First inauguration of Barack Obama First inauguration of Barack Obama The first inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States took place on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. The inauguration, which set a record attendance for any event held in Washington, D.C., marked the commencement of the first four-year term of Barack Obama as President and Joe Biden as Vice President. Based on the combined attendance numbers, television viewership, and Internet traffic, it was among the most-observed events ever by the global audience. "A New Birth of Freedom", a phrase from the Gettysburg Address, served as the inaugural theme to commemorate the
Kerri-Ann Jones as Assistant Secretary of State, Jones also served as the U.S. co-chair of the U.S.-Ireland R&D Partnership Steering Group. Kerri-Ann Jones Kerri-Ann Jones is a vice president of research and science at The Pew Charitable Trusts. She is the former United States Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs at the U.S. State Department. Nominated by President Barack Obama in June 2009, she was sworn in on August 20 of that year. Kerri-Ann Jones received a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Barnard College in 1975. After graduating, she worked as a research assistant in immunology