Christie Vilsack

Christie Vilsack (born July 9, 1950) is an American literacy advocate and politician. Vilsack is married to former Iowa Governor and current United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. She served as the First Lady of Iowa from 1999 until 2007. She was an unsuccessful 2012 Democratic nominee for U.S. Representative for Iowa's 4th congressional district.

Early life, marriage and family

Vilsack was born Ann Christine Bell in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, where she was raised. Vilsack graduated from Kirkland College in Clinton, New York, in 1972.

She met her future husband, Tom Vilsack, while attending college. He reportedly approached her in the cafeteria and asked, "Are you a Humphrey or a Nixon supporter?" The couple married on August 18, 1973, in Mount Pleasant. They have two children.

Teaching career

The Vilsacks moved to Mount Pleasant in 1975. She began her career there as a librarian and a teacher. For eighteen years she taught at the middle school level, and also at the high school level, leading classes in language arts and journalism. For another six years, she taught English and journalism at Iowa Wesleyan College.