Valerie Biden Owens

Valerie Biden Owens (born November 5, 1945) is an American political strategist, campaign manager and former educator. She is the younger sister of U.S. President Joe Biden. U.S. President Barack Obama nominated her as advisor to the United Nations 71st General Assembly.[1][2]

Valerie Biden Owens
Personal details
Born (1945-11-05) November 5, 1945
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
Bruce Saunders
​
(divorced)​

John T. Owens
​
(m. 1975)​
Children3
RelativesBiden family
EducationUniversity of Delaware
OccupationPolitical strategist, campaign manager, educator
Websitewww.valeriebidenowens.com

Owens has played a substantial role in all of her brother's political campaigns. She was the campaign manager during all of his Senate elections and for his 1988 and 2008 presidential campaigns, and was a senior advisor to his successful 2020 presidential campaign.[3][4]

Early life and education

She was born the daughter of Catherine Eugenia "Jean" (née Finnegan; 1917–2010) and Joseph Robinette Biden Sr. (1915–2002).[5] Her brothers are Joe, Francis "Frank" Biden, and James "Jim" Biden. Her family is of Irish Catholic background. Biden's father was initially wealthy however suffered several financial setbacks; for several years the family lived with Biden's maternal grandparents. Joe Biden Sr. later became a successful used car salesman, maintaining the family a middle-class lifestyle.[6]

Owens graduated from Ursuline Academy in 1963, and went on to study at the University of Delaware, where she was on the dean's list and was Homecoming queen, graduating in 1967.[7]

Career

After college, Owens was a teacher at Wilmington Friends School before focusing on politics.[7]

From 1997 until 2016, she served as executive vice-president of Joe Slade White & Company, a media consultant firm. Owens has worked with the service organization Ministry of Caring for over 35 years and sits on their Board of Directors.[8][9]

She has worked extensively with Women's Campaign International to help teach women how to develop and grow their political skills.[10][11] In 2013, Owens traveled with her brother Joe Biden to the Vatican City as an official U.S. delegate for the inauguration of Pope Francis.[12]

In 2014, Owens was a Resident Fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics.[13] In 2017, Owens was a featured speaker at a Ted Talk conference in Wilmington, Delaware.[14] Owens is Vice-Chair of both the Biden Institute at the University of Delaware and the Biden Foundation. Owens returns to the University of Delaware periodically to give lectures on politics and her experiences as a woman on the campaign trail.[15]

She has traveled around the world as a motivational speaker, and teacher of leadership and communication seminars. She helped to found the Owens-Patrick seminar group.[16] Owens currently sits on the advisory board for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Public Policy Institute.[17]

Owens has played a substantial role in all of her brother, Joe Biden's, political campaigns dating back to his first political office campaign in 1970. Owens was campaign manager for Joe Biden's 1988 presidential campaign.[18] In 2008, Owens and Ashley Judd campaigned together in North Carolina at several events in support of Barack Obama and Joe Biden.[19]

Joe Biden mentioned her in his Presidential Acceptance Speech on November 7, 2020. Owens was in attendance at the event in Wilmington, Delaware where she also met the sister of Kamala Harris, Maya Harris.[20]

Owens in Des Moines, Iowa on the campaign trail, 2020

Personal life

Owens’ first husband was Bruce Saunders, whom she married shortly after graduating college.[21] Bruce and Valerie moved in with her brother, Joe Biden and his two sons, Hunter and Beau, following the death of her sister-in-law Neilia in a car crash in 1972. Valerie helped look after the kids so that her brother could begin his first term as senator in 1973. Valerie and Bruce had both worked on Joe Biden's first senate campaign.[22]

Owens is married to attorney John T. Owens, with whom she has three children, a son Cuffe Owens, also an attorney, and two daughters, Missy Owens and Casey Owens Castello. John T. Owens was a friend of Joe Biden's during their law school years at Syracuse University. The two were wed in a Roman Catholic ceremony at the Church Center for the United Nations in 1975[23][24]

Awards and honors

The University of Delaware bestowed an Honorary Doctorate of Law to her in 2018.[7] Harvard University honored her with their 'Women Inspiring Change" award in 2015.[25]
Ursuline Academy inducted her to their Distinguished Alumnae Hall of Fame in 2018.[26]

References
  1. "HOME". Valerie Biden Owens.
  2. "First Sister". members.tortoisemedia.com. September 16, 2020.
  3. News Biden Campaign accessed 11/11/2020
  4. Meet Joe Biden Sister, Vogue Magazine accessed 11/12/2020
  5. Sun, Baltimore. "Joseph Biden Sr., 86, the father of..." baltimoresun.com.
  6. "The Frontline Interview: Valerie Biden Owens". FRONTLINE (Interview).
  7. "University of Delaware Statement accessed 11/7/2020" (PDF).
  8. "Valerie Biden Owens Biography". www.bidenschool.udel.edu.
  9. "Joe Biden's Sister Isn't Running The Campaign This Time — And It's "Damn Frustrating"". BuzzFeed News.
  10. Saul, Stephanie (February 28, 2020). "Politics, Money, Siblings: The Ties Between Joe Biden and Valerie Biden Owens" – via NYTimes.com.
  11. Parker, Ashley (October 1, 2008). "Biden Relies on His Closest Adviser, His Sister (Published 2008)" – via NYTimes.com.
  12. Biden plays the Catholic card accessed 11/9/2020
  13. Owens Harvard biography accessed 11/7/2020
  14. Owens, Valerie Biden. "The Contribution Code: Three B's That Make All the Difference" – via www.ted.com.
  15. Biden Owens on Girl Power accessed 11/9/2020
  16. Bill Barrow (August 20, 2020). "Q&A: Valerie Biden Owens, from Joe's manager to proud sister" (Interview). Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  17. "Advisory Board Members | MGM Resorts Public Policy Institute at UNLV | University of Nevada, Las Vegas". www.unlv.edu.
  18. Viser, Matt. "Biden's sister, Valerie, at his side for 74 years — and for one final goal" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  19. Ashley Judd on the trail accessed 11/14/2020
  20. Phillips, Amber. "Analysis | Joe Biden's victory speech, annotated" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  21. Oprah Mag Biden Sister accessed 11/11/2020
  22. Biden Political Family, New York Times accessed 11/11/2020]
  23. "Statement from Vice President Joe Biden". The White House.
  24. Valerie Biden New York Times Wedding Announcement accessed 11/9/2020
  25. Women Inspiring Change accessed 11/9/2020
  26. Ursuline 2018 Inductees accessed 11/9/2020
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