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Ann O'Leary

Also known as Ann M. O'Leary

Ann O’Leary is vice president of global policy at OpenAI, where she leads policy strategy at the intersection of technology and governance. She grew up in Orono, Maine, and earned degrees at Mount Holyoke, Stanford, and Berkeley Law. Her career included policy work in the Clinton White House and Senate, a Berkeley health policy center, Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign, and service as Gavin Newsom’s chief of staff. She joined Jenner & Block in 2021 and moved to OpenAI in 2026. In October 2026, she discussed AI guardrails, geopolitics, and global governance.

Now at
OpenAI
Badges

Timeline

  1. 1971–2005

    Degrees in policy and law

    Born in Orono, Maine, in 1971, she earns a B.A. in critical social thought at Mount Holyoke in 1993, an M.A. at Stanford in 1997, and a J.D. at Berkeley Law in 2005.

  2. 1999–2003

    White House and Senate service

    From September 1999 to January 2001, she serves as Special Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, focusing on women, children, and families. She becomes Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s legislative director from 2001 to 2003.

  3. 2008–2009

    Health and family policy

    In 2008, she becomes a lecturer and founding executive director of Berkeley Law’s Center on Health, Economic & Family Security. She publishes work on parental leave and fair pay in 2009.

  4. 2016

    Clinton’s campaign and transition

    During Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, she advises on health, education, labor, and economic security, and co-directs the Clinton-Kaine transition project.

  5. 2017

    A Berkeley Law award

    In 2017, she receives Berkeley Law’s Young Alumni Award and works as a partner at Boies Schiller Flexner.

  6. November 2018–January 2021

    Newsom’s chief of staff

    She becomes Gavin Newsom’s chief of staff during his November 2018 transition and leads his administration through the coronavirus pandemic until January 2021.

  7. 2021

    Joining Jenner & Block

    In 2021, she joins Jenner & Block as a partner in its new San Francisco office and serves as co-chair of its Government Controversies and Public Policy Litigation Practice.

  8. As of October 2026

    OpenAI global policy

    She joins OpenAI as vice president of global policy in 2026 and leads policy strategy at the intersection of technology and governance. In October 2026, she discusses AI guardrails, geopolitics, and global governance with David Wroe.

Career

  1. Since 2026OpenAIVice President of Global Policy
  2. From 2021Jenner & BlockPartner and Co-chair of the Government Controversies and Public Policy Litigation Practice
  3. 2018–2021Office of the Governor of CaliforniaChief of Staff
  4. From 2017Boies Schiller FlexnerPartner
  5. 2016Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign
  6. From 2008University of California, Berkeley School of LawLecturer and Founding Executive Director
  7. 2001–2003United States SenateLegislative Director
  8. 1999–2001White HouseSpecial Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy

Education

  1. 2005University of California, Berkeley School of LawJ.D.
  2. 1997Stanford UniversityM.A.
  3. 1993Mount Holyoke CollegeB.A. in critical social thought

From the biography.

  1. The median h-index is 54 at universities and 20 at frontier AI labsIncludes Ann O'Leary. The median h-index is 54 at universities and 20 at frontier AI labs. We compare publishing careers, citations and moves to estimate how universities and frontier labs contribute to AI research.
  2. 11 of 74 people shaping AI with a former OpenAI role now work at AnthropicIncludes OpenAI. Our estimates of where OpenAI recruits came from and where people with former OpenAI roles work now.
  3. Google alumni founded or led 82 other organizations, the most among the labs we compareIncludes OpenAI. We trace 189 organizations founded or led by AI lab alumni, and 196 career moves between the labs.
  4. 44% of AI career moves go from one university to anotherIncludes OpenAI. We estimate how 12,774 AI career moves link universities, companies, labs and government research centers, with net flows and the most common paths.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Ann O'Leary yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Ann O'Leary - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 18 October 2026.
  2. Ann M. O’Leary ’93 | Mount Holyoke College mtholyoke.edu. Checked 18 October 2026.
  3. (2013-0436-S) Ann O’Leary - Domestic Policy Council | William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum clintonlibrary.gov. Checked 18 October 2026.
  4. Ann O’Leary: Publications - UC Berkeley Law law.berkeley.edu. Checked 18 October 2026.
  5. Trio Honored at Berkeley Law’s Citation Award Luncheon - UC Berkeley Law law.berkeley.edu. Checked 18 October 2026.
  6. Jenner & Block Launches New Office In San Francisco And Welcomes Ann O'Leary, Former Chief of Staff To Governor Newsom, As A Partner prnewswire.com. Checked 18 October 2026.
  7. Speaker Details: TSD Artificial Intelligence Masterclass 2026 events.aspi.org.au. Checked 18 October 2026.
  8. OpenAI’s Ann O’Leary on AI guardrails, geopolitics and global governance - Stop the World | Podfollow podfollow.com. Checked 18 October 2026.