Condoleezza Rice is an American diplomat, political scientist, and educator who currently serves as the Director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. A prominent member of the Republican Party, she made history as the first African-American woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of State (2005–2009) and the first woman to serve as National Security Advisor (2001–2005).
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Current Roles & Recent Activities
- Hoover Institution Director: She has led this public policy think tank since September 2020.
- Academic Professional: She is the Denning Professor in Global Business and the Economy at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a professor of political science at Stanford.
- Recent Commentary (2026): In March 2026, she publicly urged the Trump administration to “take care” of the Iranian threat following military escalations.
- Sports Ownership: She is a member of the Denver Broncos ownership group, which she joined in 2022.
- Corporate & Civic Boards: She serves on the boards of C3.ai and Makena Capital Management, and is Vice Chair of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
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Key Career Milestones
- 66th U.S. Secretary of State (2005–2009): Succeeded Colin Powell; pioneered “Transformational Diplomacy” to support democratic transitions globally.
- 19th National Security Advisor (2001–2005): Served during the September 11 attacks and the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
- Stanford Provost (1993–1999): Was the first woman, first African-American, and youngest person to hold the position of chief academic and budget officer at the university.
- Early Advisor: Served as a Soviet and East European affairs expert on the National Security Council under President George H.W. Bush (1989–1991).
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Personal Background
- Early Life: Born November 14, 1954, in Birmingham, Alabama, growing up in the racially segregated South.
- Education: Earned a B.A. and Ph.D. in political science from the University of Denver and an M.A. from the University of Notre Dame.
- Talents: An accomplished classical pianist, she originally intended to pursue a career in music before shifting to international politics. She is also a trailblazing member of the Augusta National Golf Club
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