Anita B. McBride — SPARQNOW

At-a-Glance

Currently an Executive-in-Residence at American University School of Public Affairs, directing the First Ladies Initiative.
Co-author of "Remember the First Ladies" (2024) and "U.S. First Ladies: Making History and Leaving Legacies".
Served as Chief of Staff to First Lady Laura Bush from 2005 to 2009.
Veteran of three White House administrations: Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush.
Founding member of the First Ladies Association for Research and Education (FLARE) and co-founder of the RAND African First Ladies Initiative.
Serves as an officer of the White House Historical Association and a member of the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council.

Biography

Anita B. McBride is an American academic and former government official with extensive experience in White House operations and a recognized expertise on U.S.

First Ladies. She currently serves as an Executive-in-Residence at American University School of Public Affairs, where she directs the First Ladies Initiative. In this role, she focuses on the historical contributions and evolving roles of first ladies in American politics and diplomacy.