Haley, Nikki, 1972-

Nimrata Nikki Haley (née Randhawa; born January 20, 1972) is an American politician, diplomat, businesswoman, and author who served as the 116th and first female governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017 and as the 29th United States ambassador to the United Nations from 2017 to 2018.

Haley was born in Bamberg, South Carolina, and studied accounting at Clemson University. Haley joined her family's clothing business, before serving as treasurer and president of the National Association of Women Business Owners. First elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 2004, she served three terms. In 2010, during her third term, she was elected governor of South Carolina and won re-election in 2014. Haley was the first female governor of South Carolina, the youngest governor in the country and the second governor of Indian descent (after fellow Republican Bobby Jindal of Louisiana). She was the first Asian-American female governor, and in 2017 became the first Indian-American in a presidential cabinet.

Haley served in President Donald Trump's Cabinet as United States ambassador to the United Nations from 2017 to 2018. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in a 96–4 vote, and was sworn in on January 25, 2017. She affirmed the United States's willingness to use military force in response to further North Korean missile tests in the wake of the 2017–2018 North Korea crisis. She strongly defended Israel at the Security Council and led the effort to withdraw the U.S. from the United Nations Human Rights Council. She voluntarily stepped down on December 31, 2018.