Faith Whittlesey
Faith Amy Whittlesey (née Ryan; February 21, 1939 – May 21, 2018) was an American Republican politician, White House Senior Staff member, and author. She was noted for her efforts to communicate Ronald Reagan's entire policy agenda to U.S. opinion leaders and for bringing together for the first time in the Reagan White House evangelical, Catholic, and other conservative religious groups who opposed legalized abortion and were concerned about moral and cultural decline and the break-up of the family. These groups became a significant component of the Reagan coalition as they grew more politically self-conscious in the 1980s.
Faith Whittlesey | |
|---|---|
| United States Ambassador to Switzerland | |
| In office May 31, 1985 – June 14, 1988 | |
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | John Davis Lodge |
| Succeeded by | Philip D. Winn |
| In office October 23, 1981 – February 28, 1983 | |
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Richard D. Vine |
| Succeeded by | John Davis Lodge |
| Director of the Office of Public Liaison | |
| In office March 3, 1983 – March 19, 1985 | |
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Liddy Dole |
| Succeeded by | Linda Chavez |
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 166th district | |
| In office 1973–1976 | |
| Preceded by | George Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Stephen Freind |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Faith Amy Ryan February 21, 1939 Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | May 21, 2018 (aged 79) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (before 1964) Republican (from 1964) |
| Spouse | Roger Whittlesey (1967–1974) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Wells College (BA) University of Pennsylvania (LLB) |
She organized the White House Central American Outreach Group at the direction of Chief of Staff James Baker to provide information about Reagan's anti-communist policies in the region and was an active supporter of Reagan's defense buildup and the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI).
Whittlesey served twice for a total of nearly 5 years as U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland and also served for 2 years on the Reagan White House Senior Staff as Assistant to the President for Public Liaison.