Swanee Hunt | |
|---|---|
Swanee Hunt in 2021 | |
| United States Ambassador to Austria | |
| In office November 4, 1993 – October 18, 1997 | |
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Roy M. Huffington |
| Succeeded by | Kathryn Walt Hall |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1950-05-01)May 1, 1950 (age 75) |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse | Charles Ansbacher |
| Relations | Helen LaKelly Hunt (sister) June Hunt (sister) Ray Lee (brother)[1] |
| Children | Three |
| Parent |
|
| Education | Texas Christian University (BA) Ball State University (MA) Iliff School of Theology (MA,D.Th.) |
| Occupation | Diplomat, professor |
| Website | www |
Swanee Grace Hunt (born May 1, 1950) is an American writer, academic, and former diplomat.
Hunt is a lecturer in public policy atHarvard Kennedy School and was the founding director of the Women and Public Policy Program[2] at the Kennedy School.[3][4] From 1993 to 1997, she served asUnited States Ambassador toAustria. She is a recipient of thePEN/New England Award for non-fiction.
Hunt was born May 1, 1950, inDallas, Texas, the youngest of four children born to the oil tycoonH.L. Hunt and Ruth Ray. However, not until her father's first wife died did Swanee Hunt's parents marry in 1957 and it was only then that she and her siblings moved into the Hunt mansion, built to resemble its namesake,Mount Vernon.[5]
Hunt grew up inDallas,Texas, where she attended theHockaday School.[6] She lived for many years inDenver,Colorado, where she was active in many community and philanthropic activities. Her several siblings include sistersHelen LaKelly Hunt andJune Hunt.
While Hunt had hoped to attend college in the east, her ultra-conservative father refused, so Hunt began college in her hometown atSouthern Methodist University.[5] Hunt earned her BA in philosophy fromTexas Christian University, an MA in psychology fromBall State University, and an MA in religion and a doctorate in theology fromIliff School of Theology.[7]
Hunt was appointed in 1993 as ambassador to Austria, where she was notable for writing a weekly newspaper column and radio program.[8]
In 1997, Hunt helped establish the Women and Public Policy Program atHarvard Kennedy School. Since stepping down as Director of the Program in 2008, she has continued on at the Kennedy School as the Eleanor Roosevelt Lecturer in Public Policy.[5]
At age 20, Hunt married Mark Meeks, a seminary student. Hunt gave birth to a daughter in 1982, and the marriage dissolved soon after.[5] In 1985, Hunt married conductorCharles Ansbacher, who died on September 12, 2010. She has three children.[5]
Her bookThis Was Not Our War: Bosnian Women Reclaiming the Peace won the 2005 PEN/New England Award for non-fiction[9] and includes aforeword by former presidentBill Clinton.
Swanee Hunt.
Swanee Hunt.
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | U.S. Ambassador to Austria 1993–1997 | Succeeded by Kathryn Walt Hall |