Diana Mendley Rauner (born 1961) is an American businesswoman and president of Start Early, a non-profit in Chicago.[1] She served as the First Lady of Illinois from 2015 to 2019 as her husband, Bruce, served as governor.[2]
Diana Rauner | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First Lady of Illinois | |
| In role January 12, 2015 – January 14, 2019 | |
| Governor | Bruce Rauner |
| Preceded by | Patricia Blagojevich (2009) |
| Succeeded by | M. K. Pritzker |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Diana Elizabeth Mendley 1961 (age 62–63) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) |
Lewis Ingall
(m. 1989; div. 1991) |
| Children | Three (with Rauner) Three stepchildren[1] |
| Alma mater | Yale University Stanford University University of Chicago |
Early life
editRauner was born and raised in New York City, where she was the youngest of three children in a Reform Jewish home.[1] She attended Yale University, where she was also a champion fencer.[3] She was All-Ivy First Team in fencing in 1981-82, and 1982-83.[4][5] She received her MBA from Stanford University, and her PhD in development psychology from the University of Chicago.
First Lady of Illinois (2015-2019)
editRauner is a Democrat, but in 2014 when her husband Bruce Rauner, a Republican, became the Republican nominee for governor of Illinois in the 2014 Illinois gubernatorial election, Rauner appeared in a TV ad for her husband saying "I'm a lifelong Democrat, but enough is enough and the Democratic politicians in Springfield have got to be controlled and I know that is what my husband will do as governor."[6]
On July 18, 2016, Rauner announced a $15 million renovation project for the Illinois Executive Mansion, with the funding being raised privately.[7][8] The work was planned to be completed by the Illinois bicentennial in 2018.[7]
Other activities
editShe serves as president of the Ounce of Prevention Fund, an early-learning advocacy organization.[9] In June 2016, The Ounce of Prevention joined a lawsuit fund with other social organizations against her husband, the governor, and various state agencies; the lawsuit demanded payment for services rendered by the agencies, many of which had not received payment for over a year.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b c Manchir, Michelle (December 27, 2014). "Diana Rauner, Illinois' Next First Lady, To Stay Focused on Early Education". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 9, 2015.
- ^ "First lady Diana Rauner focuses on her husband, IL children". WLS-TV. February 17, 2015. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- ^ Merrion, Paul (April 21, 2014). "The Good Wife's Dilemma". Crain's Chicago Business. 37 (16). Retrieved October 9, 2015.
- ^ "Ivy History: Women's All-Ivy". Ivyleaguefencing08.wordpress.com. February 4, 2007.
- ^ "The Ivy League Men's and Women's Fencing Records Book 2012-13" (PDF). S3.amazonnaws.com. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
- ^ Lachman, Samantha (April 7, 2014). "Bruce Rauner's Wife Says She's A Democrat, But Mostly Gives To GOP Candidates". The Huffington Post. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- ^ a b Kamin, Blair (July 18, 2016). "Illinois' First Lady Unveils $15 Million Plan to Renovate Crumbling Executive Mansion". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
- ^ "Private Funds to Cover Executive Mansion Repairs". Rock River Times. July 21, 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
- ^ New York Times: "City to Add Pre-K Efforts in Poor Areas Next Year" By AL BAKER, Nytimes.com, September 24, 2012
- ^ New York Times: "Illinois: Governor’s Wife Runs Fund Suing Him Over Budget", Nytimes.com, June 8, 2016