Jennifer Siebel Newsom


Jennifer Siebel Newsom is an American documentary filmmaker and actress. She is the director, writer, and producer of the film Miss Representation, which premiered in the documentary competition at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. The film examines how the media has underrepresented women in positions of power. Her second film, which she wrote, produced, and directed, was The Mask You Live In, which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Festival. It is an examination of American society's definition of masculinity.
Siebel is married to Governor Gavin Newsom of California, making her the First Partner of California. She was previously the state’s Second Lady from 2011 to 2019 and First Lady of San Francisco from 2008 to 2011.

Early life and education

Siebel was born in San Francisco, to Kenneth F. Siebel Jr., an investment manager, and Judy Siebel, co-founder of the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito. Siebel grew up in Ross, Marin County, California.
She is the second oldest of five girls and attended Ross Grammar School and The Branson School. When she was six, her older sister Stacy died at age eight from a golf cart accident. Siebel has stated she carries a lot of guilt as she was present at the time of the accident. During high school, she played varsity basketball, soccer, and tennis. She later graduated with honors from Stanford University, where she obtained a Bachelor's degree in 1996 and Master of Business Administration in 2001. Her studies focused on conservation policy and Third World development.
At Stanford, she was recruited to play on the women's soccer team. While pursuing her MBA, Newsom also studied at the American Conservatory Theater, where she completed a certificate program. After completing her education, Newsom traveled to Africa, Latin America, and Europe on assignments with Conservation International, a global environmental coalition. Newsom worked in rain forest communities with a focus on helping indigenous populations and creating business enterprise opportunities for women.

Career

In 2002, Newsom moved to Hollywood, where she concentrated on building her acting career. Newsom earned many roles in television, film, and theater. Newsom has appeared on such television shows as Life, Mad Men, Strong Medicine, and Numb3rs.
Miss Representation premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival to mostly positive reviews. The film went on to screen at numerous other festivals, including the San Francisco International Film Festival, Athena Film Festival and won the Audience Award at the Palo Alto International Film Festival. The film interweaves stories from teenage girls with interviews with, among others, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, Lisa Ling, Nancy Pelosi, Katie Couric, Rosario Dawson, and Gloria Steinem discussing the media and its message regarding women. On February 10, 2011, Oprah Winfrey announced that she had acquired the film for the OWN Documentary Film Club.
Newsom raised $101,111 on Kickstarter to fund the production of her second film The Mask You Live In, which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.
Newsom's third and most recent film was The Great American Lie.
She co-founded The Representation Project, an organization which works to end gender stereotypes. The Representation Project's board members include Jan Yanehiro, Nathan Ballard, Susie McCormick, and Maureen Pelton.

Personal life

Newsom is the First Partner of California, wife of current Governor of California Gavin Newsom. She met Gavin on a blind date set up by a mutual friend at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in October 2006. The couple announced their engagement in January 2008. Jennifer and Gavin wed in July of the same year at her parents' ranch in Stevensville, Montana. It was Jennifer's first marriage and Gavin's second. The Newsoms have four children: Montana Tessa Siebel Newsom,, Hunter Siebel Newsom, Brooklynn, and Dutch.
In 2011, Newsom and her family moved from San Francisco to Ross, where she'd grown up.

Voter registration

Newsom was registered as a Republican in 2008 but has reregistered as an Independent voter. Prior to registering as an independent voter, she mistakenly registered with the far-right American Independent Party.

Filmography