Hillary Rodham Clinton

Hillary Clinton (1947-) helped define the role of the modern political spouse and was one of the most accomplished first ladies in American history. A trained lawyer, she built a thriving career in the public and private sector, which she balanced with family life following her 1975 marriage to Bill Clinton. She was one of her husband's closest advisors throughout his political career, which culminated in his election as president in 1992. As first lady, she focused on her lifelong interest in children's issues and, more controverisally, health care. The Clintons faced a series of personal and political crises while in the White House, during which the often polarzing Hillary was subject to intense scrutiny and criticism. In 2000, she won a seat in the U.S. Senate, becoming the first first lady to win elected office. After a failed bid for the White House in 2008, Hilary Clinton was named U.S. Secretary of State by President Barack Obama in January 2009.

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After winning a 1997 Grammy Award for the spoken-word recording of her book, "It Takes a Village," first lady Hillary Clinton quipped, "I didn't even know that people who couldn't sing a note and were tone deaf were eligible for any Grammys."

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