Who is Usha Chilukuri Vance?
Usha Chilukuri Vance has recently gained national attention as the wife of J.D. Vance, who was selected as Donald Trump’s running mate for the 2024 presidential election. Born to Indian immigrant parents in California, Usha grew up in the suburbs of San Diego and attended Mt. Carmel High School in Rancho Peñasquitos.
Usha’s academic achievements are impressive. She earned a BA in history from Yale University and an MPhil in early modern history from the University of Cambridge as a Gates fellow. During her time at Yale Law School, she served as the executive development editor of the Yale Law Journal and managing editor of the Yale Journal of Law and Technology.
Professionally, Usha is an accomplished litigator. She has worked at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., specializing in complex civil litigation and appeals across various sectors including education, government, and healthcare. Her legal career also includes prestigious clerkships with Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh.
Usha met J.D. Vance at Yale Law School in 2013, where they organized a discussion group on “social decline in white America”. Their relationship quickly developed, with J.D. referring to Usha as his “Yale spirit guide”. The couple married in 2014 in Kentucky, with a separate ceremony presided over by a Hindu priest.
In her personal life, Usha is a mother of three children: two sons, Ewan and Vivek, and a daughter, Mirabel. She has been actively involved in J.D. Vance’s political journey, often accompanying him to events and providing guidance. Her support has been instrumental in his campaigns, including his successful Senate runs in 2016 and 2022.
Usha’s background as the daughter of Indian immigrants and her connection to Indian values and culture position her uniquely in the political landscape. Her involvement in her husband’s political career, combined with her own distinguished legal career, suggests that she may play a significant role in strengthening ties between the US and India if J.D. Vance is elected to the vice presidency.
As the 2024 election approaches, Usha Chilukuri Vance is likely to be thrust further into the public spotlight. Her impressive credentials, combined with her supportive role in her husband’s political career, make her a notable figure to watch in the upcoming campaign.
