John Kerry

John Kerry
Official portrait, 2021
1st United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate
In office January 20, 2021 – March 6, 2024
President	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Office created
Succeeded by	John Podesta
68th United States Secretary of State
In office February 1, 2013 – January 20, 2017
President	Barack Obama
Deputy	William Joseph Burns Wendy Sherman (acting) Tony Blinken
Preceded by	Hillary Clinton
Succeeded by	Rex Tillerson
Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
In office January 6, 2009 – February 1, 2013
Preceded by	Joe Biden
Succeeded by	Bob Menendez
Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee
In office January 4, 2007 – January 3, 2009
Preceded by	Olympia Snowe
Succeeded by	Mary Landrieu
In office June 6, 2001 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by	Kit Bond
Succeeded by	Olympia Snowe
United States Senator from Massachusetts
In office January 2, 1985 – February 1, 2013
Preceded by	Paul Tsongas
Succeeded by	Mo Cowan
66th Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
In office March 6, 1983 – January 2, 1985
Governor	Michael Dukakis
Preceded by	Thomas P. O'Neill III
Succeeded by	Evelyn Murphy
Personal details
Born	John Forbes Kerry (1943-12-11) December 11, 1943 (age 80) Aurora, Colorado, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Julia Thorne (m. 1970; div. 1988) Teresa Heinz (m. 1995)
Children	Alexandra Vanessa
Parents	Richard Kerry Rosemary Forbes
Relatives	Forbes family
Education	Yale University (BA) Boston College (JD)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Navy
Years of service	1966–1978
Rank	Lieutenant
Unit	USS Gridley (DLG-21) Coastal Squadron 1
Commands	PCF-44 PCF-94
Battles/wars	Vietnam War (WIA) Operation Sealords
Awards	Silver Star Bronze Star (with valor) Purple Heart (3) Combat Action Ribbon

John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943^[1]) is an American politician. He is a former United States Secretary of State and former Senator from Massachusetts and the Democratic nominee for president in 2004. He lost to George W. Bush. He has served in the Senate for 23 years and has also served as the lieutenant governor of Massachusetts under Michael Dukakis.

In November 2020, then President-elect Joe Biden named Kerry as the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.^[2] He resigned in early 2024 to help with Biden's re-election campaign.

1. ↑ "johnkerry.com". Archived from the original on 2012-01-27. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
2. ↑ "Biden Reveals Some Cabinet Picks". The Wall Street Journal. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.