[143] In any case, Biden's use in such roles was not diminished, as she became the most requested surrogate of anyone in the Biden administration (including her husband) during Fall 2022 campaigns and often was used in Republican-leaning areas. [40] She also made some joint appearances with Michelle Obama. "[31] She was known as a compassionate teacher who engaged with her students' lives, but also one who assigned a lot of homework and was a tough grader. [162] A popularity dip of that extext was unusual, as first ladies usually have stronger ratings than their husbands do and stay high even when their husbands' ratings decline. [118][10] In mid-November 2020, it was announced that her chief of staff as first lady would be attorney and diplomat Julissa Reynoso Pantaleon and that her senior advisor in the role would be campaign staffer Anthony Bernal. [19] She graduated with a Master of Education degree, with a specialty in reading from West Chester in 1981. A few years ago, one of her four sisters needed an auto-stem cell transplant to treat her cancer. [75] In June 2012, she published a children's book, Don't Forget, God Bless Our Troops, based around her stepson Beau's deployment. Add 2 cans tomatoes. "[76] She told a colleague, "My standard line when students ask me if I am married to the VP is to say that I am one of his relatives. Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Hunter Biden called his step-mom Jill Biden a. Joe Biden appears to confuse his wife and sister at the start of his Super Tuesday speech. [147] Biden and the Duchess of Cambridge visited primary school students and participated in a roundtable discussion focusing on early childhood education. [166] The boots she wore was sold out immediately and page views for the boots spiked five-fold the next day. Biden recalled being "scared to death" that her sister Bonny Jacobs, a United Airlines flight attendant, was on one of the four hijacked airplanes that were flown into New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field, killing nearly 3,000 people. In May 2015, Beau Biden, President Joe Biden's son with his late first wife, died of a rare and . [e] She began her career as a substitute teacher for the Wilmington public school system, then taught high school English full-time for a year at St. Mark's High School in Wilmington. Jill Biden joined Joe Biden as he announced his candidacy for president in Wilmington, Delaware, in 1987. [14] Later, Jacobs independently took membership classes at nearby Abington Presbyterian Church and at age 16, was confirmed. "[91] Her husband was seen as a popular ex-vice president, and she received a standing ovation when she was a presenter at the 71st Tony Awards. In January, she hosted a virtual event in honor of teachers. [31] She gave out her campaign e-mail address to voters in case they wanted to ask her follow-up questions. As for footwear, Dr. Biden balanced out her choice of attire with a set . So, on behalf of a grateful nation, thank you. And I said to Joe, 'You've got to change this, you have to change this. [59][58][60] In January 2009, she began teaching two English courses as an adjunct professor at the Alexandria campus of Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), the second largest community college in the nation. [100], Regarding the much-discussed possibility of her husband running in the 2020 United States presidential election, Biden was a key participant in his decision-making process. "[31] Joe Biden, then a U.S. senator, was on an Amtrak train barreling toward Washington when his wife got through to him. In addition, she continued her studies, earning a doctorate in education from the University of Delaware in 2007. [13] Her father was the CEO of the Mahwah Savings and Loan Association. [3] She graduated in 1969. Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice . But to one group of Northern Virginia Community College [students], I am first, foremost and forever their writing professor: Dr. B," she told the crowd during a community college tour in Dixon, Illinois, in April. [8] She took a year off from college and did a little modeling for a local agency in Wilmington to supplement her income. She married Joe Biden in 1977, becoming the stepmother of Beau and Hunter, two sons from Joe Biden's first marriage. She later described the loss as "totally shattering. [143] She also criticized Republican opposition of an assault weapons ban and more spending on climate change. [116] She is the first spouse since Barbara Bush to hold the positions of both Second Lady and First Lady and is the first spouse since Pat Nixon to hold them non-consecutively. All during his illness, I truly believed that he was going to live, up until the moment that he closed his eyes, and I just never gave up hope. The first lady, 70, who has continued to teach since making the move to the White House with her husband, President Joe Biden, told Good Housekeeping that her students were there for her during an especially difficult time in her personal life: when her sister was undergoing cancer treatment. So, they immediately began shouting, 'Dr. [44] In 2007, Biden helped found Book Buddies, which provides books for low-income children,[44] and has been very active in Delaware Boots on the Ground, an organization that supports military families. [41] She runs five miles, five times a week, and she has run in the Marine Corps Marathon as well as the Philadelphia Half Marathon. [128], First ladies are expected to have one or more causes that they advocate for, and Biden's have been military families, education, and aspects of health care. Like the Obamas, the Bidens have a decades-long relationship that's allowed them to power through and withstand the pressures of Washington and their own personal tragedy. [40] She was not a polished political speaker but was able to establish a connection with the audience. Naomi Biden, 28, is the president's oldest grandchild and close to the first couple. The . For the Jewish activist, see, Education and career, marriages and family, Second Lady of the United States (20092017), First Lady of the United States (2021present), Approval ratings, popularity and controversy, The family name of Giacoppo was subsequently misspelled as Giacoppa at the, In addition to local bands, musical artists who performed at the Stone Balloon during this period included a 1974, pre-, In August 2020, Stevenson stated to media outlets that this oft-told story about how Joe and Jill met was made up: that he and Jill had known Joe Biden and his first wife Neilia going back to 1972, that he had asked County Councilman Biden for help with a liquor license and had held a fund-raiser for his 1972 Senate campaign, and that Joe and Jill had begun an affair in 1974 before he and Jill had separated. [94], Jill Biden continued to teach full-time at NOVA after her husband left office,[91] with a salary of close to $100,000. On Date March 4, 2020. When the two were married in 1977, Joe was already a senator. "[54], Once her husband was selected as the running mate to Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, she began campaigning again. Late. She is Joe's second wife; his first wife, Neilia, died in a car accident. Natalie, 16, is the older child of Biden's late son, Beau Biden, and his widow, Hallie. You have been so strong. Shhh don't tell Joe! [3] Her father, Donald Carl Jacobs,[4] was a bank teller and U.S. Navy signalman during World War II who used the G.I. [3][8][16] She attended Upper Moreland High School, where by her own later description, she was somewhat rebellious and enjoyed her social life and being a prankster. [19], She and Joe Biden were married by a Catholic priest on June 17, 1977, at the Chapel at the United Nations in New York City. [38] She drew parallels between family suffering and the plight of the country, saying, "How do you make a broken family whole? "[98], In May 2019, her memoir Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself was published. [117] She is also the first Italian American first lady. [94] The couple also substantially increased their charitable giving during this period. With the visit, Biden became the first-ever sitting president to deliver a sermon at the historic place of worship. In 2020 Joe announced his third presidential bid, and, for the first time, Jill took a leave of absence in order to assume a prominent role in the campaign. After Joe was sworn in as vice president in 2009, Jill became a professor of English at Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria. WASHINGTON (AP) Jill Biden' s advocacy for curing cancer didn't start with her son's death in 2015 from brain cancer . [16], From 1993 through 2008, Biden was an Instructor in English at the Stanton campus of Delaware Technical & Community College. [8][31] They spent their honeymoon at Lake Balaton in the Hungarian People's Republic, behind the Iron Curtain. AP/George Widman Biden then doled out advice to the American Idol winner, who is. [128], In June 2021, Joe and Jill Biden visited Cornwall in the United Kingdom to attend the 47th G7 summit. in educational leadership from the University of Delaware. Dr. Biden has worked as an educator for decades, and made history this year as the first first lady to maintain a job while also working in the East Wing. [2][8] Biden received her second graduate degree, a Master of Arts in English from Villanova University, in 1987. Updates? [106] She attracted notice during one campaign stop in New Hampshire when she emphasized the electability argument in favor of her husband, saying, "you know, your candidate might be better on, I don't know, health care, than Joe is, but you've got to look at who's going to win this election, and maybe you have to swallow a little bit and say, 'OK, I personally like so-and-so better,' but your bottom line has to be that we have to beat Trump. Joe Biden already knew that he wanted to marry Jill Biden from the very first time they met. The former VP's nephew has two younger sisters, Missy Owens and Casey Owens Castello. The relationship of Joe and Jill Biden is well documented. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. From 1993 to 2008, Biden was an English and writing instructor at Delaware Technical & Community College. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. They welcomed daughter Natalie Naomi Biden (her middle name paying tribute to Beau's late sister) in 2004 and son Robert Hunter Biden II in 2006. Jill Jacobs was born in New Jersey but mostly grew up in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, where her father was vice president of a savings and loan institution. And that's the bottom line. She also helped support the families of members of the military, and she wrote a childrens book, Dont Forget, God Bless Our Troops (2012), about the experiences of a child whose father was deployed. Jill Biden, ne Jill Tracy Jacobs, (born June 3, 1951, Hammonton, New Jersey, U.S.), American first lady (2021- ), wife of Joe Biden, the 46th president of the United States. ", She added, "Until that moment, I didn't realize how much I was struggling, or how much I needed their strength. [73], She continued to teach at NOVA,[74] and by 2011 held a permanent position as an associate professor, teaching three English and writing composition courses two days per week. [92][93] Their ability to purchase this family property was due in part to deals they signed with Flatiron Books upon leaving office, with Biden contracted to write one book and her husband two. She wore a Blue Star Mothers Club pin in recognition of Beau Biden's deployment to Iraq. She also has two Master's Degrees both of which she earned while working and raising a family. [143] In 2022, she organized seven fundraisers for the Democratic National Committee. They lined up and gave me a hug, one by one. Her mother's parents owned a pharmacy, where her mom worked . [128] In any case, she maintained her reputation as a tough grader who gave a lot of homework. I was so against the Iraq War. [27][2] There she taught English composition and remedial writing, with an emphasis on instilling confidence in students. [167] In March 2021, her spokesperson stated that the first lady's press team would not comment on her clothes. [109] After experiencing a number of victories around the nation, she gained some media attention at the March3 Super Tuesday primaries during her husband's speech when she physically blocked a protester from getting at him. Queen Elizabeth asks G7", "Jill Biden meets and tours school with the Duchess of Cambridge", "Kate Middleton and Dr. Jill Biden Co-Wrote an Op-Ed About Early Childhood Care", "Jill Biden heads to Tokyo amid growing concern about Covid and the Olympics", "Pope Francis meets US President Joe Biden at the Vatican", "All About the Meaningful and Deeply Personal Gifts Joe and Jill Biden Gave Pope Francis at the Vatican", "Biden to meet with pope, attend G20 summit and participate in climate convention", "Jill Biden surrounded by her family's deep roots in Italy as she returns to the Eternal City", "Jill Biden Meets (and Sips White Wine) with France's Brigitte Macron Ahead of Summit: 'Just Like Sisters', "U.S. President Biden Meets Italy's Prime Minister Draghi ahead of G20", "First lady Dr. Jill Biden makes surprise visit to Ukraine", "Dr. Jill Biden: 'First ladies across the globe are committed' to helping Ukrainian refugees", "Jill Biden uses her soft diplomacy to make the case for partnering with the US during three-country Latin America tour", "A year and a half in, first lady Jill Biden's favorability is mixed", "Jill Biden chided for saying Latinos as unique as 'breakfast tacos', "Jill Biden apologizes after citing 'bodegas' and 'breakfast tacos' to praise Hispanic diversity", "Joe Biden's wife Jill joins him in rock-bottom poll rating", "Jill Biden's $695 'vote' boots are selling fast days after she wore them in public", "Jill Biden made a statement in a $5,690 dress from a designer with a long history in the White House, and it's already sold out", "First Lady Jill Biden's Team Just Says No to Talking About Clothes", "A First Lady for All of Us: On the Road with Dr. Jill Biden", "Dropped by @TheSweetLobby earlier to pick up some Valentine's treats for the weekend. Her half-sister Naomi "Amy" Biden was killed in a 1972 car accident . He shares his three eldestHunter, Beau and Naomiwith his late wife, Neilia Hunter, who died in a car crash in 1972. FILE - Jill Biden, center, accompanied by Venus Gines, left, and Joni Lownsdale, speaks during a breast cancer awareness event in the First Lady's Garden at the White House in Washington, Oct. 23 . Lee 11/28/2022. [103], Days later, Biden addressed the matter of women who had accused her husband of physical contact that had made them feel uncomfortable by saying, "I think what you don't realize is how many people approach Joe. Jill was a teacher for much of her life and gave her . After learning that her sister was safe at her Pennsylvania home, "I went straight to Bonny's house," Biden told The Associated Press in an interview Saturday as she and her sister remembered that. [67] In January 2010, she gave the commencement speech at the University of Delaware's winter commencement, the first such address by her at a major university. The couple married on June 17, 1977, and had a child of their own in 1981. [22] She indicated that she intended to resume teaching at NOVA even if her husband were to be elected. In a joint interview on "The Drew Barrymore Show" (via . Bill to attend business school and then worked his way up in the banking field. She is the founder of the Biden Breast Health Initiative non-profit organization, co-founder of the Book Buddies program, co-founder of the Biden Foundation, is active in Delaware Boots on the Ground, and with Michelle Obama is co-founder of Joining Forces. That usually quiets them. She has published a memoir and two children's books. "I have never felt prouder of our profession," Dr. Biden said at the time. [138] Indeed, at times she was the foremost spokesperson in the administration for the vaccination effort; she was sent to parts of the country known for anti-vaccine beliefs and antipathy towards her husband, under the belief that she had a better chance of communicating with people in those areas. Early life. Posted By Ian Schwartz. Joe Biden's Wife Dr. Jill Biden . She is Joe's second daughter and Jill's only biological child. She later taught emotionally troubled adolescents at a psychiatric hospital while studying at West Chester State College (now West Chester University of Pennsylvania), from which she earned a masters degree in education in 1981. "[40], Biden is president of the Biden Breast Health Initiative, a nonprofit organization begun in 1993 that provides educational breast health awareness programs free of charge to schools and other groups in the state of Delaware. "[115], Biden's husband was elected president and took office on January 20, 2021. In February 2012, she staged a "Community College to Career" bus tour with Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis that aimed to showcase alliances between community colleges and local and regional businesses. [109] In joint appearances, she sometimes spoke after he did, acting in the "closer" role. Share. Her father, Donald Carl Jacobs, was a bank teller and U.S. Navy signalman during World War II who used the G.I. [105], Biden continued to teach at NOVA during 2019, at one point telling a reporter, "I'm here grading research papers in between interviews. [86], Biden continued to teach at NOVA, handling a full load of five classes during the Fall 2015 semester. [143], On the whole, Biden has superior message discipline compared to her husband and has rarely produced gaffes. Dr. Jill Biden, 69, the former Second Lady of the U.S., met Joe in 1975 on a blind date arranged by Joe's brother Frank. I turned to face the whiteboard, hoping to hold back my emotions. "[3], With her husband having become the presumptive Democratic nominee, in June 2020, she published the children's book Joey: The Story of Joe Biden, which portrayed him as having been "brave and adventurous" as a child despite having a stutter he was bullied for. I can remember specifically it was in a job interview if that same thing happened today, I'd turn around and say, 'What do you think you're doin'?' [25], She met Senator Joe Biden in March 1975. B, Dr. B, where're you going?,' " she recalled. Valerie Biden Owens Moved In & Helped to Raise Her Nephews, Beau & Hunter, After Her Brother's First Wife Died In a Car Crash In 1972. 2 Finnegan Biden MANDEL NGANGetty Images Born: 2000 (age: 22) Parents: Hunter Biden and Kathleen Buhle Naomi's younger sister, and the second of Hunter Biden's daughters, Finnegan is. [110] Asked about the stiff-arm she employed, she said, "I'm a good Philly girl. Throughout her time as first lady, Dr. Biden has dedicated time and effort to uplifting educators, especially through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. "[31] The strain of the subsequent impeachment trial was enough to fracture a friendship she had with South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham, who repeatedly called for Hunter Biden to be questioned as a witness at the trial. [168] During her public appearances, Biden has been noted to favor jeans and cashmere sweaters[169] created by American designers with focus on sustainability. [89], Biden meeting with officers of the New York Army National Guard in 2009, Biden and Michelle Obama accompanying Haitian first lady Elisabeth Delatour Prval in Port-au-Prince, three months after the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake, Joe and Jill Biden walking in the inaugural parade along Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. on January 21, 2013, Biden meeting with the Congolese doctor Denis Mukwege in Bukavu in 2014, The former second couple launched the Biden Foundation in February 2017, with the purpose of allowing them to pursue the causes they cared most about, including focuses upon preventing violence against women, his moonshot initiative, and her interests in community colleges and military families. one of her four sisters needed an auto-stem cell transplant to treat her cancer. In addition to teaching, she worked with the Obama administration in support of community colleges and their mission. "Most people now call me first lady. [171][161] Of the attention the scrunchie photo got, Biden said on The Kelly Clarkson Show, "I still don't understand it. PRIOR to his marriage to educator Jill Biden, Joe Biden tied the knot once before with his first wife, Neilia Hunter. [37] She taught for three years at Claymont High School. [77] She has stayed up late in the White House quarters to review assignments she has given her students. [29][93] By 2019, the couple reported some $15million in income since leaving the vice presidency, including $700,000 in speaking engagements for herself. [68] In August 2010, Biden appeared as herself in an episode of Lifetime's Army Wives, making it part of her campaign to raise awareness of military families. "They bring diverse perspectives to our studies of travels and jobs and families and challenges they've had to overcome," she said. "[113], She was heavily involved in the vice-presidential selection process that resulted in Senator Kamala Harris's being chosen. The book was inspired by the deployment of Joes son, Beau Biden, who later died from cancer (2015). Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. [79], Following the re-election of Obama and her husband on November 6, 2012, Biden began a second term (January 2013) as second lady. "It is such an honor to be the person to walk them through their studies, to give them the key that could unlock something life-changing.". And when you hear their story, it won't be too difficult to understand their connection. Donald Trump, on November 3. Biden and her husband also have a daughter together, Ashley Biden, born in 1981. [128] The same day may see her teaching classes at the college and then flying to an appearance as first lady. Conobbe Joe in un appuntamento al buio", "Biden names senior staff, receives national security briefing from outside experts", "Opinion: Is There a Doctor in the White House? I just could not believe that he won, because I felt that things were already so bad. Jill Biden's advocacy for curing cancer didn't start with her . "[97] In February 2019, she spoke to the graduating class of the Newport News Apprentice School, telling them she realized many of them were in complicated life situations with multiple responsibilities, and that "Sometimes your day is a jigsaw puzzle that never seems to get completed. When I turned back around, the entire class was standing. Her dad's name, Donald Jacobs, is on the town's World War II monument. "[8] Meanwhile, she was going through turbulent divorce proceedings with Stevenson; the court case ended with her not getting the half-share in the Stone Balloon she had wanted. [42][43][44] She began the effort after four of her friends were diagnosed with breast cancer that year. "[22], An examination by The New York Times of her e-mails while second lady concluded that, "she shared the perks of the White House with her teaching colleagues, arranging for tickets to White House events like a garden visit and a holiday tour. Biden had his three eldest children (Hunter, Beau, and Naomi) with his late wife, Neilia Hunter. I love the women who are coming back to school and getting their degrees, because they're so focused. Now, as he prepares to take on Donald Trump in this fall's presidential election, more and more people are trying to learn everything they can about the former second lady, including whether she has children. She is the daughter of Hunter Biden and Kathleen Buhle, who divorced in 2017. [129], In September 2020, Biden wore Stuart Weitzman's black boots with the word "vote" written on them. [16] She began working at age 15, which included waitressing in Ocean City, New Jersey. [79] This reflected her continuing distaste both for politics and for public speaking, even though the Obama campaign considered her valuable in connecting to military families, teachers, and women. She was the second lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017 when her husband was vice president.