Mary Jean Eisenhower

Mary Jean Eisenhower was born on December 21, 1955, in Washington, D.C. She is the granddaughter of Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States. Her birth occurred during her grandfather's first presidential term, and she was christened in the Blue Room of the White House. She was raised on the Eisenhower estate in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where President Eisenhower retired following his presidency.

Eisenhower attended Schuylkill Consolidated School in fifth grade, and later attended Westtown School in Pennsylvania. From 1969 to 1972, she resided in Belgium, where her father, John Eisenhower, was appointed United States Ambassador to Belgium. During her youth, she was presented as a debutante at the International Debutante Ball held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, a tradition also observed by her sisters and other members of the Eisenhower family.

Her early career included working on Capitol Hill and managing an engineering firm. She later served as a Fellow at Stanford University.

In 1976, Eisenhower married Army Second Lieutenant James Brewton Millard in a private military ceremony held in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, attended by her grandmother, Mamie Eisenhower. They have a son, Merrill Eisenhower Atwater, who became the chief operations officer and subsequently the chief executive officer of People to People International in 2018.

Eisenhower has been actively involved with People to People International (PTPI), serving as its president and chief executive officer from 2003 until June 2013. She later resumed her role as CEO in February 2016, and as of October 2016, held the position of president again. She is currently recognized as chairman emeritus. Her work with PTPI included international travels to Morocco, where she represented her family to the king on the 50th anniversary of the Casablanca Conference, and to Normandy, where she met D-Day veterans. She has visited over 40 countries and left the United States over 70 times in the past six years to participate in various humanitarian, cultural, and diplomatic missions.

Inspired by her visit to a Moroccan orphanage, Eisenhower established the People to People International Friendship Fund in 1999. The fund supports numerous projects worldwide, including initiatives related to landmine eradication, healthcare, disaster relief, education, and infrastructure. Notably, the fund emphasizes that 100% of the donations are allocated directly to the causes selected by donors.

Following the September 11, 2001, attacks, Eisenhower focused on fostering international youth exchanges to promote cultural understanding and conflict resolution. She launched initiatives such as Peace Camp 2003 and the Global Peace Initiative, bringing together participants from over 30 nations to discuss contemporary issues and cultural diversity. The events were co-hosted by Suzanne Mubarak, former First Lady of Egypt.

People to People International filed for bankruptcy on March 22, 2022, in Missouri.

Eisenhower’s personal affiliations include membership in the Society of Presidential Descendants and her role as a charter member and co-chair of the National First Ladies Day Commission, a position she assumed in 2021.

Her awards include the Knight of Peace Award from the International University in Assisi, Italy; honorary doctorates in Humane Letters from Schiller International University, Park University, and William Jewell College; an honorary Doctorate in Law from York College in Nebraska; and several international honors such as the Medal of Honor from Slovakia and Friendship Ambassador from China. Other recognitions include the Award of Excellence from the Consular Corps and membership in the OSS Society.