Women have long been a driving force in public service, bringing fresh perspectives, transformative leadership, and a commitment to progress. As more women step into political and leadership roles, they are reshaping institutions, amplifying voices, and driving meaningful change. Their impact is undeniable—breaking barriers, challenging norms, and paving the way for a brighter future.
Changing the Face of Public Service
These eight extraordinary women in public service aren’t just overcoming obstacles. With their brilliance, resilience, and expertise, they’re shaping a better world for all of us.
1. Catherine Russell
Catherine Russell leads UNICEF as its eighth executive director, steering the organization’s work for children in over 190 countries and territories. “At a time when millions of children globally are still reeling from the impact of the COVID pandemic and other crises, UNICEF is leading the call to protect their rights and their futures,” she said in 2022. “I look forward to the work ahead.”
Before UNICEF, Russell served as assistant to the president and director of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel from 2020 to 2022 and as ambassador-at-large for Global Women’s Issues at the U.S. Department of State from 2013 to 2017.
2. Deb Haaland
On March 16, 2021, Deb Haaland was sworn in as secretary of the interior, becoming the first Native American in history to serve in a U.S. Cabinet role. When elected, she had no home, no savings, and was buried under student loan debt, making her one of the poorest members of Congress. Yet she selflessly used her position to enrich the lives of others, co-sponsoring more bills than any other freshman in Congress. “I believe we are in an era of healing,” Haaland said in her farewell speech. “That healing has been among the most important things I have done as secretary.”
3. Amal Clooney
Amal Clooney isn’t just a lawyer; she’s a force of nature. A British barrister with a sharp mind and an unshakable mission, she fights for human rights on the global stage, representing and empowering women, many of whom are victims of mass atrocities. “I’m guided by what I’m really outraged about and what I think I can actually try to influence,” she told Time. “And it may be that I can only influence things one case at a time, but ultimately, the plan is always to try and improve the system.”
4. Laurene Powell Jobs
Laurene Powell Jobs is the founder and president of Emerson Collective, an organization that invests in education, the environment, and immigration reform—areas needing a lot of attention. “It’s very difficult to make sustainable and sustained change,” she said. “None of the issues we are trying to address have easy solutions and making progress requires a variety of approaches.” While Powell Job inherited her wealth—over $10 billion—from her late husband, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, her real legacy isn’t her wealth but her commitment to public service.
5. MacKenzie Scott
The most generous thing Jeff Bezos has done for the world? Get divorced. Since her 2019 split—and walking away with 4% stake in Amazon—MacKenzie Scott has been on a philanthropic tear, founding the nonprofit organization Yield Giving, which has donated over $19 billion to more than 2,450 nonprofit teams. “In addition to whatever assets life has nurtured in me, I have a disproportionate amount of money to share,” admitted Scott. “My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort and care. But I won’t wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty.”
6. Melinda Gates
Melinda Gates has spent over 25 years changing the world through philanthropy, first as the founder and co-chair of the Gates Foundation and now as the head of Pivotal Ventures, an organization dedicated to women’s empowerment and social progress. Why focus on women? “Because when you lift up women, you lift up humanity,” said Gates.
7. Gloria Feldt
Gloria Feldt and her organization, Take The Lead, are on a mission: to help women of all diversities and intersectionalities take their fair and equal share of leadership positions across all sectors by 2025. She hopes to accomplish this through the extraordinary training, mentoring, coaching, and thought leadership she provides.
Before Take The Lead, Feldt served as president and CEO of Planned Parenthood, one of the world’s largest providers of reproductive health services. Leadership isn’t new to her, and with Take The Lead, she’s equipping women with the skills they need to similarly step up and take charge.
8. Morénike Giwa Onaiwu
An advocate, educator, and writer, Morénike Giwa Onaiwu has built a career fighting for intersectional justice, human rights, and true inclusion. As a nonbinary and disabled person of color, Giwa Onaiwu (she/they) brings a unique and much-needed perspective to public service.
With an impact reaching across the globe, Giwa Onaiwu served as a public appointee on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Center, co-chaired the Global Community Advisory Board for HIV clinical research, and co-chaired the Women’s HIV Research Collaborative of the Office of HIV/AIDS Network Coordination. We could keep going, but their extensive advocacy work can hardly be summed up in a single paragraph.
Make an Impact in Public Service
All of these women have done the seemingly impossible, using every resource at their disposal—wealth, knowledge, and connections—to create real change in their communities and beyond.
Want to follow in their footsteps? The clearest path is to earn a Master of Public Administration (MPA). And if you’re serious about making an impact in social work, The University of Texas Permian Basin is worth considering. After all, two of the leaders on this list, Gloria Feldt and Morénike Giwa Onaiwu, are alumni of our University.
Earn Your MPA Online
The University of Texas Permian Basin’s online MPA program can be completed wherever it’s convenient for you. Throughout our online program, you’ll learn how to make a splash in the nonprofit sector, exploring such topics as public policy, budgeting, and personnel administration.
Whether you’re interested in addressing issues in public education, the nonprofit sector, or the healthcare industry, our online MPA program can help you achieve your goals. Visit our program page to learn more. When you’re ready, apply to UTPB’s online MPA program.
Sources:
https://www.pcma.org/how-human-rights-lawyer-amal-clooney-uses-platform-change/#:~:text=Clooney%20has%20worked%20as%20Counsel,experts%20on%20public%20international%20law.
https://www.forbes.com/profile/laurene-powell-jobs
https://www.forbes.com/profile/mackenzie-scott
https://gloriafeldt.com/about/
https://awnnetwork.org/directory/morenike-giwa-onaiwu/