Barbara Barrett

Barbara Barrett
Official portrait, 2019
25th United States Secretary of the Air Force
In office
October 18, 2019 – January 20, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
DeputyMatthew Donovan
Shon J. Manasco (acting)
Preceded byHeather Wilson
Succeeded byJohn P. Roth (Acting)
United States Ambassador to Finland
In office
May 23, 2008 – January 16, 2009
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Preceded byMarilyn Ware
Succeeded byMichael Butler
Personal details
Born
Barbara McConnell

(1950-12-26) December 26, 1950 (age 73)
Indiana County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseCraig Barrett
EducationArizona State University, Tempe (BA, MA, JD)

Barbara McConnell Barrett[1] (born December 26, 1950) is an American businesswoman, attorney and diplomat who served as the United States secretary of the Air Force from 2019 to 2021. She is also an instrument-rated pilot, and cattle and bison rancher.[2]

As the 25th secretary of the Air Force, Barrett led the affairs of the Department of the Air Force, comprising the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force.

Barrett is former chair of the Aerospace Corporation and a member on the boards of California Institute of Technology,[3] Jet Propulsion Laboratory, RAND Corporation, Smithsonian Institution, Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, and Lasker Foundation.

On May 21, 2019, President Donald Trump announced he would nominate Barrett as Secretary of the Air Force.[4] The U.S. Senate confirmed her nomination by a vote of 85–7 on October 16, 2019.[5][6] She was sworn in October 18, 2019.[7] On June 23, 2021, Barrett was appointed to the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution by a joint resolution of the House of Representatives and the Senate, filling the vacancy created by the expiration of David M. Rubenstein's tenure on the board.[8] Barrett's appointment will last for a term of 1912 days, ending on September 17, 2026.

  1. ^ "Barrett, Barbara (12/26/1950- )". Smithsonian Institution Archives. October 1, 2013.
  2. ^ "Barbara M. Barrett > U.S. Air Force > Biography Display". www.af.mil. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  3. ^ "Barbara McConnell Barrett Elected as New Trustee". www.caltech.edu. 20 March 2014.
  4. ^ Trump, Donald J. (May 21, 2019). "I am pleased to announce my nomination of Barbara Barrett of Arizona, and former Chairman of the Aerospace Corporation, to be the next Secretary of the Air Force. She will be an outstanding Secretary! #FlyFightWin".
  5. ^ Gould, Valerie Insinna, Joe (October 18, 2019). "Barbara Barrett confirmed as next US Air Force secretary". Defense News.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference ConfirmedHill was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference sworn in was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "H.J.Res.27 - Providing for the appointment of Barbara Barrett as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution". congress.gov. Library of Congress. Retrieved 5 August 2021.