Jewell, Sally, 1956-

<p>Sarah Margaret "Sally" Roffey Jewell (born February 21, 1956) is a British-American businessperson who served as the 51st United States Secretary of the Interior in the administration of President Barack Obama from 2013 to 2017.</p>

<p>Jewell was born in London and moved to the United States at age three. She grew up in the State of Washington and attended the University of Washington. After college, Jewell briefly worked as an oil engineer before transitioning to the banking industry. A position on the board of Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), a Seattle-based retailer of outdoor gear, in 1996, eventually led to her becoming the company's chief operating officer, from 2000 to 2005, and then chief executive officer from 2005 to 2013.</p>

<p>Jewell is a lifelong outdoors enthusiast and while at REI became known for her involvement in conservation and environmental protection. These efforts brought her to the attention of the Obama administration, and she was nominated as Secretary of the Interior to succeed Ken Salazar in 2013. Her nomination received substantial bipartisan support and she was handily confirmed by the Senate in April 2013. Jewell is the second woman to hold the position of Secretary of the Interior, after Gale Norton. </p>

<p>Sally Jewell was born in England and moved to the United States in 1959, when her father came to the University of Washington in Seattle for a fellowship in anesthesiology. She grew up in the Seattle area and graduated from Renton High School in 1973. She then attended the University of Washington, earning a degree in mechanical engineering. After college, she went to work in the oil fields of Oklahoma for Mobil Oil Corporation. She then moved into commercial banking as an oil and gas expert who helped guide banks making loans to oil companies. In 1996 Jewell joined the board of the Recreation Equipment, Inc. (REI) and became the company's chief operating officer in 2000. Five years later, she was promoted to REI's chief executive officer and helped the company grow and improve its profitability. As an avid outdoor enthusiast, Jewell enjoyed mountain climbing, hiking, kayaking, and skiing.</p>

<p>President Barack Obama nominated Jewell to head the Department of the Interior after the resignation of previous secretary, Ken Salazar. Although she had never held political office, Jewell was confirmed in April 2013. As secretary, she pledged to promote outdoor recreation, to increase renewable energy production, and to balance conserving federal lands with utilizing them for economic gain.</p>