Valerie Jarrett, former senior advisor to President Obama. Credit: Pete Souza/ White House

Valerie Jarrett, formerly senior advisor to President Barack Obama, will join the University of Chicago Law School as a senior fellow on Jan. 1.

Jarrett is no stranger to the University of Chicago community. She served as vice chair of the university's board of trustees and chair of the board of trustees of the University of Chicago Medical Center. Immediately before joining the Obama administration, she was chief executive officer of The Habitat Company, a real estate development and management company.

“Valerie Jarrett's experience in the White House, her understanding of issues in law, policy and public service, and her deep personal connections to the University of Chicago will bring extraordinary experience and perspective to our community,” Robert Zimmer, president of the University of Chicago, said in a statement. “I am pleased that her involvement in the law school and across the university will provide our students, faculty, and community at large the opportunity to learn from and with her, amplified by this rich experience and history.”

Jarrett served as co-chair of the Obama-Biden transition team and in 2009 was named senior advisor to the president. She oversaw the White House Offices of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs. She also chaired the White House Council on Women and Girls and co-chaired the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault.

Jarrett will work with students and faculty at Chicago Law, participating in academic seminars, conferences, and student initiatives. Among the issues she expects to work on: gender equality, criminal justice reform and health care.

“With a rich history, a world-class interdisciplinary program, and a vibrant student experience, I can't think of a better location to continue my own lifelong learning than the University of Chicago,” Jarrett, a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, said in a statement.

Jarrett serves on the boards of Ariel Capital Management Holdings Inc., Lyft Inc. and 2U Inc. She is also a senior advisor to the Obama Foundation.

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