Valerie Jarrett Race and Ancestry
Valerie Jarrett is Black. She was born in Shiraz, Iran, in 1956 to African American parents, James A. Bowles and Lois Julia Bowles, who were in Iran for academic and medical work. Her ancestry traces to the American South, and she has publicly identified as Black and African American throughout her career in business, law, and government.
Jarrett grew up in London and later in the United States, attending the University of Michigan and the University of Michigan Law School. Her racial identity is consistent across public records, interviews, and official White House biographies, where she is described as an African American advisor to President Barack Obama.
Valerie Jarrett Career and Companies
Jarrett served as Senior Advisor to President Obama and Assistant to the President for Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs from 2009 to 2017. Before the White House, she was CEO of the Habitat Company, a real estate development and management firm in Chicago, and held leadership roles in the city government under Mayor Harold Washington and Mayor Richard M. Daley.
After leaving the Obama administration, Jarrett joined the boards of several major companies and organizations. She serves on the board of directors at Uber Technologies, where she is a member of the nominating and governance committee, and at The Obama Foundation, where she is a trustee. She is also a board member of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and a former board member of the Chicago Community Trust.
Valerie Jarrett Public Record and Identity
Official White House historical records, Obama administration press releases, and biographical profiles consistently identify Valerie Jarrett as African American. The White House website during the Obama era listed her as a senior advisor with a biography highlighting her career in Chicago politics, real estate, and public service, with race and ancestry described as Black.
Valerie Jarrett is a frequent speaker on corporate governance, diversity, and leadership. Her public appearances, interviews, and published articles reference her identity as a Black woman in business and government. For current details on her board roles and public engagements, you can check the official Uber board page and the Obama Foundation leadership page.