From CEO to Cabinet Secretary
Former US Interior Secretary Sally Jewell describes what she learned going from the private sector to leading a massive federal agency.
When Sally Jewell became the 51st US Secretary of the Interior in 2013, it was her first time working in government.
During her career as an oil engineer, banking executive, and finally, CEO of outdoor supply retailer REI, Jewell had built a sterling reputation for her leadership in business and as an environmental advocate. But the reality of managing a massive federal bureaucracy with 70,000 employees was an entirely new challenge.
In this episode of PolicyCast, Jewell, a 2017 Fall Fellow at the Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics, recounts her experiences in the private sector, how they shaped her attitude towards environmental stewardship, and ultimately prepared her for her role in President Obama’s cabinet. She also discusses the controversy regarding the status of 10 national monuments currently under review by the Trump administration.
Each week on PolicyCast, Host Matt Cadwallader (@mattcad) explores the ways individuals make democracy work by speaking with the world’s leading experts in public policy, media, and international affairs about their experiences confronting our most pressing public problems.
