Who Is Betsy DeVos
Betsy DeVos is an American politician, philanthropist, and businesswoman who served as the 11th United States Secretary of Education from 2017 to 2021 under President Donald Trump. She is a prominent advocate for school choice, charter schools, and private school voucher programs. Her career spans finance, philanthropy, and Republican Party politics, and she is widely recognized for her influence on U.S. education policy and her involvement in conservative reform movements Betsy DeVos Forbes profile.
Born Elisabeth Prince, she is the daughter of Edgar Prince, the founder of Prince Corporation, a major automotive parts manufacturer. She graduated from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her brother is Erik Prince, the founder of Blackwater, now known as Academi, a private military company. She is married to Dick DeVos, the former CEO of Amway and a Republican gubernatorial candidate in Michigan. Together, the DeVos family has built a significant political and philanthropic network in the United States Betsy DeVos Britannica biography.
Betsy DeVos Net Worth and Business Interests
Betsy DeVos has an estimated net worth of approximately $5.1 billion, according to Forbes, making her one of the wealthiest political appointees in recent U.S. history. The DeVos family wealth originates from the Prince Corporation and later from Amway, the multi-level marketing company co-founded by her father-in-law Richard DeVos. The DeVos family has significant investments in real estate, private equity, and financial services, and they have controlled stakes in several publicly traded and private companies Betsy DeVos Forbes profile.
The DeVos family office manages a diversified portfolio that includes stakes in consumer goods, technology, and financial services. Dick DeVos served as CEO of Amway from 1993 to 2002 and later ran for Governor of Michigan in 2006. Betsy DeVos has also been involved in venture philanthropy and education reform organizations, channeling family resources into political action committees, think tanks, and charter school initiatives across the United States Amway SEC filings.
Betsy DeVos Political Career and Education Policy
Betsy DeVos served as the chair of the Republican National Committee from 1996 to 1997 and was a major Republican fundraiser and donor for decades before her cabinet appointment. She was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump in November 2016 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in February 2017. During her tenure as Secretary of Education, she promoted federal expansion of charter schools, private school vouchers, and the elimination of certain Obama-era education regulations Betsy DeVos Forbes profile.
Key policy actions during her term included changes to the Department of Education enforcement of Title IX, revisions to gainful employment rules for for-profit colleges, and the promotion of Education Savings Accounts in multiple states. Her confirmation was notable for the tied Senate vote, which was broken by Vice President Mike Pence. She stepped down from the role in January 2021 and has since remained active in conservative education reform advocacy and philanthropic efforts