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 You are in: Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs > Bureau of Public Affairs > Bureau of Public Affairs: Electronic Information and Publications Office > Biographies > Biographies Listed Alphabetically by Last Name 
Picture of Henrietta H. ForeBIOGRAPHY

Henrietta H. Fore
Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance & USAID Administrator, 
Term of Appointment: 11/14/2007 to present

On May 7, 2007, Henrietta H. Fore was designated by President George W. Bush as Acting Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and appointed by Secretary Condoleezza Rice as Acting Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance. On November 14, 2007, Fore was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the first female Administrator of USAID and designated by Secretary Rice as Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance. She continues to report to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and holds the rank equivalent of Deputy Secretary of State.

In addition to her direct responsibilities for USAID, in her role at the Department of State Henrietta Fore is charged with directing the transformation of the U.S. government's approach to foreign assistance. As Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance, Fore is responsible for providing strategic direction and guidance to all other foreign assistance programs delivered through the various agencies and entities of the U.S. government, including the Millennium Challenge Corporation and the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator.

Prior to her most recent appointment, Fore served as the Under Secretary of State for Management in the U.S. Department of State from August 2005 to November 2007. From 2001-2005, Fore served as the 37th Director of the United States Mint in the Department of Treasury. She also had been a Presidential appointee at USAID from 1989-1993, first as Assistant Administrator for Private Enterprise and then Assistant Administrator for Asia. During this period she founded and served as the first Chairman of the United States Asia Environmental Partnership, a coalition of business, government, and community organizations in the United States and 31 Asian nations. Fore also was a founder of the Financial Services Volunteer Corps.

In addition to her foreign policy experience in government service, Henrietta Fore has held leadership positions in numerous international non-profit organizations. She was a Trustee and Executive Committee Member at the Center of Strategic and International Studies. She also served as Chairman of the Audit Committee and Member of the Executive Committee of the Aspen Institute Board of Trustees. In addition she served as a Trustee or Director of the Asia Society, The Asia Foundation, The Institute of the Americas, and the United States Committee of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council.

As Director of the United States Mint, Ms. Fore managed the world’s largest manufacturer of coins, medals, and coin products. The United States Mint produced 13 billion coins in 2004 for the nation’s trade as well as gold, silver and platinum bullion coins and commemorative coins and medals for investors and collectors. During Director Fore’s tenure the United States Mint generated a $4 billion profit which was returned to the U.S. Government. In 2004, Director Fore was elected by Mint Directors worldwide as President of the International Mint Directors Conference. In 2005, for her service as Director of the United States Mint, she received the Department of Treasury’s highest honor, the Alexander Hamilton Award.

Earlier in her career Ms. Fore was a successful business woman running her own company and serving on the boards of public corporations. She was Chairman and President of Stockton Wire Products, a manufacturer and distributor of steel products, cement additives and wire building materials for the U.S. and European construction industry. She served on the Corporate Boards of the Dexter Corporation and HSB Group Inc., both listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

In 1997 the State of the World Forum recognized Fore with the Women Redefining Leadership Award. She served as Chairman of International Activities for the Committee of 200. In addition she was a Board Member of the National Public Radio Foundation.

Henrietta has a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Wellesley College and a Master of Science degree in Public Administration from the University of Northern Colorado. She received the 2004 Alumnae Award from the University of Northern Colorado and the 2006 Alumnae Award from the Baldwin School. She has also studied International Politics at Oxford University and studied at Stanford University Graduate School of Business. She is a keen sailor and collector of antique Holsman Automobiles.



Released on November 26, 2007

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