
Dr. Greene is a former entrepreneurship professor at Babson College where she held the Paul T. Babson Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies. While at Babson she served terms as first the Dean of the Undergraduate School and then the Provost. Dr. Greene was the founding National Academic Director for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses initiative and the Global Academic Director for the 10,000 Women program, a global initiative that fosters economic growth by providing women entrepreneurs around the world with business and management education, mentoring and networking, and access to capital. For 10,000 Small Businesses, she led the Babson team for the design of the educational and advising program, training for new sites, the management of the national alumni program, and the supervision of the measurement and evaluation system.
Dr. Greene is a former Federal appointee to the national advisory board for the Small Business Administration’s Small Business Development Centers. She has also served as the board chair for the Center for Women’s Business Research and as co-chair of the steering committee for the Entrepreneurship Affinity Group of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Dr. Greene has numerous books and articles to her credit. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin, her M.B.A. from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and her B.S. from the Pennsylvania State University. She is a native of Hamburg, PA.
Latifa Lyles (served 2012-2017)
President Obama appointed Latifa Lyles as the 17th director of the Women's Bureau, and she was officially sworn in on March 11.
Ms. Lyles previously served as Vice President for Membership of the National Organization for Women (NOW), the nation's largest and oldest grassroots feminist advocacy group, where she served as a principal media spokesperson on a wide range of women's issues appearing on local and national radio and television, and she oversaw the organization's Direct Marketing program. Prior to her post at NOW, she managed the membership program at Public Justice, the nation's largest public interest law firm which specializes in a broad range of cases from employment discrimination to consumer protection. She has served as Co-chair of the Older Women's Economic Security Task force of the National Council of Women's Organizations, and on the Women's Coalition for Dignity and Diversity in Media.
Ms. Lyles has extensive community and political organizing experience and has been working in the social justice movement for over fifteen years, starting with her work in 1998 as Public Policy Associate for the Older Women's League (OWL), where she focused on economic security issues of mid-life and older women.
Sara Manzano-Diaz (served 2010-2012)
On October 1, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Sara Manzano-Diaz to be the 16th Director of the U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau. Ms. Manzano-Diaz was confirmed by the Senate on February 11, 2010.
Before coming to the Women’s Bureau, Ms. Manzano-Díaz, with more than 25 years of federal, state, and judicial experience, including 16 years in senior management, spent her career in public service advocating on behalf of working class families, women, and girls. Appointed as Deputy Secretary for Regulatory Programs at the Pennsylvania Department of State by Governor Edward G. Rendell, she was the highest-ranking Latina in Pennsylvania state government. Under her leadership, the Women’s Bureau’s vision was to empower all working women to achieve economic security by preparing them for higher paying jobs, promoting equal pay, promoting workplace flexibility, helping women veterans reintegrate into the workforce, and helping vulnerable women.
Shinae Chun (served 2001-2009)
In May 2001, Shinae Chun was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the 15th Director of the Women’s Bureau. Previously she served in the cabinets of two governors of Illinois as the Director of Financial Institutions and then as the Director of the Department of Labor.
During her tenure, the Women’s Bureau implemented innovative projects and enhanced the Bureau’s visibility. Under her leadership, the Women’s Bureau advanced the status of 21st Century working women in the pursuit of Better Jobs! Better Earnings! Better Living!
"When you empower a woman to be economically self-sufficient, you strengthen the family. When you strengthen the family, you strengthen the community and build a great nation."
Irasema T. Garza (served 1999-2000)
In November 1999, Irasema T. Garza was confirmed by the Senate as the 14th Director of the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau. This is not Ms. Garza's first position with this Administration or the Department of Labor. She headed up Departmental initiatives -- both domestic and international -- since 1994.
From January through July 1994, Ms. Garza served as Executive Director of the Congressional Commission on Family and Medical Leave, housed at the Women's Bureau.
"Our role today is to open the doors of opportunity even wider -- and ensure that they are never closed again."
Karen Nussbaum (served 1993-1996)
Karen Nussbaum cofounded and led 9to5, the National Association of Working Women, from 1973 - 1993, and served as organizer and president of District 925 of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) for nearly 20 years. As Women's Bureau Director, she reached out directly to working women themselves to find out what they like and don't like about their jobs, and what they want to change -- and initiated real, practical responses to their concerns.
"Every individual is capable of extraordinary things, but no one can accomplish anything by themselves. Working women should count, but the only way we'll make that true is if we work together."
Elsie Vartanian (served 1991-1993)
Before coming to the Women's Bureau Elsie Vartanian was an entrepreneur, founder and president of a real estate brokerage firm, and a 12-year member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives. Under her leadership, the Women's Bureau focused on recruitment and training for non-traditional employment, women's business ownership and math/science education for girls.
"My experiences as Director strengthened my belief that women must channel combined energies and use our collective abilities to empower others. We must teach that empowerment is a two-step process: As we climb, we must also lift."
Jill Houghton Emery (Phillips) (served 1988-1989)
Jill Houghton Emery (Phillips) was a small business owner and Director of the Office of Women's Business Ownership before she came to the Women's Bureau. Under her leadership, the Women's Bureau focused on increasing women's access to professional and managerial positions, improving job training and education, and helping employers address work and family issues.
"Administrations may change, but the spirit of the Women's Bureau to smooth the road ahead to the 21st Century for working women remains the same. I am honored to have played a part in that history."
Shirley M. Dennis (served 1986-1988)
Shirley Dennis brought considerable management experience and a strong advocacy background to her Women's Bureau post. Under her leadership, the Women's Bureau operated the Work and Family Clearinghouse and advocated a holistic approach to welfare reform.
"These are what I call my defining moments: While at the Department, I was part of the senior staff that created the dialogue resulting from the Hudson Institue report on Workforce 2000 which delineated changing demographics in the workforce. My specific responsibility, in regard to the dialogue, was to address business leaders on the need to embrace Work and Family issues as part of their workplace policies. Another defining moment was my election as the first American president to head up the women's committee of the 24 nation Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development."
Lenora Cole Alexander (served 1981-1986)
Dr. Lenora Cole Alexander came to the Women's Bureau with a strong background in higher education and public service. She used her position as Director to promote employer-sponsored child care, address school-to-work transition problems of young women, and work to increase women's employment through job fairs and job matching services
"I especially enjoyed helping women and their national and international organizations to develop policies, skills and opportunities to advance their participation in the world of work. It is gratifying to observe that many of the issues the Bureau identified several years ago have become the contemporary major concerns of policymakers and women's organizers. This would not have been possible without the vision and dedication of a highly-qualified staff."
Alexis M. Herman (served 1977-1981)
Before coming to the Bureau, Alexis Herman worked on a wide range of programs to improve economic prospects for minorities, women and young people. As Director, she mounted new employment initiatives for low-income and young women and pushed for adult education programs to help older women enter or re-enter the workforce.
"Serving as Director of the Women's Bureau afforded me the unique opportunity to help women explore new horizons never before open to them - to expand opportunities and open doors, expecially in non-traditional work areas. After 75 years, I am proud to have been associated with the history of the Women's Bureau that continues to make progress on behalf of working women and their families."
Carmen Rosa Maymi (served 1973-1977)
The first Women's Bureau Director appointed from within the ranks and the first Hispanic Director, Carmen Rosa Maymi used her position to call attention to the unique barriers faced by Hispanic women. She also developed the Bureau's links with private organizations to help working women realize their full potential.
"My tenure as Director occurred at the most exciting and productive period for American women. The Women's Bureau became a true partner with minority women, union women and national organizations in the formulation of government policies that still benefit working women and their families. We were all enriched by the discovery of our strength."
Elizabeth Duncan Koontz (served 1969-1973)
Elizabeth Duncan Koontz taught for 30 years before becoming the first black woman to head the Bureau and the highest ranking black woman in the Nixon Administration. A champion on the rights of minority women, Ms. Koontz also fought for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Mary Dublin Keyserling (served 1964-1969)
An economist with experience in education and social welfare, Mary Dublin Keyserling initiated efforts to study the impact of new civil rights and pay equity legislation on women workers, reassessed standing laws, and pushed for new training opportunities. She helped the Department of Labor set an example for employers by establishing a near-site child care center for children of low-income employees.
Esther Peterson (served 1961-1964)
Esther Peterson, who had a background in education, labor and women's affairs, broadened support and heightened visability for the Women's Bureau and women's issues as a whole. Her efforts were instrumental in creating the President's Commission on the Status of Women and in finally achieving passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963.
"I think we helped move the women's question up so it's beginning to be equal with the men's question. We're not in the basement anymore"
Alice K. Leopold (served 1953-1961)
Alice Leopold had a very different background from her two predecessors -- in retail management and state elective office. During her tenure as Women's Bureau Director, she continued the battle for pay equity and documented the new role of women on the job.
Frieda S. Miller (served 1944-1953)
Frieda Miller, also from a labor background, continued Ms. Anderson's work. She focused her efforts on the postwar employment prospects for American women, and raised issues such as the need for quality child care and the poor conditions of domestic workers.
Mary Anderson (served 1920-1944)
The first "up from the ranks" labor woman to head an executive department of the Federal Government, Mary Anderson directed the Women's Bureau for nearly 25 years, leading efforts to win better wages, hours and working condition for women. She served for five presidents and, during her tenure, saw the ranks of women workers more than double.